KEY POINTS:
Rating: * * *
Stefania Gabriella Germanotta - aka Lady GaGa - is desperate to be famous. She openly admits she has deliberately and calculatedly plotted her rise to prominence - and makes no apologies for it.
Her debut album, The Fame, is all part of that strategy, full of catchy, commercial dance beats that are already flooding mainstream radio and climbing the singles chart.
But while Just Dance, Beautiful, Dirty Rich and Poker Face will have clubbers grinding up a sweat on dancefloors around the world, the rest of the album will leave you hankering for those original deep, dirty beats, as it gives way to silly, repetitive lyrics and bubblegum synth pop.
Eh, Eh is an annoyingly saccharine track, completely at odds with GaGa's vampy, sex-pot persona.
Vocally, GaGa will never master the vocal gymnastics of Beyonce or Christina, but then neither can Madonna or Gwen Stefani - who the young upstart seems to model herself on.
Title track The Fame particularly seems to be a modern interpretation of Madge's 90s hit Material Girl, incorporating some Prince-like guitar riffs for good measure.
Likewise, the mediocre club jam Money Honey hears GaGa try to mimic Stefani's sassy cheerleader holler.
It doesn't make for bad listening - but why settle for a cheap knock-off when you can have the real deal?
Joanna Hunkin
