The release of Lana Del Rey’s new album has been eagerly anticipated by her fans. The Daily Shift’s Claire Corrigan reviews…
In paradise: Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey’s second album Born to Die: The Paradise Edition hit the shops this Monday and fans of her first album will be happy to know that the new tracks are just as risque, mortality and romance-obsessed as the previous ones.
With a penchant for over-the-top posing and pouting in videos and her self-proclaimed “ghetto” style, Lana has had opinions firmly divided since entering the public realm last year. However, it’s fair to say that the 26-year-old has being successful in shaking her ‘marmite’ image by keeping the melodic tunes and believable lyrics coming.
The record features eight new songs, one bonus iTunes track and all the songs from the first album. With the regular use of instruments such as harps, violins and piano as well as Del Rey’s occasional casual swearing, the album definitely injects something new into the music scene.
Romantic lyrics about pleasant memories sang over melancholic tunes (as with the hypnotic ‘Video Games’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’) are a strong theme throughout the album. The indulgent ‘Ride’ (it’s ten minutes long) rivals ‘Video Games’ in sheer luxuriousness with its orchestral sound and impeccably produced video.
While ‘Bel Air’ and ‘Yayo’ sound suspiciously like fillers, the risky lyrics of ‘Cola’ as well as the fusion of violin and 50’s rock and roll style guitar make for an exciting, seductive sound. Meanwhile, ‘American’ has a more romantic feel while making a tongue-in-cheek nod to the American theme running through the album.
Lana does a haunting rendition of ‘Blue Velvet’ while at the same time injecting her own flavour into the song, and thus avoiding the dreaded cover version curse. ‘Body Electric’ brilliantly uses the violin to convey the fragile state of mind the lyrics demonstrate, while Lana really gives in to her instincts vocally in a way she doesn’t do in any other song.
Overall, the record succeeds in proving the naysayers wrong. The often provocative lyrics and eclectic mix of influences ring true and give this album a really original sound. For fans of her previous material the album is a must, and an even rawer look at Lana’s hazy world of obsessional romances and sobering realisations.
The Daily Shift’s best tracks: ‘Ride’ and ‘Cola’
