Lana Del Rey - Born To Die
- By Jack Preston -
- Jan 31, 2012
In Woody Allen’s beautiful ‘Midnight In Paris’ unfulfilled Hollywood screenwriter Owen Wilson finds himself yearning for the past. Then one night his dream of walking the French capital of the 1920s in the rain with literary idols Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald is realised, opening his eyes to a world he once deemed unattainable.
It is only through experiencing the past which he so idolises that he is able to come to terms with his own reality and find happiness in the present. When listening to ‘Born To Die’ you can’t help but wish Allen would grant Lana Del Rey her wish and transport her back to 1960s Hollywood.
Del Rey’s desperation uncontrollably seeps through her music. A desperate desire to be loved, to be loved in a dimly lit Los Angeles club booth behind a long drink and a cloud of smoke. Of course, as so many have been happy to point out, this is what her record label wants us to think. The reasons behind any perceived hostility towards Del Rey’s route to stardom are understandable but sometimes it pays to look past such barriers. To pass up the opportunity to become immersed in such a grand cinematic experience as Born To Die would be foolish.
What Del Rey may lack in organic authenticity is unquestionably outweighed by vocal strength and an ever present understanding for the dramatic. Del Rey’s character, if it is fair to call it such a thing (we all know of her tried and failed attempt to make it as Lizzy Grant), feels like it should be read on the pages of a Raymond Chandler novel. All that’s missing from her appearance is bit of light bruising to the cheek from a Philip Marlowe backhand.
The scene is set as strings herald in Del Rey’s warm vocals on the opening album title track, with heartbreak and a laissez-faire attitude to a life beyond passionate love overpowering the agenda. The alluringly rickety ‘Off To The Races’ is followed by ‘Blue Jeans’, the latter acutely racketing up the tension over tales of tears and desertion. This satisfyingly allows ‘Video Games’ to hit the listener with a powerful impact that belies its radio playlist familiarity.
It’s the softer pop songs on the album, such as ‘Diet Mountain Dew’, which represent weaker moments. You feel as though these would possibly not be present if Del Rey was more naturally attached to the image she was projecting. Or perhaps this is just a lack of experience, it’s hard to tell at times, with the listener’s hearing muffled by the buzz of hype surrounding the release.
There are also times when you wish the song selection process had been a little more stringent. Efforts like ‘National Anthem’ serve as perfectly functional stand-alone pop entries but seem somewhat out of place when positioned beside the likes of ‘Dark Paradise’ or ‘Radio’. These are songs which typify the type of music Del Rey should be concentrating on, oozes of haunting charm with lyrics lightly dripping from her tongue. “Now my life is sweet like cinnamon/Like a f**king dream I'm living in/Baby love me cause I'm playing on the radio.”
Thankfully the insecure overtones which dominate the album only ever slightly part, never allowing our heroine to bathe in the sunshine she craves. As the record plays out it’s evident that the strongest material was not saved for the finale, however it’s a full length listen that pleases immensely.
The uniqueness of the sound is summed up the fact that it isn’t other singers which you are reminded of when listening, but of past performances by leading Hollywood women. Naomi Watts’ unforgettable audition scene in David Lynch’s ‘Mulholland Drive’ is something which comes to mind in the album’s more passionate moments. One of the few musical memories it does conjure up is shades of Justin Timberlake's 'FutureSex/LoveSounds'.
While being slightly blighted by a couple of misjudged tracks Born To Die still represents a very strong release, showing more direction, purpose and enthralling moments than so many of Del Rey’s contemporaries.
The obstacles to Del Rey’s ascent don’t lie on record but in the live arena and with a public already more familiar than they may wish with her work. Seeing her conquer these demons could be a compelling watch if the account of her troubles on Born To Die is anything to go by.
8/10
By Jack Preston. Content & Marketing Executive. Tweets at @JackPressedOn
