C&C Review: "Alejandro" music video

When The Fame was first released in Summer 2008, I instantly fell in love with Lady Gaga. Her sound was new, danceable, and had that 80's flavor that I had been filling my iPod with for years. I played that album for six solid months.

Then, Gaga unchained her persona and let it fly. That's when I started having doubts about this new pop prodigy. I thought, "great, she's going to be just another shock value pop star." And I was more or less right. Following in the footsteps of 80's phenoms like Madonna and Prince with her over-the-top outfits and outrageous soundbites, I began distancing myself from Lady Gaga fandom.

When The Fame Monster came out in late 2009 and to me sounded like the B-side of The Fame, I was done. I figured Gaga was a one-trick, one-sound pony who was all too eager to cash in on the initial success of her debut album by releasing a hastily thrown together followup. Coupled with her puzzling public persona, I felt I could no longer see Gaga the Artist. I was only seeing Gaga the Circus Act. I was turned off.

Having said that, today Lady Gaga released her new video for "Alejandro", the third single off of The Fame Monster. I didn't mind "Bad Romance". I could dance to "Telephone", but after that "sexy prison with Beyonce randomly cruising in a drop top" video flop that followed, I awaited Alejandro's video coming-out party with staunch pessimism.

I'm not crazy about the song. The sound is very reminiscent of Ace of Base's "All That She Wants". It has a fun, uptempo Europop edge that's highly danceable, but I never gave it's airplay much attention.

But then came the video...

And let me tell you, this is what music videos are all about. It opens in a seemingly dystopic totalitarian dance floor with costumed dancers inspiring a Nazi-Germany-meets-Star Wars aesthetic. At 8:43, the video is long, reminding us of the glory days of music videos, when they weren't singing heads on a beach/in a club/in a Lamborghini Gallardo, but were intricately adapted stories. Michael Jackson would be proud.

The choreography is super-sexy, the costumes too. The camera work is fantastic - with ease, the camera soars above the dancing ensemble only to swing back down, wrap around, as if it itself is a part of the choreography. The style is edgy, dark, gray, but has a masterfully-colourful energy and power. Director Steven Klein has crafted a piece of cinema that is Gaga but not to the point of ridiculousness. It is grounded and controlled and a superb watch.

So, I suppose there is always room for redemption. I want to be a Lady Gaga fan. She is like an old-world 80's pop star gem sent forward through time to rescue us from flat beats, champagne, mini-skirts, and autotune. And even though she's often over-the-top - Charlie Murphy might call her a "habitual line-stepper" - maybe that's what pop music needs right now to break away from formulaic hip-hop/R&B-inspired dance music.

Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga is here. And as long as she comes out with a video like this every couple of singles, I can easily be swayed back into her camp.