The controversial question - Is Lana Del Rey's "Ultraviolence" just an attempt to sell records and climb charts, or is it the real deal? Lana Del Rey comes as a package deal - sound and image go hand-in-hand. It's a love it or hate it package, and this album is no exception.
This album depicts intense but aestetic visuals which centre around the theme of abuse and inequality of women. Lana tells the tale of an abusive relationship in the title track Ultraviolence, singing "he hit me and it felt like a kiss". This lyric is also a tribute to the sixties hit "He hit me (and it Felt like a Kiss)" by the Crystals.
This album has departed from the heavily used string sound heard on Born to Die, and instead uses a sound more focused on rock, with heavy use of melancholy guitar riffs and intense drum solos.
Shades of Cool opens with a Bond- esque guitar riff, and Lana's haunting vocals make the song sound like it stepped straight out of a Bond movie. The simple lyrics make the song even more effective in transporting us into her mind and telling us a fascinating story. "My baby lives in shades of blue/ blue eyes and jazz and attitude."
The most memorable track on the album, in my opinion, is the first single, West Coast. This song transports the listener to a different time and place, with it's typically sixties change of tempo in the chorus that almost sounds like something from a Beatles song, or that of a sixties girl group. What sets it apart, however, is the unique, effortless sound to her voice when she sings.
The album, which was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, does a lot more in showing off Del Rey's vocal range than her previous albums, especially in the falsetto sections of Shades of Cool and Money Power Glory.
My verdict? All in all, I'm impressed. This album, although widely criticised, shows talent in the writing, singing and the instrumentation. I would have liked to see as much personality as was on the Born to Die album, but the quality of the songs is high, so I'm satisfied. There are definitely some songs that I'll be listening to all summer long, like West Coast and Pretty When You Cry.
The album has me very excited to see her in a few weeks!
Do you agree? I'd love to hear other peoples opinions of the album, I'll be reading and replying to all of the comments.
Goodbyeeee!
Zoe
xx
Labels: Music
