The Cult has just released its first new full-length album in five years, “Choice of Weapon.‘Born to Die’ Lana Del Rey
Before you judge Lana Del Rey for her disastrous performance on “Saturday Night Live,” listen to her album.
Last month’s performance on “SNL” was strikingly horrific. Del Rey sang two songs with no emotion or effort, appearing bored and detached. Her hair even looked strange. The whole thing was a mess, but that’s not the complete case on her album, “Born to Die.”
Del Rey’s buzz has been outrageous over the last few months, with headlines ranging from that “SNL” performance to her father’s wealth to her plump lips. But her debut is somewhat impressive, at times lovely, at others lackluster.
The 12-track set mainly finds the 25-year-old singing about a tumultuous relationship and she sounds convincing on some songs. But on others, Del Rey is a lyrical failure, sounding unfocused.
Sonically though, “Born to Die” shines, thanks to rap-based producers like Emile Haynie (Ice Cube, Cormega, Kid Cudi) and Jeff Bhasker, the man behind much of Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy” and “808’s and Heartbreak.” It’s a mix of 1960s retro, eerie artsy girl hooks and weird-girl pop – an odd mix, and overall oddly uneven album.
– Mesfin Fekadu, Associated Press
