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Lady Gaga\u2019s sixth solo pop album, \u201cMayhem,\u201d<\/a> was released last week, and its retro palette immediately connected with many of the singer\u2019s most devoted longtime fans.<\/p>\n Produced by Gaga, the rock revivalist Andrew Watt<\/a> and the pop fixture Cirkut \u2014 with what Gaga has described as substantial input from her fianc\u00e9, Michael Polansky \u2014 the LP gestures pointedly back at the sounds of the pop star\u2019s ascent in the late aughts and early 2010s. In a surprising amount of promotional interviews for a modern star of her caliber, Gaga has also cited a lofty list of influences for the album\u2019s rock and funk touches: Prince, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead, Earth, Wind & Fire and more.<\/p>\n But does \u201cMayhem\u201d transcend homage and fan service, successfully shifting or adding to the current conversation in pop? Reviewing the album<\/a> for The New York Times, the critic Lindsay Zoladz called it \u201ca refreshing anomaly\u201d and \u201ca little behind the times\u201d \u2014 which may be its strength.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n To discuss \u201cMayhem\u201d on this week\u2019s Popcast, Zoladz was joined by Caryn Ganz, The Times\u2019 pop music editor, and Joe Coscarelli, a pop music reporter, who traced Gaga\u2019s unorthodox career path through the Top 40, jazz standards and Hollywood, while considering the potential limits of a \u201creturn to form\u201d album for the 38-year-old singer.<\/p>\n Connect With Popcast.<\/strong> Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show\u2019s Facebook group<\/a> and Discord channel<\/a>. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com<\/a>. Follow our host, Jon Caramanica, on Twitter: @joncaramanica<\/a>.<\/p>\n Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com\/podcasts<\/a> or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n