8/10
Lady Gaga is known to master any genre she touches, from her dance pop classics to the more jazzy sounds that can be found on her new record Harlequin. Her last solo album was 2020’s Chromatica, with pop hits like “Stupid Love” and “Rain on Me” featuring Ariana Grande. But jazz isn’t new for her: she’s released multiple projects in collaboration with the late Tony Bennett and performed in a 2019 Vegas residency titled Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano. The residency featured jazz standards and tunes from the Great American Songbook. The same can be said for Harlequin, which is largely a cover album.
Gaga has called Harlequin a companion album to her new movie Joker: Folie à Deux, where she stars alongside Joaquin Phoenix. The movie is a musical, but “it’s not your typical musical,” Gaga explained on Jimmy Kimmel. In the film, Gaga plays Harley Quinn, whose split identity mirrors Gaga’s past musical explorations in pop and jazz.
The album kicks off brightly with “Good Morning,” as echoey trumpets are joined by a harmony of hums. Gaga’s gorgeous smoky vocals scoop up to each note before a charming barbershop quartet joins in. Originally written for Babes in Arms, the song was made famous by the 1952 movie musical Singin’ in the Rain. Gaga’s version invokes feelings of nostalgia and familiarity as an endearing nod to old Hollywood. A swing rhythm and big band sound perfectly accompany the brassy hook. The saxophone solo is one of the instrumental highlights of the album, but Gaga doesn’t shy away from a vocal showcase.
“Get Happy (2024)” has a more gospel sound. It starts slowly with Gaga’s sultry vocals drawing in the audience: “Come you sinners and just follow me,” she sings. It becomes the most joyous track on the album, with lyrics about the delight that comes with salvation.
“Gonna Build A Mountain” and “Oh, When the Saints” have similar gospel sounds, but the former is a stronger track. The latter feels discombobulated, with an electric guitar solo, confusing production, and some odd jingle bells in the background. It also ends on a melodic cliffhanger, not hitting a satisfying final chord. “Gonna Build a Mountain” is far more vocally impressive and its anthemic feel makes it more impactful.
“If My Friends Could See Me Now” begins with a stripped-back and emotionally raw intro. Gaga sings simply, backed by a reverberated guitar, before jumping into a swing tempo introduced by a quick drum solo. It’s one of the most exciting tracks on the album as Gaga scats and growls to amplify the track’s intensity. With its triumphant and vindictive tone, it is clearly influenced by Harley Quinn.
“That’s Entertainment” disappointingly lacks the characterized excitement of the album’s previous track. It references the charm of showbiz with lyrics echoing the words of Shakespeare: “The world is a stage / The stage is a world of entertainment.” While Gaga’s vocals sound exquisite, the simplistic track sounds more like a live performance from her Vegas residency than of an exciting Harley Quinn-inspired performance.
“World On A String” and “Close To You” are two of the album’s weakest songs. “World On A String” has a more pop sound but lacks the energy to fit in with the rest of the album, and even the great vocals on “Close To You” can’t stop the gentle sound from feeling out of place in the album’s jazzy mood. It does have a catchy melody, though.
“Smile” begins with an intimate piano that perfectly accompanies Gaga’s alluring, raspy tone. She invokes the warm, jazzy sound of greats like Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, and Tony Bennett, but even with this familiarity, there is an underlying eeriness. The song is hauntingly beautiful, and the voicemail in French towards the end of the song contributes to the romantic atmosphere.
Gaga’s dramatic flair is evident in “The Joker,” one of the album’s best tracks, originally from 1964 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint –The Smell of the Crowd. Gaga’s reworking of the song showcases her extensive vocal range as she belts and soars over the rock beat and guitar. The song also displays her total commitment to her art. She’s almost screaming at some points, lost in the music and emotion. It’s dynamic and electric, demonstrating the extent of Harley Quinn’s psychosis.
This rock sound is directly contrasted with the next track, “Folie à Deux,” a romantic waltz between a couple ”insane in love.” This is one of the album’s two original songs rather than a jazz standard. The title is the same as the movie’s, translating to “madness of two.” While heartfelt on the surface, lines like “They might say that we’re crazy / But I’m just in love with you” have a more sinister tone.
“Happy Mistake” is the second and final song written by Gaga on the album. The song is emotional; it’s evident Gaga infuses Harley Quinn’s character without feeling overly theatrical. Lyrics like “I can try to hide behind the makeup, but the show must go on” refer to both her life as a performer and her character. The repeated line, “My head is filled with broken mirrors,” references Gaga’s multiple personas that align with her various albums and her dual persona as Harley Quinn. Her husky tone on the higher notes gives the song a heart-wrenching edge.
Gaga closes the album with “That’s Life,” a jazz standard popularized by Frank Sinatra. She reintroduces the growl and big band sound to carry the album to its conclusion. In the line “I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn, and a queen,” Gaga alters the original lyrics from “king” to “queen,” putting her mark on the song.
Even without the theatrical synths she’s become known for, Harlequin is a quintessentially Gaga album. She showcases her excellent artistry and characterization, and her well-known commitment and intensity is evident in this work. It is perfectly dramatic, with various parallels between Gaga’s real life and her character. One may dismiss the album based on the lack of original songs, but Gaga’s masterful performance and energy unifies both her reprises and fresh tracks. Gaga captivates the audience and makes every song her own, no matter how familiar it may already be.
Gaga’s seventh album is set to come out in February, with the first song dropping this month. Joker: Folie à Deux comes out in theaters on Oct. 4.
