They're both back. They both have impressive back catalogues of pop-amazingness. It's hard to decide who you prefer because they're both incredibly influential 21st Century pop artists. One sings a bit better than the other, but then the other did wear a whipped cream jizzing bra. The choice is nigh on impossible. Let's make the call based on their new singles? Fuck yes!
Katy Perry - Roar
'Roar' follows an album packed with more pop perfection than it had the right to. Katy's vocal's are strong throughout, bursting with conviction. It sounds a bit like 'Hard Knock Life' when it bleeps into ear shot, then the chorus blasts into a pop/rock mid tempo stadium shaker. The 'you're gonna hear me roar-oh-oh-oh-oooohoooh' is so catchy it sticks in your head even when you're sitting on the toilet... true story. This is a melodious pop masterpiece and let us not overlook the input of pop Sith Lord (he must be evil to be so powerful) Max Martin. Long may he live.
5/5
Lady Gaga - Applause
'Applause' opens with shaky David Bowie imitation vocals and a Tetris on acid electronic arrangement. The chorus is the song's strong point; it's typical Gaga, big, ballsy and camp. Her vocals are solid and at points the production is exhilarating, particularly when the chorus erupts like a pop volcano. This was designed for a gay club dance floor, much like the majority of her upbeat roster. After cancelling some of her world tour due to a hip injury, this will certainly have her fans back in their bath tubs, pouring breakfast cereal all over themselves in Gaga fuelled euphoria. Even if you don't like her, no one can deny how fucking brilliant/essential her pop-artistry is.
4/5
Katy just wins this battle. However, overall both of them are so brilliant it would be callous to choose one over the other.
Sorry but no. Gaga is an artist, Katy can't even sing. Moreover Roar, one of the most shoddy and ordinary tracks I've ever listened to, should be called with its real name: Brave by Sara Bareilles, please. I mean, ok, you can prefer Gaga, or Katy, or you can like both of them. Personal tastes are subjective. What is not subjective instead is quality. Anything Gaga will produce will always be better than anything Katy (well, her producers) will. And this is not a personal subjective opinion, it's a matter of fact.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is entitled to their opinion and I respect yours. I'm not a mega fan of either artist. I would pay to see either in concert and I will probably buy both albums. This blog is a host for my opinions and what my own knowledge of pop music has taught me; for others to take what they will from it. Essentially, I just want to make people aware of new 'good' music that's out there, not impose my opinion.
ReplyDeleteBUTROARISBETTERLOL
Yeah, Keith.
ReplyDeleteThe main problem is that most people just can't accept that personal subjective tastes and opinions must be separated from objective quality. I mean: the fact that you like a song, a movie,... doesn't involve that they are high-quality products; the same reasoning is valid for the contrary, as you may not like something which is a high-quality product. You can prefer 50 shades of grey to The Divine Comedy (personal taste/opinion), it's not up to anybody to judge this; yet, you must acknowledge that The Divine Comedy is a high-quality product, whereas 50 shades is not (objective quality). The same can be said for Gaga and Perry. This issue is basic and thorny at the same time and I think it's important to bear it in my mind, otherwise one could think that an artist and an incompetent singer can be put on the same footing and compared as if they belonged to the same category. We cannot reduce everything to personal opinions, it doesn't work this way.
ReplyDeleteIn this instance, Gaga as always is the better singer. However, Roar is fundamentally and technically a stronger pop song than Applause. That is fact.
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