Review Summary: An interesting take on 3 of Lady GaGa's more popular songs.
The following 3 songs create this nine minute live Ep by Lady GaGa entitled
The Cherrytree Sessions.
Poker Face (Piano & Voice Version)
Just Dance (Stripped Down Version)
Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) (Electronic Piano & Human Beat Box Version)
Playing under nine minutes this isn't likely to win any GaGa haters over but it is an interesting take on a few of her more popular songs. One of the nice things about the Ep is that each song sounds distinctly different from it's regular version and even casual fans can appreciate the novelty found throughout each song.
You've probably heard
Poker Face, well this is the classy piano version of that song. A pianist teases at the background with classy licks fit for an opera. No robotic electronic effects here, in place of that is a very downtown Chicago city vibe. GaGa's vocals are actually quite interesting throughout the entire track and hold a showgirl type charm. She sounds best when reaching for the choruses and the raw pairing of GaGa's vocals and the minimal piano works quite well. That's not to say her voice doesn't have its quirks because it does, particularly during the lower sections when she kinda sounds like a man.
Just Dance retains some of it's electronic effects like its original version but with a lot of the poppier effects taken out. It leaves it with a rawer industrial type feel but outside of being interesting it isn't very eventful. GaGa's vocal style dips into bland territory but the track is only a little over two minutes so it's not much to get excited about anyway.
Without a doubt
Eh Eh is the best track on the Ep. I would even go as far to say that this is actually better than the original track and that may be because this is the track with the most minimal changes. All that is really added is a smoothly done beat boxing rythm that plays throughout the track. It's not even completely attention stealing but it does have a very uplifting effect and GaGa's vocals are consistently cheerful along side them. The song flows pleasantly from start to finish and should satisfy anyone looking for a cheerful pop song.
Now this probably isn't going to win a new crowd of GaGa fans but it's interesting and each track really has a charm that is most definitely Lady GaGa. It's quirky, it's fun and if you want it's quite easily forgettable. If you're in the mood for some GaGa or just plain bored remember, this takes less than ten minutes to listen to and could just lighten up your mood.