Mother Monster is Mother-ing again. Lady Gaga’s seventh solo studio album “Mayhem” — which was released to the delight of Little Monsters everywhere on Friday — returns the 38-year-old diva to the dance-in-the-dark moves of her early career.

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.

On this week's episode of the Greatest Pop Stars podcast, we evaluate all aspects of the leadup to (and eventual release of) Lady Gaga's latest LP.