Lana Del Rey

[Mr Cat Dog]

Hopefully I've spelled that correctly...

Got any thoughts on the newest music media punching bag/talking point? She seems to be everywhere at the moment getting wonderful and horrible publicity, sometimes in the space of the same article, so it'd be interesting to hear everyone's thoughts on her.

 

[Eliminator Jr.]

I read an interview with her a few months back after listening to her song Video Games and she seemed a little arrogant. So in that respect I don't really like her as a person. As for her actual music, I definitely like many aspects of it - I like the revival of Nancy Sinatra-esque vocals and more traditional instrumentation - though in my opinion the lyrics don't have much depth to them. That, coupled with her demeanour, makes me not enjoy her music.

 

[Her]

(I was going to make his topic today wtf)

I... I don't understand the publicity around her. Although I agree with Nick that Born to Die is a wonderful song, she's just... boring to me. I'm also quite curious as to what happened to her first album, back when she was trying to make it as Lizzy Grant, which seems to have been scrubbed clean from the internet quite conveniently. Granted, the album was a complete failure, but still. Also, her performance on SNL was less than amazing. Actually, I thought it was terrible. But, I'm hoping that it just came down to nerves and that she'll prove me wrong and show that she's actually all that she's cracked up to be.

 

[Nick]

She came out of nowhere in pop culture. Her performance on SNL was the first time I heard of her, and the day after, I couldn't stop seeing her being mentioned on the entertainment places I go to. Everyone started stanning her after just two performances. I never saw them before that. I'm going to assume it's going to be the same as it was for Nicola Roberts - at least in America, and at least for the people who are interested in mainstream music enough to really look for things outside of the Top 40 radio yet still fit under that mainstream pop/hip-hop umbrella.

That being said, her album is a grower. Give it a chance, and you'll probably be replaying a few of the songs. It takes a while to get used to her voice, because when you first start listening to her songs, chances are you're going to get drowsy, but after you get over that, her voice is rather refreshing, and certainly stands out from the mainstream female pop artists. But the actual content isn't bad.

 

[Barrels]

I liked Video Games... enough to star it on Spotify. (Mind you, my Starred playlist is two days long, so make of that what you will.) But I can't say I've been so blown away by the song that I'll be listening to her album any time soon.

It's definitely different, though, and difference is good. Right? Also she's pretty.

 

[Esper]

I happened across her video of Born to Die and I can't see what all the fuss is about one way or the other. Nothing struck me as all that fabulous and unless we're now hating people for being average I can't see what there is to hate on either.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

The tone she sings in is so depressing it makes me contemplate suicide. Other than that feeling, though, I like her.

 

[Her]

...I hate it when you're right, Nick. Her album has grown on me lately, especially Lolita. (LET THEM ALL SAY HEY LOLITA HEY HEY LOLITA HEY) Although, it's not without it's faults. The songs seem to be blend together to me. I'm not sure whether it's intentional, but they're all very similar and I can't tell the difference between a few of the tracks. But, regardless, I'm starting to like lil' Lizzy Grant.

 

[Saryka]

/unpopular opinion

I can't bring myself to really like her album, actually, and I've given it a few listens. I neither like nor dislike her voice; to me it's nothing particularly dazzling. The album as a whole just kind of blends together and after a while sounded a little dreary to me. That said, there are a few songs I do enjoy on Born to Die, particularly the title track, Video Games, and Dark Paradise. Otherwise, I thought the album was just okay. Not great, but certainly not the worst I've heard.

edit// my opinion still stands on her album overall, but I do enjoy her voice now.

 

[Mew~]

She is a lie, and totally unoriginal. This is the real deal;

In all seriousness though, I think she's a great singer and I like her music, I don't really know what to say about her publicity, the press seem to be hitting hard on her rich background, but hey - Lady Gaga was too, nobody really cares.

 

[Alec Empire]

Oh, GREAT singer. I love her work.

 

[Spectrum]

I quite like LDR. Even if her songs are a little formulaic, her voice is wonderful, and I love her distinctive falsetto. I find most of her criticism is directed at her live performances, which is a little unfair, as her musical style doesn't translate well into a live setting. I think she would've been better suited as a quiet indie artist, rather than being thrust into the limelight as she was... leave the stage for people who want it.

 

[Fletchay]

Personally, I think she is one of the best singers to have really made it big this year. There's something about her album that is really haunting - yet amazing. Songs like Blue Jeans, National Anthem and Radio obviously show the power of her voice. I do however, think that not many of her songs can really be played live, the production in the album is too overwhelming to be remade on stage.

 

[Nick]

She's become one of my favorites since I last posted. :))

I quite like LDR. Even if her songs are a little formulaic, her voice is wonderful, and I love her distinctive falsetto. I find most of her criticism is directed at her live performances, which is a little unfair, as her musical style doesn't translate well into a live setting. I think she would've been better suited as a quiet indie artist, rather than being thrust into the limelight as she was... leave the stage for people who want it.

She's actually a great live performer. It was just televised performances that she isn't so hot at, since she doesn't have much experience doing so. Even then, I think people are over-exaggerating. Her performance on SNL wasn't even that bad... o_O The SNL performance she had was her very first performance that would be televised, so it's natural that she wouldn't be as comfortable. This one's great:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcaWkrEn8Os

 

[Mana1]

Born to Die is such a dull song, I really don't know how she managed to support such high album sales with a lead song like that.

I don't mind her as a lyrics writer, but her songs don't really seem to get anywhere. Her songs don't vary enough in their pitch (or her voice doesn't) and it just makes every song drag.

I think she's just the latest fad, I doubt any follow up singles will do that well and in a few months everyone will wonder why they thought she was the next best thing.

 

[crowdsourceinspiration]

She confuses me immensely. In all of her performances and music videos she looks...bored. I think it's an act--and I can say it is unique--but it isn't very engaging. The way she sings in an almost emotionless monotone is kind of distancing.

 

[Essentials]

I honestly don't like her voice. Seriously. I think she's the most boring singer in the entire universe. I don't know what's so special about her. Anyone can be like her, just have a boring tone in your voice and you'll be at the top of the charts in a sec. She sings dull songs in a dull tone, and I have no idea why everyone loves her.

But maybe after a while, I'll like her voice. I used to think Gotye was terrible, but now I realized that Somebody That I Used to Know is a great song.

 

[Her]

I honestly don't like her voice. Seriously. I think she's the most boring singer in the entire universe. I don't know what's so special about her. Anyone can be like her, just have a boring tone in your voice and you'll be at the top of the charts in a sec. She sings dull songs in a dull tone, and I have no idea why everyone loves her.

But maybe after a while, I'll like her voice. I used to think Gotye was terrible, but now I realized that Somebody That I Used to Know is a great song.

I'd give Summertime Sadness a go if I were you; it's her favorite song from the album and along with Lolita, my favorite too. She doesn't boring at all, compared to Carmen or Born to Die. Though, if you really want to listen a song of hers without that dreadfully monotone voice of hers, definitely listen to Lolita.

 

[Ducklighter]

I'm one of those people who really can't stand any of her songs. I've dubbed her songs funeral music because of how depressing they seem. I really think she has such a tedious voice that after one song, I definitely didn't care to listen to the album. After a while, I did because I felt like I judged her too swiftly and I still didn't like it. She's just not my type of music, I suppose. She also doesn't seem like a warm person. Oh wells.