PrettyBaby

I get it geometrically and architecturally and in nature, but not so much with facial construction and music. I guess it's just because it can be applied to different aspects of music. Like, i think it has more to do with just the sequence of the notes in a melodic line and their intervalic relationships, because sometimes it applies to the overall structure of a piece, but i don't really know.

This is fascinating to me. I've wondered for a long time about the connection between music and math. Not having much formal training in music, I don't really get why I like what I like; I just know I like it. I checked out some math rock once. Bought a Don Caballero CD. Was really excited. I put it in and immediately thought, "Wow, I love this sound!" About halfway through the song, I thought, "Wow, this is boring, I never want to listen to this again!" (And I haven't since.)

I love music that is experimental-but-not-too-experimental. That's why I love Lana's music. (And Lizzy's even more.) I don't know if I would have been as captivated by "Blue Jeans" if she wasn't so beautiful to look at, but I do know it was mainly her haunting physical voice and bold-yet-vulnerable stylistic "voice" that reeled me in.

I feel so torn about my relationship with beauty. I never felt like I had a lot of physical beauty, so that made it easy for me to go along with my Protestant heritage that tended to regard beauty as shallow at best. But in recent years, hearing other perspectives, notably Catholic ones, has made me re-evaluate my approach to beauty, and now I see it as something to be "stewarded," if that makes any sense. (Christianese for "taken good care of and used well.") So it was within that new framework that I encountered Lana. She's basically the first music artist whose physical beauty I've allowed myself to appreciate as part of the entire experience since I was a (hormone-crazed) teenager. (Went through an extended "it's all about the music" phase. Probably wouldn't recognize a lot of my favorite bands' members if I passed them on the street.)

Now I guess I'm on this kick where I try to see "the true, the good, and the beautiful" in everyone. And appreciate the fact that different people place different emphases on different values, but that doesn't make them "wrong" as I used to think. (Charm and beauty can be misused, but so can truth and humanitarian values.) We need people who sort of specialize in these different areas, I think. We need to give each other the freedom to pursue these different values, while we pursue our own favorite (without completely dropping the others).

I think Lana "stewards" her physical beauty in good ways. But there's no way it's all she has going for her.

1-10

"Hallow Man" - Michael Lewis (couldn't even find a :30 sample for this one, dagnabbit...)

"Little Wing" - Elizabeth Mitchell (cover of Neil Young)

"Fool You" - King's X

One thing this exercise has shown me is that "Gramma" has moved up to be my second-favorite Lana song. Thanks, Madrigal!

a slow sultry santa baby.

You're right, that would work! I've been thinking it's already been done, by Madonna, so no need to go there. But Lana could totally put her own stamp on it.

Ooops, well then I got something entirely different out of it! I have to rewatch that part.

 

I do think she chose the worst part of the song to wear the headdress, but it was also the most effective part to wear it as well.

 

 

 

Political correctness? It's not about being politically correct, it's about having respect. I don't know. I just feel very strongly about this. The city I live in has the highest population of Aboriginals in the world. I see the most disgusting racism, I see a proud people that are still suffering from the effects of colonialism, broken promises, residential schools -- and if they live on a reservation, a standard of living comparable to those in third-world countries... I am constantly exposed to it. Native issues are not something that I see once in a while when I'm flipping past a news channel, it's something I see every fucking single day just living in my city. It's just very, very sad to me.

I didn't mean PC in a bad way. I think of PC concerns as something that can teach us to have greater respect for each other (except when it does the opposite. It's complicated.) You're absolutely right that it's important to be sensitive to native cultures and the people in them. But maybe Lana's being more imperfectly sensitive than callous. Idk though; I know I could stand to be more educated in this area myself.

On first listen I thought it was "they stoned Mary in the garden" too! But I'm sure it's "stone Mary in the garden" -- like a visitation.

And, "Past a bad neighborhood, Crack house on the corner"

I thought the video was beautiful. I liked the unconventional romantic leads.

I still LOL at the "I believe in the country America used to be" because that's just fucking stupid. I need Lana to explain that one to me.

Yeah, I thought the same thing!

I think I know how you interpreted it; care to explain your thoughts on it anyway? (I don't want to put words in your mouth). While I recognize the symbolic value of the headdress, I still think it was in poor taste. :\

It's hard to put into words. The woman she portrays is so beyond concerns of political correctness it seems almost absurd to pick it apart. The first shot of her wearing it, she's obviously drunk. And she's also wearing a "Buttwiser" t-shirt. And she's just messing around having fun... But she keeps it on. Because it's sort of part of who she is. A nomadic queen, of herself anyway.

I don't know what was in her mind when she chose it as a symbol, (nor am I an expert on Native American culture) so I don't pretend to understand exactly what she "meant" by it. I only know how I responded to it when I saw it.

I'm actually crying. I love you, Lana Del Rey.

(The headdress is not a fashion statement. It's a symbol full of meaning the way she uses it here.)

I fall asleep to adult swim every night. I am not proud.

(And then I wake up in the middle of the night to something like Superjail #scarredforlife)

So happy with you, Sitar!!! Awesome question about Yayo

if i end up drawing more lana art, this will be the place for it!

 

for now.... i started working on an entry for the lanaonline H&M contest, but the past two weeks have been very hectic (same for the weekend) so I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to finish it before the deadline. this is how far i got!

 

Oooh, I love this! It would make a great design for an enamel pendant or something. (I've been looking at a lot of enamel pendants lately.)

Congrats TPD! So glad you came back to us!!!

As I think about it, I am surprised she hasn't done a cover of his songs these days or in her earlier years.

Wouldn't that be awesome if an old Lizzy Grant & the Phenomena performance surfaced, with a JB cover?!?

IKR?!?!?

There's definitely going to be a separate EP just called Paradise--don't know if it will be released physically.

http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-Lana-Del-Rey/dp/B009LA1QW6/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1349604243&sr=8-6&keywords=lana+del+rey+paradise

I'm hesitating between The Man I love, Try tonight and Pride

Try Tonight is one of my favorites from Sirens.

Rey-Reys. *ducks and runs for cover*

It's from the GQ UK shoot.

http://lanaboards.com/index.php?/topic/203-gq-magazine-interview-and-photos/

(And the one I used for Velvet Crowbar is from a 2011 Nicole Nodland shoot.)

http://lanadelreyonline.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=186&pid=2975#top_display_media

Congratulations, Lily!

"Out with a Bang" - May Jailer

None of our basic business tbh.

I agree... but I hope Sitar's right!

I'd love to see more. I really like your covers for "Unreleased" and "Born to Die Demos" in the other thread.

The third one is gorgeous!

(Oops, it's the first one now. The H&M one )