“I think re-releases are unfair,” Lady Gaga told Rolling Stone in 2009. “It’s artists sneaking singles onto an already finished piece of work in an effort to keep the album afloat.” So-called ‘deluxe editions’ of high-selling albums have become common in recent years, and Lady Gaga’s 2008 debut, The Fame, was indeed a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Within a few months of its release, Gaga had topped charts worldwide with hits like ‘Just Dance’, ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Paparazzi’, transporting her from near-obscurity to household name.

With eight tracks, including three singles, and some rave reviews, The Fame Monster is a very different animal from most re-releases. It has been categorized as an EP, and not so long ago might have been classed as an album in its own right (Michael Jackson’s Thriller was only seven tracks long, while Madonna’s Like a Virgin ran to nine.)

In a press release, Gaga claimed that unlike its sister album, The Fame Monster contains “no songs about money, no songs about fame.” It was written “on the road” and deals with her fears: “my fear of sex monster, my fear of alcohol monster, my fear of love monster, my fear of death monster, my fear of loneliness monster, etc.” Continue reading →