Thursday, June 12, 2014

Album Review: Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey


Welcome to another CDS Music Chart album review! Today I will be reviewing Lana Del Rey's new album, Ultraviolence. The new album, primarily produced by The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, spawned the massive worldwide hit single "West Coast" and a moderately successful second single, "Shades of Cool". First released on April 14th, "West Coast" interweaved between Lana's safe zones and new musical concepts that hadn't been seen on Lana Del Rey's previous releases. "Coast" reached #28 on the CDS Music Chart Hot 50, lasting on the chart for several months. The album's second single, "Shades of Cool", achieved moderate worldwide rankings upon its release on Monday, May 26th (Memorial Day).

So how does Ultraviolence musically measure up to its 2012 predecessor (Born to Die)? Find out in this classic track by track review of Lana Del Rey's 3rd studio album, Ultraviolence.

1. "Cruel World"
Starting off with the chilling, cringe fest that is "Cruel World", Ultraviolence opens on par with what I would typically expect. "Cruel World" isn't an out of the park hit, but at least it's a more powerful packed punch than her pervious efforts. So far, the era has captivated me in ways that her previous albums haven't. Kudos Lana!

2. "Ultraviolence"
The chilling sounds of "Ultraviolence" are unimaginably exquisite. The banging, clashing drums of the track work surprisingly well with Lana's frozen over vocals. It's honestly one of her best tracks (in my opinion one of her top 3), as it includes a memorable, distinctive chorus as well as a beat that might appeal to more than just her core base of fans. This new sound is incredible! Let's hope she continues in this style!

Read some more of my initial thoughts:

""West Coast" was a minor step up from her usual work (nothing major yet still very solid) and "Shades of Cool" was a decent yet awfully eerie attempt. That made me wonder: Is the Ultraviolence era going to get any better than this? The answer failed to reach my mind until the release of title track "Ultraviolence" this past week on iTunes.

The title track "Ultraviolence" is a major step up from anything else released during this album cycle (and it better than over 3/4 of all of Lana's officially released works)."

3. "Shades of Cool"
The texture and true depth of Ultraviolence as a collective masterpiece are finally seen for the first time on "Shades of Cool". The 6 plus minute track is jam packed with nostalgic sounding instrumentations, volumes of darkness and the thoughts of being alone with yourself, knowing that you'll never be able to fix your lover. While it certainly fails to bring something new to the table, it ain't anywhere near a disappointment either. Read my initial thoughts:

"Lets just put it this way: "Shades of Cool" is shady and cool, but it's not a major win for Lana Del Rey. It's pretty much just a bit above average for her, falling behind both its predecessor ("West Coast") and its fellow (and most comparable) track "Born to Die". Interestingly enough, it draws you in for more and more each time you give it a listen (captivating).

Nevertheless, "Shades of Cool" still blows away all the competition. It's swelling with passion, oozing with remorse and remains more classy and straightforward than anything else you'll see on the iTunes Top 200."

4. "Brooklyn Baby"
Similar to my opinion of "Ultraviolence" (the album's title track), I believe "Brooklyn Baby" is one of Lana's best tracks. It feels less dreary than her other recent outings ("Shades of Cool" most notably) and it's bound to be a US alternative/pop hit. Hopefully, the general public will embrace this amazing track and help propel it to success on both radio and on streaming services.

Read some more of my thoughts about the track below:

"It's not quite as good as "Ultraviolence" (listed a few songs above), but "Brooklyn Baby" is another clear win for Lana Del Rey. It's strong, it's vibrant and it feels more upbeat and enjoyable to the average listener. It feels like it could have some serious crossover potential (though the thought of that probably makes most "true Lana fans" want to barf), similar to what we saw happen to "Summertime Sadness". Oh, and just to clarify: the Cedric Gervais remix didn't "ruin" Lana Del Rey or her image. If anything it made more people appreciate her music; it broadened her fan base."

5. "West Coast"
While it might not be her strongest track to date, "West Coast" was a solid choice to be the lead single from Ultraviolence. Though mainly dominated by alternative sounds, "West Coast" contains some deeply highlighted pop sections (something that Lana desperately needed a little bit of) and a memorable chorus:

"I can see my baby swingin'

His Parliament's on fire and his hands are up
On the balcony and I'm singing
Ooh, baby, ooh, baby, I'm in love

I can see my sweet boy swayin'
He's crazy y Cubano como yo lala
On the balcony and I'm saying
Move baby, move baby, I'm in love"

Additionally, "West Coast" seems to appeal more to the average listener, while still pleasing true fans (that's an art in itself). It feels right for radio, but wrong for radio at the same time. It truly doesn't fit in with the other popular recent releases, but it's a welcomed game changer that needed to happen.

6. "Sad Girl"
I'm not quite sure why, but I get this James Bond movie theme feel from this track (which I think is a huge plus). On "Sad Girl", Lana hits some pretty high notes. These notes, coupled with a balanced back beat and exceptionally vibrant vocals, make for an evenly produced track that is among the album's finest works (though nothing has come close to my love for the title track yet).

7. "Pretty When You Cry"
The tear stained western inspired beats included on "Pretty When You Cry" are extremely welcomed, but I do have some issues with this track as whole. The chorus feels a little bit flat compared to those we saw on all of the six previous tracks, making this somewhat of a disappointment. Despite this, the track does pick up toward the tail end (thanks to the help of violently strummed guitar) but still, that alone is not enough of a fix to make the track one of the album's best.

8. "Money Power Glory"
Wow. This track is deliciously devious and easily a stand out. It's a complete eargasm that will make you instantly fall in love with Lana (unless you're already a mega fan), and of the first eight tracks on the new disc, it's probably either the second or the third best.

If you haven't given Lana a shot, you'll want to listen to this before you pass on Ultraviolence.

9. "F****d My Way Up To the Top"
It's an honest piece that's surprisingly great. "F****d My Way Up To the Top" is home to a hilariously honest and warm chorus, a memorable hook and tidbits of lyrics that are likely to be used as quotes by Lana Del Rey fans around the world (most notably "I'm a dragon, you're a whore/Don't know what you're good for").

At this point, I'm actually quite impressed with what's been displayed on Ultraviolence so far. It's mainly dark, gut tangling, spine tingling alternative stuff (like what we are all used to) but there are a whole bunch of added sub genres and tones (pop, rock, etc.) that make Ultraviolence seem more friendly when really it's not.

10. "Old Money"
I thought "Sad Girl" sounded like it could have been in a movie, but as we progress through the album, "Old Money" is clearly the most movie friendly track on the album. It's another great cut from Ultraviolence, and one of the album's better tracks (though most all of them are fairly solid).

Accompanied by violins and various other instruments, "Old Money" is a nice twist on the grungy sounds reflected throughout the rest of the album.

11. "The Other Woman"
I guess this is what you would expect after three solid tracks in a row ("Money Power Glory", "F****d My Way Up To the Top", and "Old Money"). Though it's surrounded by a medley of trumpets (set up in a 1930s fashion), "The Other Woman" is easily the second weakest link so far (maybe that's because it's a cover). It sounds different, but not different good (if you catch my drift). For the people who are set on purchasing the standard version, I suggest you change your plans because this is a somewhat disappointing closing track.

12. "Black Beauty"
No. This is not the same "Black Beauty" we've all heard a billion times before. This version is a completely reworked rendition of the original version. It starts off typically slow, before exploding into a wave of darkness as Lana Del Rey's vocals soar high into the clouds. It's a nice twist on a fan favorite classic demo.

13. "Guns and Roses"
It's a bit on the simpler side, but that's nothing to be ashamed of. "Guns and Roses" is yet another true standout from the album (though at this point I've said this for nearly every track), complete with an electrified guitar background.

14. "Florida Kilos"
Fueled by an adult contemporary back beat and a tropical vibe, "Florida Kilos" seems somewhat cheesy but it feels more full of life than the rest of the album. It's a bit like a mix of previously released tracks "Cola" and "Yayo", drawing heavy influences from both of those tracks as well as creating something brand new. It's a solid bonus track that should have been included on the standard edition as well.

15. "Is This Happiness" (iTunes Exclusive/Japanese Bonus)
Now this is the proper conclusion to an album that saw Lana Del Rey really come out of the fogginess of the Born to Die era. "Is This Happiness" does somewhat undo the work that Ultraviolence worked hard on, yet it feels like a necessary conclusion that I'm pretty much sure we all saw coming. It feels more free than some of the album's other ventures and returns us to the early stages of Lana's now powerful worldwide career. While it's nothing we haven't heard already, "Is This Happiness" is a dive back into Born to Die, a welcomed one indeed.

Rating: 89/100 (B+)
Certified Fresh

Overview: Lana Del Rey's Ultraviolence is still a dark, moody assortment of tracks (like her previously released Born to Die), but last minute production courtesy of The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach helps give the album a more life like figure. The tones and sounds are more varied, instead of all the same and the songwriting and overall lyrical quality towers slightly above her prior albums. Unfortunately, Ultraviolence feels very similar to Born to Die, mainly because the subject matter on the album remains mostly unchanged (though, as I said earlier, the quality of the writing is a marked improvement). Then yet again, Ultraviolence has certain qualities that other albums don't, which make it more unique and more welcome in the extremely competitive (and occasionally dull) world of music. Several tracks instantly hit me as songs that could become hits (notably the title track, "Old Money" and "F****d My Way Up to the Top"), and there were very few disappointments ("The Other Woman" and "Pretty When You Cry"). Overall, Ultraviolence is a strong effort that really affirms Lana's role in the music industry. Her blend of magical vocals, darkened themes and brutal undertones are a key to success... though I'm pretty sure that nobody else would want to attempt to challenge Del Rey for the spot on the alternative music throne.

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