Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey - Album Review

Lana Del Rey is back this year with her third full length studio album, Ultraviolence. Gone are the hip- hop, electric drum-pad beats that fashioned the pulse of the typical Del Rey sound in her 2010 album Born to Die. Ultraviolence marks the gradual maturing in her sound, with those past beats being replaced with electric guitar solos and slow drum beats, ever so slightly reminiscent of 70’s and 80’s rock ballads. Del Rey’s new sound in this album is much more stripped back and low key when compared to her debut, With Del Rey stating herself that ‘I don't really know what to put on the record. But I guess I could just put them on and see what happens.’

This is helped and perhaps the result of employing the production talents with Black Key’s producer, guitarist and vocalist, Dan Auerbach, noted for ‘finding comfort in the 70’s’ with their latest album. The first song off the record, Cruel World is a direct product of this, opening with an unhurried, nostalgic guitar riff that immediately brings to mind images of psychedelic drug smoking and rose-tinted glasses.

Although as the album advances, the guitar riff that starts off and backs the last song Florida Kilos is an unmistakeable nod to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Born to Die gave us a full record of hip-hop inspired roots and hard beats, a progression from this is pleasant transformation.

Despite the stripping of her hip-hop driven beats, many aspects characteristic of her debut album have seeped into this record, possibly establishing their long time stance as classic Lana Del Rey signifiers. Themes of tragic loves, tragic lives, a penchant for older men, wealth and being a part of the upper echelon of society form the backbone of the majority of her lyrics, just as they did in Born to Die.

Ultraviolence is a homage and reinvention of the same term used in the modern literature classic Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess who created an entire language of jargon for the strange dystopian world the book is set in. The word is used to describe the crazy, reckless and intense violence that reaches true extremes, it's murder, rape and blaze acts of brutality, and makes for a title that's perfectly aligned with Lana's own blaze and flamboyant persona.

What’s different about this album is that in conjunction with channelling the sound of the 70’s, the prominent figures and ideals of the era have also found its way into many of her songs. Her admiration for Marilyn Monroe and Elvis were first seen in her debut record have been replaced by references to a covetable vinyl Jazz collection and Velvet Underground’s lead singer; Lou Reed as she croons that ‘(her boyfriend) plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed’ in Brooklyn Baby.

This tune also echoes her fondness of older men, claiming that ‘they say I’m too young to love you... they think I don’t understand the Freedomland of the 70’s’. With other notable rock legends added into the mix such as the Chilli Peppers (as mentioned before) as well as Guns and Roses, the subtle rock influence to the album is given recognition. Alongside the use of similar themes, Lana Del Rey’s ability to easily transition her voice from a contralto, jazz-lounge style to a mezzo-soprano girly-timbre paired with her multi-faceted vocal layering also makes an appearance on this record.

Sad Girl and Pretty When You Cry can be seen as Lana’s way of giving a voice to the women that existed in the shadow of men, who stuck around only to please their male counterparts; a prominent part of the pop social culture of notable figures of the 70’s. And in thinking about the 70’s, JFK’s infamous mistress Monica Lewinsky is an unavoidable thought. When the lyrics are intentionally listened to, it becomes apparent that her empowerment of women is in fact paradoxical. Her acknowledgment of such women unable to wield Money Power (or) Glory could be seen as an effort to provide them a place in the history books made up mostly of patriarchal powers. However the acknowledgment comes in the form of shedding a spotlight on the abuse of sexuality and femininity, made even worse by the fact that the figures she speaks for seem to acknowledge and simply accept this abuse. It is this exact paradoxical message that acts as an amplifier to Del Rey’s message in this stunning collection of songs. As is the case with many a song from her first album, it is unclear if many of the stories and messages she conveys are satirical or a true message to society, perhaps drawing and expanding on her own life experiences.

Overall Ultraviolence is a steady progression from her debut album in keeping with the same themes and vocal stylings that are so uniquely Lana Del Rey-esque. Whats’ different in this album however is that she chooses to play around and experiment with these features with the addition of a slight rock undertone in conjunction with dashes of tributes to rock legends old and new sprinkled here and there. While some key songs will stick with you after the first listen, many take a bit more time and TLC to grow on you, so a slight bit of patience and a semi-open mind is definitely key.

Rating: 7.5/10

Review by Dani Zhang

#lanadelrey #danizhang