Music Review: Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga, Cheek To Cheek

By Tyler Hodg

Tony Bennett is a clock that keeps on ticking. His career has spanned over 65 years and he shows no signs of slowing down. For his 57th studio album (!!), Bennett calls upon a familiar friend—Lady Gaga—to record a duet album of jazz standards titled Cheek To Cheek. What initially seems like an unlikely pairing is in fact something incredibly special; listening to this album is a reminder of how great these two artists truly are.

With that said, you shouldn’t go into this looking for something different from Bennett. He does what he does and at age 88, he isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. The true triumph comes from Lady Gaga, who gets to let loose and shed her “pop star persona” (albeit likely just for this album). It’s a shame the casual observer doesn’t get to see this side of her, as she is a talented singer/songwriter. Her nearly perfect ability to complement the undeniably smooth Bennett is one of the biggest highlights of the album.

Cheek To Cheek kicks off with the energetic “Anything Goes.” Originally written by Cole Porter, the song sets the tone for the album. Bennett and Gaga trade off verses, allowing both singers to show what they’ve got right off the bat. The moment Tony Bennett starts to sing, his age dissolves into merely a number. Lady Gaga altered her vocal style for this album, which added substance to the already glamorous sound. Separately, the pair sounds incredible. Together, the pair sounds magical.

I do have one major criticism—the album cover is pretty disastrous. Both the regular and deluxe versions feature the same awkward bust shot of the two blankly staring forward. Bennett looks as classy as ever, but it seems as though Gaga had just watched Moonstruck and felt the need to recreate ‘80s Cher. The music is packed with personality, but I wish I could say the same for the cover. I feel like the opportunity to create something memorable and iconic was wasted for a throwaway picture.

Despite the artwork hiccup, Cheek To Cheek is a must-have for fans of both Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Sonically, the album is fantastic and the duo complements each other almost flawlessly. The standard version has 11 songs, while the deluxe version varies depending on the region. This album will probably fly under a lot of people’s radars, but Cheek To Cheek is an instant classic. What Bennett and Gaga have created is special and I can only hope that this isn’t the last time we hear from the pair.

Cheek To Cheek was released through Interscope/Columbia on September 23.