Album Review: Born To Die -Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey has the Youtube generation to thank for her rise to “fame.” After her video for the song “Video Games” went viral, the pouty, self-proclaimed “gangsta Nancy Sinatra” became the center of online attention –both good and bad. The people that loved her couldn’t get enough, and the haters still reported on every move she made. Her somewhat alouf past, both professionally and pesonally, has been the subject of many blogs and music critics alike. But after bombing her US television debut on SNL, plenty of doubt has been placed on whether or not Del Rey is for real. Now after months of waiting, Del Rey has dropped her debut album, Born To Die. Unfortunately for the budding songstress, it’s not doing her case any favors.

Born To Die opens with the slow-burning “Video Games.” The song is still as beautiful as ever with its cascading string-section and soft piano. While Del Rey sings, “It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you” it’s hard to tell if she’s sincere or not. Unfortunately, this doubt spills into the entire record. Like “Video Games,” tracks like “Without You” and “Dark Paradise” show Del Rey’s vulnerability, but at the same time make her sound like mellow-dramatic. The album’s constant theme is a love that Del Rey plans to hang on to forever, regardless of circumstance. While it may be relatable, it gets boring, needy even, and leaves her sounding desperate rather than strong.

While some of the tracks find themselves drowning in party clichés (the song “This Is What Makes Us Girls” even nausiatingly so) and youth rebellion, you can’t deny that they’re catchy. “National Anthem,” “Off to the Races,” and “Born To Die” are epic in some sense, but don’t convey any more power or prowess than the others. It’s Del Rey’s attitude that makes these songs stand out. Whether her sexuality is subtle or not, these songs are alluring and take more than one listen. Other tracks like “Million Dollar Man,” “Lolita,” and “Lucky Ones” are differently formulated, almost jazz-like. Del Rey’s husky vocals captivate, until her borderline-baby talk jolts the listener back.

The downside to Born To Die is that, although it’s her major label debut, it sounds amateurish. There doesn’t seem to be any real effort to make each track stand out while being cohesive and sounding like a complete record. Lana’s American teen runaway love story falls flat in the sense that it all seems one-dimensional. Hopefully on her sophomore effort, there’s a stronger sense of self-assurance, which should inspire new narratives and sounds. Born To Die wasn’t the ambitious, refreshing pop album we were all rooting for. Instead, it’ stagnant and repetitive. Maybe alter-egos aren’t the way to go anymore, maybe Lizzy Grant should make her return. **5.7/10

Album Review: Reign Of Terror -Sleigh Bells

In 2010, Brookyln-based rock duo Sleigh Bells released their full-length debut, Treats. What followed was a slew of tour dates, festival appearances, and raucous moshpits of zealous fans wanting to hear songs like “Infinity Guitars,” “Crown on the Ground,” and “Rill Rill.” Since then, the band was hard at work on their sophomore effort, Reign of Terror. On December 2, 2011, a teaser trailer was released, showing singer Alexis Krauss and guitarist Derek Miller looking ready for battle. On Reign of Terror, a battle does ensue, but between the band’s use of hard and soft sounds.

The album opens with “True Shred Guitar” and it’s exactly that. A live introduction to the raw power that is Sleigh Bells, you can hear the crowd going wild for Krauss and Miller. But while the first track is the noise-rock the band has become synonymous with, Reign of Terror has little “terror” to it at all. What follows are tracks with strong pop and r&b sensibilities with guitar accompaniments that seem to hug the songs rather than give them a good punch in the face.

Tracks like “Born to Lose” and “End of the Line” are mid-tempo, showcasing the sonic change. But while “Born to Lose” comes in heavy, “End of the Line” is mellow, with recognizable r&b influences. Though the foray into something more mellow is new for the band, and fans, the change of pace is complimentary to what follows. “Crush” an “Comeback Kid” are quintessential Sleigh Bell’s rallying songs. Krauss’ vocal come complete with bad-ass, almost cheer chants while Miller’s loud riffs duke it out with step-team beats. “Comeback Kid” features the catchiest hook on the album and the backbeat is absolutely punishing.

Reign of Terror is vastly more accessible than the riotous Treats. The band’s near ballad, “You Lost Me” is the album’s most beautiful track, creating a dream-like atmosphere around glistening arpeggios and lyrics like “You’re holding hands through your favorite bands.” But where there is accessibility, there’s still that hard-hitting intimidation factor. “Leader of the Pack” is definitely not a cover of the Shangri-La’s classic, but a track that busts down the door to make room for other tracks like “Demons” –an evil, yet oddly seductive, romp where Miller’s guitar battles Krauss’ roar, and “Never Say Die.” The opposite of the inviting “You Lost Me,” “Never Say Die” is creepy, nightmareish even. The vocals are shapeless and vaguely ghost-like while the mix of a constant, rumbling drum and repetitious guitar scale are spine-tingling.

While the album may not be the mosh-inducing fanfare that drew crowds as Treats did, Reign of Terror is good, REALLY good. What separates Sleigh Bells from everyone else is the control of loud, hard, and soft. Lyrically and sonically, Miller and Krauss have grown. Whether they’ve grown enough to be comfortable in the music they’re creating and true to the sound they’ve created remains to be seen. But the next time Sleigh Bells comes to town, I’ll be there –that’s for sure. **7.5/10