Back in January 2012, when Lana Del Rey's debut LP "Born to Die" first made its way to listeners, it seemed that the considerable amount of hype she created prior to its release doomed it to be a record of all promise but no actual substance. At least that's what the critics said anyway; LDR's fans rewarded her hard work by keeping the record on the charts for over two consecutive years (and it's still lingering in the US Top 40, a feat unseen in the 2010s since Adele's "21"), and granted her a top-ten Billboard hit with the Cedric Gervais-remixed "Summertime Sadness". Obviously, listeners want this woman to succeed, and in the generation of nostalgia, why shouldn't she? Her 60s-influenced trip-hop/pop aimed to please audiences of both genres, as well as all generations. "Born to Die" and "Paradise" pretty much achieved this; hype or no hype, there was something about LDR that was special, and her star power has only since increased. The unfortunate side effect of this success is now there comes an even greater sense of suspense with her second album "Ultraviolence". Most artists would be terrified of trying to top an album as career defining as "Born to Die", but Lana Del Rey has already proven herself to be a unique talent. Upon hearing "Ultraviolence" for the first time, you already can tell that changing her approach to music is not a major priority. In fact, all she really did this time around was take every element of "Born to Die" to an extreme: the songs are much longer, the atmosphere much dreamier, her extremely smoky voice finds many a way to wring emotions out of the clumsiest of lyrics ("He calls me poison/Like poison Ivy", she coos in "Brooklyn Baby"). Most importantly, though, is that the subtlety quotient has increased astoundingly. Now the string arrangements only add a layer of pathos to the already poignant production, instead of being the only thing driving the album. The trip-hop beats are long gone, and in their place are gentle, sometimes raggedy drum-set loops inspired by the good ol' days of Frank Sinatra. Electronics are still present, but also take a backseat to the shining star here, LDR herself. "Born to Die" was a good record that showed enormous amounts of potential, but not once did it feel like LDR was settled in her role of wasted hippie vixen. "Ultraviolence" finds her in full control of her artistic abilities, and feels much more concept driven than its predecessors. Which is a very good thing, since 2014 was dying to have an album like this: a tortured, dark, anti-pop affair that prides itself on its musical coherence and consistency. Nothing here is as immediate as the singles on "Born to Die", simply because "Ultraviolence" is not a singles album. Sure you have the standout "West Coast", but even so, its dramatic tempo changes and trippy nuance don't quite mesh well with other singles on the radio. You'll have to be patient with this record, as it will take quite a few spins to fully appreciate the masterpiece LDR has constructed for herself. But that's okay, the difficulties that come with "Ultraviolence" are rewarded with marginally higher dividends.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Cruel World 2. Ultraviolence 3. Shades of Cool
4. Brooklyn
Baby 5. West Coast 6.
Sad Girl
7. Pretty
When You Cry 8. Power Money Glory 9. Fucked My Way Up to the Top
10. Old Money 11. The Other Woman
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