Born To Die - Lana Del Rey (2012)

I’m often not a lyrics guy these days. I love a good turn of phrase as much as the next person, but i’m usually more into songs that are musically interesting than ones with clever lyrics. This one is worth looking up the lyrics, though.

For a straight up pop singer, Lana Del Rey is kind of an acquired taste. She uses a lot of the same toolkit as more conventional pop singers, but it’s got a lot more pathos to it, with lyrics that are theatrical and gloomy and self-deprecating, often about love that’s star-crossed and obsessive and fatalist. Maybe if Katy Perry did a covers album of Nick Cave and Tom Waits and The Smiths, you’d have a rough approximation.

Regardless, though, she’s a funny and introspective songwriter. It’s one of those records that makes a personal statement. You can have opinions about her emotional struggles, or the image she presents, but you have to reckon with it. Overall, the songs emerge as an argument for carving out a livable life in a world that is more than a little fucked up.

Tracks I liked:

Blue Jeans

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