Lana Del Rey

[Ja'moke]

Lana Del Rey aka Lizzy Grant. The gangster Nancy Sinatra. Influenced by David Lynch. Sounds a bit like Tori Amos when Tori Amos was still good.

There is currently a hype machine building up around her, but it seems to be authentic hype, not PR managed, it's all off her own back. She has been trying to break in to the music industry for a decade, writes and records all of her songs, and even creates the videos. And on top of that, she is genuinely talented; her voice is kind of haunting, her melodies dark but with a definite hip hop influence, and her lyrics witty and powerful.

Anyway, I'll let the music say the rest...

Her debut single: Video Games

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO1OV5B_JDw

Kinda Outta Luck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gg8pZYjCTM

Blue Jeans (single b-side)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t-I-Lqy06g

[Famous Mortimer]

That description sounds a bit like Nellie McKay, who had an amazing debut album, then feuded with her record company and spent years on the (sub-par) followup, and now does theatre.

[Ja'moke]

That description sounds a bit like Nellie McKay, who had an amazing debut album, then feuded with her record company and spent years on the (sub-par) followup, and now does theatre.

I'd say that's a fair comparison, and Nellie McKay is one of my favourite artists. McKay had a great album out last year called Home Sweet Mobile Home by the way.

[confettiinmyhair]

"authentic hype" - what does that even mean?

It sounds like something from Hipster Runoff.

[Ja'moke]

"authentic hype" - what does that even mean?

It sounds like something from Hipster Runoff.

Well, in the sense that she has created her own buzz by releasing her own music and creating her own videos. She isn't the product of a major record company or PR team or reality-show, she wasn't all neatly packaged up and delivered with a note saying "Listen to this. It's the next big thing." So the hype that is building around her now stemmed from something authentic and self-built, not just a sudden marketing ploy.

Just listen to the song Video Games, probably the best single released this year, mainstream, underground, or otherwise.

[goldrush almighty]

Just listen to the song Video Games, probably the best single released this year, mainstream, underground, or otherwise.

Amen to that, brother.

Delighted someone else has picked up on this as my plug in 'Records of the Year (So Far!)' now has a broken link[nb] Thanks for fixing[/nb] (some tosh about copyright violation) and I don't have enough CaB clout to start threads.  I posted that nomination a full two minutes after hearing 'Video Games' for the first time.  I'm never normally that impetuous. It's the sort of decision you can easily imagine regretting in the fullness of time as ennui kicks in. But, a month later, it still registers as 'utterly sublime', I'm still completely bowled over every time she pouts at the camera and purrs that first 'Swingin' in the back yard...' line, and I'm still hypnotised by her wonky mouth. 

Its status as 'record of the year' is assured.  Don't fight it, feel it.   

[Ja'moke]

Any idea if she has an album coming out before the end of the year, goldrush?

[goldrush almighty]

Early next year, I believe, although, bizarrely, she did record one in 2010 which appeared on, and then vanished from, iTunes. I'll kiss anyone who has a copy. That rather odd piece of marketing, plus the deletion of the video link I posted in ROTY, started me thinking it was perhaps some kind of elaborate online (music industry) prank. Not that it mattered when the end result is as glorious as 'Video Games' but I did worry it might all come to a shuddering, lolz-ridden halt. Fortunately, she's real, and the most captivating thing I've heard since Noel Gallagher's solo album. Just my little joke there. 

[Ja'moke]

I have her 2010 album, downloaded not the real copy, and it is really very good. But her recent stuff is on another level, can't wait for a brand new album.

[Janie Jones]

Agree 'Video Games' is an amazing song, must have played it 30 times since you first posted the link on another thread and I still love it.

The wonky gob is allegedly the result of a botched filler injection

Who is the fragile drunken celeb in the video? 

[kitsofan34]

There's still something attractive about her despite, well, certain "accidents".

[Subtle Mocking]

She's the cleverest new marketing scheme of 2011. I didn't give Brother a break for their 're-packaging' shit, I'm not going to give Lana a break either.



She may as well be called Worst Coast.

[kitsofan34]

When accused on her Youtube page of having plastic surgery, here's what she said: "Right- i didnt get surgery whoever the fuck u are- i didnt even have a house to live in let alone $ to fuck w my face. "

[Subtle Mocking]

Well either that or she's had a bad reaction to some peanuts.

[The Boston Crab]

lold @ 'authentic' 'hype'
lana feel like i know u from somewhere b4
can smell 'tha lamestream' on u (via ur deleted albums/yt vids)
how do u feel 2 be altstream?
have u 'found urself' on this label?
do u want 2 tap into the n64 gen with ur song 'video games'?
gurl what happened 2 ur face?
would u 'tap that'?
eff 1/marry 1/kill 1 - la roux/robyn/del reyie

And so on.

[Ja'moke]

Does it matter if she changed her image? Maybe she just got bored of her old dress sense? People used to wear lots of denim once upon a time.

The songs off her old album don't sound miles apart from her more recent stuff. It wasn't as if she was singing country ballads before. She was doing the same stuff in her video for Kill Kill that she is doing in Video Games and Blue Jeans, and they cover similar themes. So I don't get the argument that she has suddenly reinvented herself as "indie" as if she was some sort of failed Christian Taylor Swift beforehand. I think it's just another case of certain people/websites disliking it when an "indie" star begins to gain success or signs to a major label, so they try to cut them down and belittle them, sarcastically calling her Lizzy Grant, as if the name change was part of her reinvention, despite her old album being called Lana Del Ray aka Lizzy Grant. 

Lana Del Rey definitely has a clear image of herself, hence all the "gangster Nancy Sinatra" stuff, but again, that all comes from herself, so even if this is a brilliant bit of marketing, at least it is self-marketing. Regardless, her songs are catchy, she has a great voice, and is talented.

I can't defend the lips though.

[The Boston Crab]

Sorry, just to make it clear, I was trying to satirise 99% of internet commentary on this girl (via HRO lexicon).

I've not heard anything at all. Certainly not arsed about what she chooses to do with her face/gob, either.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Tarnation.  Video Games has definitely got its insidious hooks into my grey matter.

Dammittohell.

[Ja'moke]

Sorry, just to make it clear, I was trying to satirise 99% of internet commentary on this girl (via HRO lexicon).

I've not heard anything at all. Certainly not arsed about what she chooses to do with her face/gob, either.

Fair enough. It still felt good to vent about those type of people though. :)

[kitsofan34]

Miss Del Rey will be on Later with Jools Holland this week, for anyone who's interested.

[Ja'moke]

Miss Del Rey will be on Later with Jools Holland this week, for anyone who's interested.

Thanks for the heads up. Ghostpoet is also on the same show, should be a good one!

[kitsofan34]

As if it couldn't get any better Ja'moke, Peter Gabriel will be on the show too!

[weekender]

That 'Video Games' track is great.  Hopefully the rest of the songs are as good.  Cheers for the heads-up.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

What a lovely voice she has.

She seems to sing about a load of shit unfortunately and her 'image' looks like it has been achieved by staring at herself in the mirror for longer than she's actually been alive.

[The Boston Crab]

Decided to listen to Video Games. It's a killer tune and vocal. Really like it. I don't see how she's supposed to appeal to hipsters/p4k bros, though, besides the chillwave video.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

I'm afraid I just can't take modern pop culture transposed to a deep and meaningful tone with anything other than derision.

[boki]

I'm kinda liking this, too.  'Blue Jeans' does more for me than 'Video Games', but then I am more of a guitar-boy, so that's to be expected.

[The Roofdog]

How can you get more gangster than the offspring of Frank Sinatra?

[weekender]

Goodfellas?

[CaledonianGonzo]

Steve Van Zandt is his Silvio from the Sopranos wig?