Even though Lana Del Rey’s newest album is good, it’s nowhere near paradise.
She released “Born To Die: Paradise Edition,” a revamp of her second studio album, on Nov. 13. While far from perfect, the EP is still guaranteed to satisfy fans.
Del Rey’s eight new songs (and a bonus track, “Burning Desire” on iTunes) add to her already reputable album “Born to Die” and continue to show her versatility while keeping her self-described “gangsta Nancy Sinatra” style.
“Born to Die” is a solid album by itself. The orchestration and melodies create a dramatic scope by combining retro elements with futuristic-sounding elements. Its main problem is the lyrics, which emphasize the same rich-girl-with-bad-boy relationship over and over again.
Littered with meaningless romance clichés, every song has Del Rey kissing in the dark and putting on her red dress. The “Paradise Edition” adds variety. Her major themes of love are the same, but her approach to each song is fresher.
The album begins with “Ride,” a beautifully nostalgic and heartfelt ballad. It starts with a slow first verse complemented by a steady drumbeat. The music gradually crescendos to the bridge, where her lyrics, “I’m tired of feeling like I’m f—ing crazy” hold some of the most raw emotion in the entire album.
Her cover of “Blue Velvet” by Clovers is one of the more elegant tracks on the album. Del Rey retains the slow melancholy tempo of the original, but adds a hauntingly dramatic spin, replacing the jazzy saxophone with a string orchestra. The cover was selected for the 2012 H&M Autumn campaign, and it’s easy to see why. Her singing is sultry and hypnotic, while the simple instrumentals highlight her vocal talent.
While many of Del Rey’s songs rely on her voice for mesmerizing charm, “Bel Air” combines her singing with whimsical instrumentals. The end product sounds much like a paranormal ballerina waltz.
But many her songs, while good enough to keep the earphones in, aren’t notably special.
“Yayo” was featured on her first album “Lana Del Ray A.K.A Lizzy Grant,” but was re-recorded for the new album. The new version of the song has more trills and less of a soft lullaby sound, while still maintaining her original drunken feeling. Her attempt to remake “Yayo” removes the simplistic quality that made the ballad so attractive in the first place. It’s still clear from the re-recording how much Del Rey has progressed as a singer, adding new vocal patterns while retaining the distinct husky sound that jumpstarted her career.
Her most controversial song, “Cola,” was renamed after “Pussy,” its original title, was censored. Other than the explicit lyrics and falsetto, “Cola” brings nothing new to the table. The melody, more reminiscent of her previous songs, could’ve easily been released with her debut album.
The new album also features “Body Electric,” named after Walt Whitman’s poem. The song has emblematic rhythm and beats that make Del Rey so unique. But with its mediocre lyrics — “Elvis is my daddy, Marilyn’s my mother, Jesus is my bestest friend” — “Body Electric” isn’t a hit.
The lyrics carry Del Rey’s dark themes of lust and abuse but seem sophomoric and lazily written. The tune is nothing special in comparison to Del Rey’s other songs and the chorus is repetitive, yet not catchy enough to be memorable. Del Rey takes more risks with the “Paradise Edition,” so the quality of her work isn’t as consistent as previous albums.
In “Born to Die,” the majority of her songs are cohesive with the same dreary mood. In Del Rey’s “Paradise Edition,” each song brings something new — though not necessarily better. Del Rey’s voice is richer this time around, presenting an alluring charm missing in her previous albums. While the new album has its ups and downs, “Paradise Edition” holds a lot of potential for the rising star.
