Review: Born to Die by Lana Del Rey

I've been waiting to write this review for a while. Even before we got the album, I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into the most anticipated album of Q1, 2012. Considering she's a "new artist," Lana has had unequivocal amounts of internet hype. Even with a face-plant performance on Saturday Night Live, she's shined brightly on the net and kept everyone eagerly waiting to hear her music. So how's the album? It's good! It's really fucking good!

Born To Die is full of angst. The tone is mellow, almost depressive. If I could describe Lana Del Rey and her freshman album in one sentence; "Lana Del Rey is like an Americanized Duffy who gets really high and records with Kid Cudi." Unlike Duffy, though, the tone of the music isn't so depressive that it makes you want to slit your wrists. The lyrics aren't as moody, either. The sound of the album is pretty consistent throughout, making the entire album very smooth and listenable. Even on the first listen, I didn't think there was one bad track on the album, which is rare for a primary album effort.

She's also not as boring as I initially perceived her. She's a bit stiff and distant as a person, but her music dances through your headphones and around your brain, forcing you to sway in your seat. It took me about three full listens to really enjoy everything that was coming through the speakers, but at this point, I think the album is beautiful and full deserving of all of the hype she's been receiving. 

My favorite thing about this album also just so happens to be my least favorite. The albums consistency is impressive. I like that she doesn't track to change it up and throw a dance track or extremely angry break-up song in the mix. However, the lack of variety on the album would make most people want to listen to something else around the eighth song. The first few times I listened to the album, I felt like I was watching a funeral montage in a Leonardo DiCaprio movie, or attending a candlelight vigil. Still, there's something about that mood that really just seems to work well for her. I also love the massive amounts of string in this album. You don't hear a lot of non-machine/studio strings these days.

Standout tracks on the album were noticeable on first listen. "Video Games" remains my favorite. You just can't really compete with that kind of composition. Plus, in that song she seems to be most in-tune with her vocal ability than any other. Maybe it's studio magic, but that song will be just as amazing in five years as it is now. "National Anthem" would probably be a close second. I love the theme of the song, which begins with auditory fireworks and continues with popping drums throughout the song, covering a lovely choir-style chorus and Gwen Stefani-like rapping. The fan-favorite of the album seems to be "Dark Paradise," which captures Lana singing higher notes. I love that this song ends with thudding drums that speed up and slow down. Lastly, I love how gangster she seems in "Radio," asking her audience, "How do you like me now," and proclaim she's, "Like a fucking dream." The song is very much her "I am here, deal with it" record. 

The question is, will this album stand the test of time? Will people still be talking about this album a year from now? Even six months? I think it's hard to say, but there are some tracks that are skip-able. I don't think it's a bad thing, but I think this album could fade of the radar easily without constant promotion. I also have a hard time seeing this album doing well on the radio, since we rarely see success from artists like her. Foster The People's "Pumped Up Kicks" did really well on radio for a while, but we haven't really seen anyone similar smash the charts like that since. I could see "National Anthem" or "Diet Mountain Dew" charting well, but nothing else, really. With that said, radio is one of the most important factors in keeping an album alive. Look at Adele. A year later and she's still topping charts with her album, while each and every single she releases smashes the #1 spot on the Hot 100 without any effort. 

I just wonder if the world is ready for this hipster-chic pop music that's really been an underground, indie sound until now. We'll just have to wait and see. The music industry is so unpredictable these days that we could see her go diamond or not even go gold.

The Bottom Line: Born To Die is a solid first album. Solid gold. I'd spend $15 bucks on a hard copy, just for the opportunity to listen to it while I'm lounging around the house, relaxing or even gaming/blogging. I'm faithful that Lana will blow up this year and build a fan base that will help her stick around long enough to release a shitty sophomore album, as most artists like her do.  

I'd slap a 7 out of 10 on this album. 

I heavily recommend everyone at least download it and give it a chance. 

I also think it's worth pre-ordering on iTunes. (Or, you can win a copy of it here.)

What are your thoughts? Like it, love it or hate it?