 Mikael Wood of the "Los Angeles Times" felt that most songs on the album "lacked strong stories" and were "mere stylistic exercises" on Gaga's part.Rich Juzwiak, who reviewed "Joanne" for "Spin", did not find the musical evolution that Gaga presented on the album authentic.Rating the album two-out-of-four stars, journalist Greg Kot wrote in the "Chicago Tribune" that "[Gaga] sounds like she's just trying too hard" with "Joanne".