‘Mayhem’ channels the singer’s absurd glory years. It hits differently in absurd times.

Her new album is a work of self-citation, rummaging around in Gaga’s own past for inspiration. It’s also, somehow, the freshest collection of songs she has released in years.

For those who have wanted the old Gaga back, her new album is a nostalgia trip that completes the journey after the 2020’s pandemic-plagued “Chromatica.”