The idea of big fun suggests the existence of little fun, and Lady Gaga is now the kind of pop star who can do both. “Just Dance.” Meat dress. Being carried down the red carpet at the Grammys inside an egg.

She dances on the line between clever self-referentiality and less inspired rehashing on her new LP, committing to the over-the-top excess that first made her a star.

The star singer returns with her first solo LP since 2020, and it’s full of typically irresistible hooks and her signature sense of drama.