PEOPLE's Music Critic Previews Lady Gaga's New Album

Good news, little monsters: Lady Gaga's new album, Born This Way, promises to be a club-friendly successor to the pop star's slew of hits. Before launching the new North American leg of her Monster Ball tour at Atlantic City's Boardwalk Hall on Saturday, Gaga previewed her highly anticipated third album, due out May 23, for a small group of music press backstage. And the five-song presentation by Vincent Herbert, an executive producer on both 2008's The Fame and 2009's The Fame Monster revealed more of the pumping sounds that will make fans want to just dance all over again. The empowering, liberating first single "Born This Way," which has already rocketed to No. 1 while drawing controversial comparisons to Madonna's 1989 hit "Express Yourself," was followed by "Judas," a driving, thumping track that is the likely second single. "Edge of Glory," a rock-tinged tune, features Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band on saxophone, while "Hair" is another club-ready anthem. At one point during the preview, a yellow-haired Gaga, looking about as stripped-down as you'll ever see her in bodysuit, tights and heels, emerged from her dressing room to playfully prance around to her new tunes. Later, during the sold-out concert, she went on to perform another Born This Way song, the piano-led ballad "You and I." Gaga finished her show with a rousing rendition of "Born This Way" – an ending that sent all her little monsters home no doubt counting the days until May 23.