ALBUM REVIEW: Born to Die - Lana Del Rey

 I was a bit belated to the party. I heard "Blue Jeans" as a song for a commercial and became interested in it. I didn't take a full listen to this album beyond that song till much later. By later, I mean when Honeymoon captured my complete attention. I then went back and reviewed her entire catalog. Lana certainly has an aesthetic, but also a way of being an enigma. It is hard to tell what is true and what is stage with her - something difficult in today's world of oversharing and exposure. 

Born to Die became many things beyond itself. Certainly, a lot of what we consider "pop" today would not be running if Born to Die had not walked. Rather, I find it saddening that Lana fails to capture her moment with the general public, while many have gone on with her sounds and obtained more success. I presume a lack of relatability to be the culprit, but I do not have to relate to everything or everyone I like the art of. 

I love the way Lana found a way to combine the long gone, the retrospective, into something so fresh and modern. Truly, she may have many impersonators, but I immediately know Lana Del Rey when it plays. Even as am not always a fan of every album - it is always an event.

This review captures the bonus track edition of Born to Die. It does not include Paradise, which is an EP of its own but for later releases was often combined. 

The album begins with "Born to Die", an ode to young love and the pessimistic reality of mortality. The orchestration of the music really makes this rather simple song something to be reckoned with.

"Off to the Races" shifts the gears to a sort of talk-singing. It has a sort of "burlesque" feel to it. The way the song works feels a bit like a conversation without seeming disjointed. 

"Blue Jeans", my first Lana song. I love the orchestration of this song as well, it really draws you in. It makes you think of high school sweethearts who ended up fading rather than keeping it together.

There's just something wonderful about Lana Del Rey instrumentation. It combines the catchiness of modern hits with the air of classic singers. I always imagined something like this would be rather boring, but Lana makes every emotion count. "Video Games" is no different.

"Diet Mountain Dew" takes us back toward the sound of "Off to the Races". It is catchy and easily gets stuck in your head, but I must admit, I've never been too sure of the point exactly.

"National Anthem" is one of the songs that never fully grabbed me. I think it tried to do too much and becomes choppy.

"Dark Paradise" also suffers from the struggles of being a little choppy. The chorus sounds a little disjointed and less well structured. 

"Radio" captures love and the rise of fame. A bit naive and silly in nature, but a cute sassy song nevertheless.

The one transition that made since was Radio to "Carmen". Carmen is the downside to getting played on the radio. 

"Million Dollar Man" captures the emotion so purely. I feel like this song captures more of the direction she really went in. It leans far more into the classic pop vocal side of her.

"Summertime Sadness" is probably the most "pop" oriented song of the album. It ironically got a more pop oriented remix so many may have heard this on the radio rather than the standard. It isn't bad, but honestly it feels a bit like a filler track when you get toward the end of this album. 

I feel like "This Is What Makes Us Girls" would've been an interesting transition from Carmen. This album could be greater with a few shuffles to the tracklist. It would touch on a concept. This is also how the standard album closes, which feels like a strange closer. 

"Without You" to me captures the concept of National Anthem with more vulnerability and less choppy instrumentation. 

The fact "Lolita" is not on the main album should be a crime. It fits so well with Off to the Races and Diet Mountain Dew. I think Summertime Sadness should have switched to a bonus track and this put on the main album. 

The deluxe closes with "Lucky Ones", and frankly the song is a little lyrically generic for her. I can see why this is a bonus track. 

LYRICS: 7/10 - The messaging is solid and fits. I think sometimes this album struggles from sameness. Born to Die and Blue Jeans could almost be the same concepts lyrically. 

MUSIC: 9/10 - There's few things that don't work musically, and I think if the music was different the songs wouldn't stand the same way. It is her dramatics and classic flare that really make these songs what they are. 

OVERALL: 8/10 - This is a great debut album from a solid artist. I, however, have never found Born to Die to be a good starting place. It felt like it had a time and place - Lana has not even managed another album like this. I personally think her lyricism and concepts show more growth beyond this - but the balance of pop catchiness to classic is unmatched to any of her other work. The other issue of this album is a general lack of story cohesion. It is certainly more an album of scattered love and loss songs.