LADY GAGA:THE REMIX

Of the hundred or so remixes that have been commissioned for Lady Gaga songs over the relatively short span of her career thus far, the 10 tracks presented here are by no means the best of the bunch. In fact, as a general observance which has earned me negative ratings in other reviews I've written, despite being the definitive of good pop music, Gaga's songs seem terribly difficult to remix as 90% of what ends up on her maxi-singles is garbage. But, if you're a fan and, like me, have collected all her domestic singles up to this point and still haven't learned your lesson (lol...just kidding), this album proves to still be an essential part of your collection as over half of the mixes presented here are previously unreleased or otherwise unavailable in the US.

But on the other hand, if you really are that huge of a Gaga fan, then you probably have already paid a little bit more for the European version of "The Remix" which has been out for a few months already, and includes the ten tracks here plus seven more. For that alone the US version loses some credit. Had they chosen better remixes for this compilation, rare or not, I would be a little more forgiving of the short running time. But the fact we're getting something at all on this side of the ocean is acknowledged and appreciated, even if it does feel halfhearted. Once the plusses and minuses are all taken together, I figure it balances out to a middle of the road, three star rating. As the Lady herself would say, "Eh."

Now, normally I hate reviews that offer a track by track breakdown of a CD, but as remix albums are pretty hit or miss I thought I'd give everyone a brief heads up about what exactly they're in for.

1. Just Dance (Richard Vission Remix) - I thought it odd to kick off the CD with a dub mix, but it has Vission written allover it while keeping the basic beat of the original. Previously available on US maxi.

2. Poker Face (LLG vs GLG Radio Mix) - Very, VERY similar to the album version, with a simple, thumping house beat layered over it. Not bad, but not very ambitious either, and too short to be memorable.

3. Lovegame (Chew Fu Ghettohouse Remix feat. Marilyn Manson) - Now here's a great club beat, but it does go a little overboard on the repetitive vocal bits. Seems amateurish. Manson's parts are awesome, I just wish he was featured on more verses.

4. Eh, Eh (FrankMuzik Remix) - A house/industrial reworking of the fluffy original with some interesting vocal effects, I'm glad to see some experimentation with an otherwise underrated song. However for its sole representation on this album, I might have gone with the Pet Shop Boys Mix.

5. Paparazzi (Stuart Price Remix) - Pretty low-key for a Stuart Price remix, but I believe it uses alternate studio vocals that give it a slightly different vibe from the original. Decent, but again, I might have chosen a more energetic interpretation for this compilation, such as the Moto Blanco mix.

6. The Fame (Glam as You Remix) - More or less a sped-up techno version of the original, with a harder, rockstar edge to it. Cute and fun.

7. Bad Romance (Starsmith Remix) - As no remix could ever do justice to the original, with only the Chew Fu H1N1 mix coming remotely close, we'll settle for this awkward part retro, part futuristic reworking of the worldwide smash which in the end is surprisingly unremarkable.

8. Telephone (Passion Pit Remix) - I admit I'm somewhat disappointed this already available mix ended up here. Too many choppy, wacky vocal effects for my taste. And Lady Gaga on helium? In 2010 I think we can do better than that.

9. Alejandro (Sound of Arrows Remix) - Short and simple dance mix for a great song. Certainly better than anything else on the Alejandro remix single, which it is also on, even if it does sound like the backing track to a Mario Brothers video game.

10. Dance in the Dark (Monarchy Stylites Remix) -It's a little more mellow and stripped down than the original, with a simple dance beat in the background. Some verses are cut, but what is here certainly does show that Lady Gaga can sing.

Like everybody else, I'm googoo for Gaga, but not just because of the original versions of her pop classics. For every hit she has, there are 5+ GREAT remixes to accompany them. As a huge fan of dance/club music I think I actually prefer her remixes to the original most of the time. This collection is a great representation of the versatility of her music and is also a good sample of some of her best remixes.

HOWEVER...

After you have bought this CD (It's only $7.99, why not?) you'll need to seek out some other Gaga remixes conveniently located on AmazonMP3 because frankly, there are some EPIC masterpieces out there that unfortunately didn't make it to this CD. Here's my Must List:

- LoveGame (Dave Aude mix)
- Poker Face (Jody den Broeder Remix)
- Paparazzi (James Carameta Tabloid Remix) - (DJ Dan mix is my personal favorite, but I can't find it on AmazonMp3)
- Telephone (Crookers Vocal Remix) (Kaskade Mix is also great)
- Alejandro (Dave Aude Mix)
- Bad Romance (Chew Fu H1N1 Fix)
- Just Dance (HCCR's Bambossa Main Mix) (Can't find this on AmazonMp3 either)

And those are just some that come to mind. Gaga really goes all out when releasing singles and no one appreciates that more than me. If you haven't yet discovered the power of a Gaga club remix, you have a lot of catching up to do! Get this CD, check out the other remixes I've listed, and then buy the individual single CDs if you still haven't got enough. They're well worth it!

This is a the remix album for true, hardcore, Lady GaGa fans. It is not the album for those, like me, looking for something like a new, fresh, reinterpretation of these songs that 2009 and 2010 will be remembered for. The mixes are fine -- just fine, not spectacular -- and are worth owning if you just want remixed versions of the Fame Monster cd. They don't break new ground, or elevate the listening to new levels of appreciation of GaGa's work or the remixers who have been unleashed on her music. I wanted to like the cd more, owing to the explosive (but relatively short) career GaGa has had so far.

So, if you are big fan, this is YET ANOTHER cd for you. If you want to buy your first dance-heavy (not just pop) version of the her last two big albums, this is the CD for you. If you already have her regular releases, and want something to build on them for the dancefloor, this may just be another mediocre effort that you can live without. My guess is that you will tire of these overplayed songs -- "new" (this cd was released overseas and Canada in May 2010) mixes or not -- after a short while.

Sorry GaGa. I just wanted more.

I suppose it says something about the quality of the original songs when remixing them just doesn't work as well! There's no denying that the songs presented here from The Fame and The Fame Monster are all immaculate in their original state. However, it seems that the various DJ's and musicians have had difficulty creating a good remix, as the songs here are unimpressive, bland and unimaginative. The only two tracks worth listening to are the remixes of "Paparazzi" and "Alejandro". "LoveGame" is interesting for a little bit just to hear Marilyn Manson's part, but that grows old very quickly. Listening to the songs on this record only makes me pine to listen to the originals. For Lady Gaga completionists, this release may suit you, but sadly this is the kind of record you listen to once or twice before it just collects dust.

Really love pop remixes, listen various artists and diferent DJs...but I can't understand this compilation...I do not like a single track!!!