European

She is beautiful :imbeingsarcasticbitch2:
 
Of course the world was captivated by her appearance originally, because it was a video that went viral. Even I was struck by her appearance in "Video Games", although i think she looks better when she's less pouty. I like to think that I'd like her as much if wasn't attractive because I'm not really into fanning so hardcore for popstars, where beauty is essential. But I admit, it did catch my interest. But this isn't really about MY opinion. Personally, I think the music would be different if she wasn't this beautiful girl. She wouldn't be singing about being the most exotic flower or the whole world's girl. And that's fine. It's certainly a perspective she has and is used to (although I would never say she's limited to being the hot girl). For instance, I'm not writing about being an exotic flower because I don't have that perspective.
 
I don't know, the backlash would definitely have been much less if she wasn't as pretty. But do I think she would have been as successful? Not really. Her breakthrough came with a vintage video of her looking captivating. Maybe "Video Games" could have made it on its own merit, but remember that it's success was an accident, and ultimately a product of her being beautiful in the video. She's on magazine covers now, but at the beginning that's all it was--an accident. Fueled in no small part by her looks. Generally I have my ugly dude syndrome and would not be rooting for her as much under those circumstances, but Lana has always been a special case to me.

Million Dollar Man is horrible live. In fact, many of her live performances are very cringe-worthy. I don't say this because I think she's a bad singer, but because I think she's been choosing the wrong songs. Her iTunes set was much improved, in terms of vocals, but I still think they could cut MDM, pick up the pace of Radio and Without You, it would be much better.
 
In all honesty, she should work on her vocals for her faster paced songs. If she could perform Off To The Races in a different fashion than the Concert Prive performance (although I give her a pass for that because it was one of her first televised performances and the material was newer then), I think it could definitely be a crowd-pleaser and add a little life to her show.

DAT COVER. If she really looked like that her Born To Die cover would look something like this:

I think that in some parallel universe one of the biker dudes in Ride is black, and in this parallel universe lanadelrey.fm never went down and PinupGirls is right now writing a post about how even though he loves black people, he just doesn't get why one of the bikers had to be black.
 
So, who wants to place bets that Lana's response, if questioned about the headdress, will be "I just thought it looked really beautiful"?

and then i have a stroke and die

THE. END. ⊙_⊙

And the PinupGirls Award for Most Ignorant Post Made Regarding Race/Culture in a Music Video goes to Moy! Congrats!
 

I've been asked to talk about this experience by several people, and I'm deliriously tired from having just gotten home, but I'll try, although other people on the forum actually have, like, photographic evidence.
 
I made it into the first showing, and I was one of the last people. She was playing "Ride", which seemed like standard procedure for it's premiere, so I wasn't paying much attention. And then a new song starts and I hear the words "crystal meth", so I'm flailing and demanding how this can be happening. It was "American", and it's my understanding that before I arrived they played a lot more of the songs. I did record it, but you can clearly hear me talking at parts where I thought I was being quiet...I'll upload it anyway, if it won't get snatched off YouTube. Plus, I don't want to be ridiculed by desperate YouTube stans Distinct lyric: "Drive fast, I can almost taste it now."
 
So after "American", they introduced Lana Del Rey. She got onstage and laughed, you know the laugh. She said how grateful she was that she had all these fans who'd show up to an event that wasn't even a concert, and basically alluded to how the fans make it so much better in light of the backlash she's experienced. We all had a moment.
 
She then introduced the video with Anthony Mandler. She started making her way to the very back--where she sat watching it--but in the process was swarmed. Not even gonna lie, I made my way right into that cluster. She's so much more delicate than I ever imagined. Just how tiny her body is and how doll-like her face is. Mostly I kinda went "BLAGH LANA" and side-hugged her and caressed her hair. She's beyond stunning in person, even in jeans. Especially in jeans.
 
I'll tell you now so you don't get excited that all my attempts to get some personal Lana on Chance time were pretty much dashed--I asked for a signature twice and she only said that she couldn't, which was understandable because she was walking but DAMN. I'm such a dork, I just kinda reached out and touched her arm as she was walking by and she looked back at me. That's not the extent of our conversing, but I don't have any signatures or pictures.
 
The video. THE VIDEO. It's nearly indescribable, but I'll try. The whole time she's with a lot of skeezy men--like, three or four on different occasions. All older, rugged, ugly, and bikers. I really need you guys to see it because it's so good. Of course I have some bias, having seen it projected in a theater, but cinematically I think it's her best. NO INSTAGRAM FILTERS ON THIS ONE, THANK GOD. In short, she's partying in the desert with some bikers, straddling several dudes in the sand and pointing guns at them, indeed swinging on this mysterious tire swing, hanging out at a gas station, playing pinball with a biker sort of spooning her, getting into a car like a prostitute. It's Americana, it's trash, it's beautiful. It's Lana. What can I say? It's exquisite. She's on all fours for the ending monologue--by memory, I really loved that part, and also one part in the desert where she's wearing an Indian headdress. Bits of the video keep rushing back to me. The part where she is holding the flag, like in the promo photo, is so beautiful. I need to watch it again. There's so much to love about this video, I wish I could eloquently describe it all. It'll be all of ours to enjoy soon enough, but if you can--get that shit HD projected somewhere I cried. I cried my fucking eyes out.
 
Afterwards came the Q&A. I'll try to pick out the meaningful stuff. Someone asked what inspired the song "Ride", and she said that she was a lot more excited at the beginning of her career than she she was in the middle or even now--a clear reference to her backlash and trying to deal with fame, if you ask me. She said that's what she loved and preferred in her downtime--"riding motorcycles...and men :haha: "
 
She's touring early next year, although she expressed her hatred for the idea and said she'd rather take us all to hang out on the boardwalk on Sunday. GODDAMN SHE IS SO CUTE.
 
I can finally answer the question "what would you say if you met Lana?" Anthony Mandler chose me, seeing my desperation clear across the room, and I said, "Can you talk about why you re-recorded 'Yayo'...and some other songs from the album?" There was a general "ooh" of agreement, I noticed, but NO--I didn't ask about Jimmy Gnecco. NO--I didn't ask about unreleased material. Still, it wasn't THE shittiest question, right? Anyway, she said she liked the song because she considers it something of a jazz standard and it can go all in one take, but she didn't like how it turned out originally. So, yeah, stans...we're all WRONG in loving that song :creepy: And then I thanked her very much and sat down, although I was hoping she'd talk about an emotional connection to the song and give me some discreet Lanalysis material, not gonna lie. Please be happy with me, forum.
 
Someone asked if she had any plans for "Never Let Me Go" and she said, "It'll probably live on YouTube, like all the other leaked material!"
 
Someone asked if she is dating anyone, and she said yes.
 
She said she was misinterpreted when asked about quitting music and the Vogue Australia interview. She said she meant doing music for films, not acting in them. When pressed, she said that she thought the Paradise Edition was much better than Born to Die and was basically really happy with it. I'm hoping that means she's optimistic, not that she's said what she had to say.
 
Someone asked if she had any advice for budding singers, and she basically said that your expectations will never live up to your imagination. I thought that was kinda sad.
 
She said she is best at being a passenger on a motorcycle
 
After that, I went and waited in an alleyway to meet her. Other folks saw the video multiple times (damn I wish, I could've heard some more Paradise tracks) and spent their time wisely. Me, I waited and waited for her for hours. I met some pretty cool people, but at the end of the day her management wouldn't allow her to do a meet-and-greet, according to the staff of the theater. (CURSE YOU, BEN MAWSON!) That said, I waited until the very end. Me, my driver, and our three new friends were the last five people waiting in front of the theater in case she came back, not exaggerating. But she didn't. I'm pretty bummed about that, but not as much as I anticipated...like, I touched her, and she recognized my stan worship for "Yayo", and I saw the most amazing video ever on a giant screen, and I have the monologue printed out all pretty and I'll for sure frame it.
 
It was a great night. I can't wait for you guys to see the video. I don't think anyone will be disappointed. I truly don't.

oops i'm dead again

DAT COVER. If she really looked like that her Born To Die cover would look something like this:

"Paradise" is a great song!

Listen to "Every Man Has His Wish" several times a day before school. I need it to function.

Uri-Lana-alysis

Well, you asked for it...
 
Naw, it just comes down to personal preferences like most everything else in life. I think mono and stereo each have their place and i like them both for different reasons. I'm happy that they both exist, i wouldn't want to do without either one. I am definitely not one of those people who fetishize mono. I know exactly what you mean when you say that it sounds "confined," that's true in a sense. People talk about stereo "opening up" the music and allowing it to "breathe," how it has more space. All true things. Mono is tighter, punchier, more compact. There are two main things about mono: it tends to sound really powerful, there's this great energy to it that stereo often lacks. The other thing is that it's good for creating more of a blend with the overall sound, if that's what's desired. Sure, you lose clarity and openness with mono but you make up for it with the way the music just hits you stronger. A good mono mix smacks you right in the middle of your chest and it just feels great. You usually have to turn it up louder than you would a stereo recording to get the full effect though.
 
Some music is more suited for mono while other music is more suited for stereo. For me personally, i like mono for music with a sparse arrangement because if there are such few instruments, why do you really need to have all that separation? A lot of stuff that’s intended to "rock" tends to sound better in mono. What's really great is when you have the luxury of having both a stereo mix and a (true) mono mix of the same song. That's REALLY fun because you can experience the same song very differently. For me, mono is more for enjoying without thinking too much about it, and stereo is more for really paying attention, studying the music and production, scrutinizing it.
 
Also though, i said that i would like it if those songs on Paradise were in mono because it would be unheard of for a mainstream pop artist today to release music in mono. That would totally shit on industry standards and i think that would be refreshing, funny, and cute, sincerely. I can see Lana being a badass and doing something like that.
 
I remember when the Blue Jeans video leaked a few days early, the audio in the video was in mono (granted, not true mono, but a "fold down") but i thought it sounded fantastic. It had so much energy to it that really suited that song, and the blending that happens naturally with mono really, really helped with the BTD production, it smoothed it out and kind of obscured a lot of the overproduced, glossy aspects. I was BLASTING that leaked video all day for those few days. I have since folded down Blue Jeans, Lolita, and a few other BTD songs and will listen to them like that from time to time when i just want to blast some of those songs and feel them in a more visceral way.

Fuck Taylor Momsen, Marry Medoner and uhmm.. take Kurt Cobains life.. again?
Why am I even playing this?
 
The Cookie Monster, Pikachú and a triceratops.
 
(edit: don't know how to kill this post on my phone)

"Once you label me you negate me." -- Kierkegaard

My suspicions were correct--this is the perfect live song for her.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gRtaGAyP-I&feature=youtu.be
 
From the Jaguar website:
 

Clearly she is a murderer.
 
Album cover.
 
Tracklist.
 
Album preview.
 
Burning Desire release.
 
AND Ride release.
 
All in one day.
 
She's trying to kill me by the looks of it.
 
Can't have that.
 
I'm calling the police.

Everyone from home says that you’re so cool
Come on everybody to the boarding school
Everyone from town says that you’re so cool
Come on get down to the boarding school

L-l-let’s do drugs
Make love with our teachers
Come on, date a townie, let his tattooed-ass beat ya
I’m a fan of pro-ana nation
I do them drugs to stop the f-food cravings
If you wanna get high with me
I’m in the back doing crack, drinking P-P-Pepsi

Everyone from home says that you’re so cool
Come on everybody to the boarding school
Everyone from town says that you’re so cool
Come on get down to the boarding school

She trailer trash and everyone knows it
But she got a great ass and she knows how to show it
With American flags on each little finger
You’re crashing on Wall Street while I’m blowing up as a singer

If you wanna get that scholarship
Yale's not a problem, let’s solve it
Educated in the language of doin’ it
Get down like your tutor taught you to and do it

Everyone from home says that you’re so cool
Come on everybody to the boarding school
Everyone from town says that you’re so cool
Come on get down to the boarding school

If you wanna get that sugar cake
If you wanna be that pin-up queen
You can, you can
If you wanna do that South Beach swing
Or go on group vacationing
You can, you can, you can

When they said prolific, they weren’t kiddin’
You thought that I was just a calendar kitten
But now you heard me purrin’, tiger, you’re smitten
So let’s begin to major in the art of sinning

Everyone from home says that you’re so cool
Come on everybody to the boarding school
Everyone from town says that you’re so cool
Come on get down to the boarding school

Get down, get down…

Fuck Pikachu , Marry a triceratops , Kill The Cookie Monster
 
Lady Gaga , Satan , Bjork

I think Lana can be accused of not being many things, although "sufficiently thoughtful" isn't one of them. *shrugs* I do agree with the latter part of your statement though.
 
More things I thought of:
 
Again, (not an unpopular Lana opinion, but a plea: Can people stop saying she has a degree in metaphysics? I don't even think Lana herself has once said she has a degree in it.
 
She keeps dropping Nabokov and Whitman and Ginsberg and that's all very well and nice, but I need her to talk more about things like this:
 
 
I remember being as happy as a clam kitty when I first read this and it still makes me really, really happy. :3 I think it's actually one of my favourite things Lana has ever said! :3 (Another is "I don't many things, but I don't know about that"). Lana and I could have sleepovers and we could braid each other's hair and talk about returning blood cells to their stem cell state and cracking DNA storage and its potential as a storage medium and the discovery of an ancient galaxy that totally uproots common beliefs held in the astronomy community, and who's cuter, Neil or Brian (I'd argue Neil because he looks like a super-huggable teddy bear, Lana would argue Brian because he has a Jimmy Gnecco-esque thing going on) and she would ask why I'm not pursuing the math degree that I actually intended to get and I'd get upset and clam up because that's a touchy subject for me, and she would tsk and give me a knowing look and then I'd retaliate by asking her what's up with K and then she'd look at me, hurt, with mascara running down her little bambi eyes and roll on her other side, away from me, tugging the quilt with her and leaving me cold and blanket-less in the dark, our fun cut short and the silence loud and deafening.
 
(._. )