REVIEW: Lana Del Rey – Ultraviolence

Lana Del Rey Ultraviolence

There are very few artists in the last few years who have incited controversy in modern day music as Elizabeth Grant, aka Lana Del Rey has. After struggling to break into the mainstream for years using her real name, she re-invented herself as the persona we know and love today, allowing her 2011 debut, ‘Video Games‘, to escalate her into super-stardom.

Since then, her success has been shrouded in speculation, and with her rise to fame, the backlash quickly followed. Her now infamous performance on Saturday Night Live ignited a massive public uproar, with critics slaughtering her left right and centre, people questioned the authenticity of her persona, and her music was labelled as ‘the equivalent of a faked orgasm’ by Pitchfork. The criticism, however, did not alter the consequence. Her debut album ‘Born To Die‘ became the 5th best selling album of 2012, her follow up ‘Paradise’ debuted in the Billboard Top 10, and she was chosen to sing on the soundtrack of one of the most
anticipated films of 2013, ‘The Great Gatsby‘.

Lana Del Rey West Coast

Lana announced her third collection, ‘Ultraviolence‘, in December 2013, and ‘West Coast‘, the first single, was premiered in April 2014. It signalled a change in direction for the singer; gone were the tinny hip hop tinges of her debut – which in a recent interview with Gigwise she freely admitted that she “wasn’t crazy about” – and in its place was an atmospheric, soft vintage rock influence. It’s not entirely surprising, as Lana’s influences have been cited as Jeff Buckley, Janis Joplin and Frank Sinatra, but would this rather dramatic change be welcomed by fans and critics alike, or would this be just another chapter in the rise and fall of a modern day star?

Opener ‘Cruel World‘ sets the tone for the album – dark and brooding, with the creepy guitars clanging underneath the ominous drums and Lana’s haunting vocals soaring over the wall of noise – “You’re fucking crazy”, she howls over the exquisitely composed production. The title track and second single ‘Shades Of Cool‘ continue this pattern, Lana’s smouldering tones effortlessly gliding over the relaxed guitars and creating an atmosphere that wouldn’t be out of place on the moon.

Lana

Lana’s strongest talent lies in her songwriting. Early in her career she claimed to be ‘more of a writer than a singer’, and every one of her songs tells a beautiful story. She mourns the death of a relationship in the devastating ‘Pretty When You Cry‘, in which she wails in broken defeat over a swirl of heartbreakingly mournful guitar strains – “All those special times/ I spent with you my love/ They don’t mean shit/ Compared to all your drugs”, whilst the defiant yet poignant and opulent ‘Brooklyn Baby’ is a clever two-finger salute to her critics who labelled her as fake – ‘I don’t have to fucking explain’, she cries over the luxuriant Spanish guitars, and the interestingly titled ‘Fucked My Up To The Top’ is a seductive blend of reverberated beats and smoky vocals that’s bound to get people talking.

The cinematic vibe that was present in ‘Paradise’ is also clear here. ‘Money Power Glory’ is a sultry, powerful anthem that gives way to a triumphant, vengeful chorus – ‘I’m gonna take you for all that you’ve got’, and lead single ‘West Coast’ swings from mid-tempo surf pop to an rich, elegant and erotic relaxant with the simple switch of a guitar chord, and the finest cut from the album, ‘Old Money’, is a heart-rendering ballad with it’s gentle piano and stunningly swooping strings. Lana’s voice is at it’s most beautiful here, filled with all of her heartbreak, her palpable emotions, and her longing – ‘If you call for me, you know I’ll come/ I’ll run to you/ I’ll run to you/’, she promises as the song stills to it’s gorgeous finale.

Lana Del Rey

Lana’s evolution as an artist is clear in this incredible album. The sound is still extremely Lana – her influences are strong, but not worn too obviously on her sleeve. Her lyrics are stronger, more diverse and less obviously clichéd, and her voice is as dark, unique and exquisite as it ever was. In summary, she’s never sound as good as she has on this album.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Lana claimed she ‘never felt any of the enjoyment’ of her success due to the relentless backlash. Unfortunately, the critics may never be silenced. But Lana can rest easy knowing that this album is the best work of her short career, and long may she continue.

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