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intensely

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Posts posted by intensely

  1. Posted

    link to that interview anyone?

     

    and i agree, there are many posts in here that are giving good well-thought out opinions, something I've been waiting to read here for a while.

     

    http://lanadelreyfixesme.tumblr.com/post/129280526586/abel-tesfaye-the-weeknd-interviewing-lana-del

     

    Relevant bits:

     

    ABEL: But one can still see your progress.

    LANA: My taste is changing too. Nevertheless, I know exactly what I like, how it should sound and look.

    ABEL: Is that the reason why you’re rarely working together with other artists?

    LANA: I’m just very shy, which is why it’s difficult for me to approach people. With you it’s different: I love your voice and your talent to find a sudden melodic turn for each of your songs.

    ABEL: You have always been working with different producers.

    LANA: Yes, but that in a limited way. When I met my Producer Rick four years ago, I knew in that moment that we would be working together for a very long time. It just feels right. For my next album though I plan to open a up a little and work together with more people.

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  2. Posted

    I agree with the general consensus that she needs to challenge herself. As much as I admire her work and connect to her viewpoint more than most artists right now, there's something missing in her work ethic as an artist. Doesn't she want to grow? Learn a new instrument, try playing with new forms/elements of expression? Explore a new way of writing or singing? Learning to produce? Where's her hunger? It's like she's paralyzed in a very specific, very evocative spot creatively. She can go 'deeper and deeper' but she can't move PAST it. It feels like compulsion. It can be beautiful and compelling and euphoric when she gets it right, but I'm starting to wonder, like others, where it can go from here. Surely, this is some sort of finale.

     

    For someone who has traveled much of the globe, she acts like no place exists but LA. For someone who claims to be a writer first, I sense no drive to push herself further, to become more nuanced, imaginative, precise. For someone who seems, at heart, mainly preoccupied with existential ponderings, she refuses to offer us a true peak into her intellect. She'd rather link to a famous philosopher's video than share her own opinion. Similar thoughts on why she covers Nina Simone and quotes TS Eliot on record — to add a weight her own work cannot provide yet.  For awhile, that evasion felt like mystique, now it's beginning to reek a bit of fear. She's managed to create a pseudo-reality for herself where she gets to play the frigid icon who never explains, but she's painted herself into corner, one where she cannot let loose and experiment and fuck up and be FREE. She professes her love of being WILD and FREE,  but she seems quite conservative and inhibited at the end of the day. I mean, the fact that she hates Thai food (and also "spicy and exotic" food) actually says a lot about her tolerance for 'openness to new experiences'. I maintain the belief that she's actually closer to Little Edie of Grey Gardens than Marilyn Monroe — a grandiose recluse. And that is fascinating. But there's many ways to create haunting art that deviates from the themes she's already worn thin. I'd like to see her explore her devout solipsism a new way. Or even better, let go of it, connect with the real world and join humanity. At some point, the bubble needs to burst.

     

    Maybe she SHOULD start by traveling somewhere new. If she were in Seoul or Tokyo or Cairo, would she just shut her eyes to the present moment? Has anything new inspired her since she first started making music? She prides herself on 'always being inspired by the same few things,' but either her relationship to those things needs to change, or the actual content does. As beautiful and intriguing as Honeymoon is, it is safer than Ultraviolence, where she tried on new sounds, moods, perspectives, eras of living. Honeymoon all feels like a daydream of youth and romance long dead and gone. I'm okay with that, if it really IS the "swan song" for the Haunted Hollywood LDR. It's hard to tell where Lana's head is at now. On one level, she seems to be getting more metaphysical, on another, she seems to want to stick to shallow tropes. It's almost like she's afraid to show how smart she actually is. There's some vanity vs. intelligence schism within her that I've never understood, but seems to hold her back. It's always sad when women dumb themselves down, and the reasons are always rooted in fear of rejection.

     

    TL;DR:

    I get that she's aiming to be an Auteur, therefore consistent in her themes, but I mean, even Woody Allen eventually ventured outside of the neurotic tics of the Upper West Side....

     

    Fantastic post!

     

    I love Honeymoon, prefer UV and she said in that interview with The Weeknd that her tastes her changing, so her next album will probably change. I also don't hear the boredom people are talking about...although yes like you and others have said, so much of the same, same, same in her lyrics. She has said before how her influences haven't changed since she was 15. Jesus - I think she said that when she was like 28...

     

    But while I love listening to what she says sometimes in her interviews, she is conformist yes. The conformity comes through in her solipsism, her problems with other women, thinking everything that happens to her is personal, her worshipping of men and stealing aspects of marginalised cultures, the latter also makes her boring. She makes up stories about her life--a lot of the things don't add up (I don't care tbh but to me it reinforces how probably normal and privileged her life is compared to the average person). 

     

    I'm here for her and her music though. Good to see constructive criticism on this board.  

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  3. Posted

    Longevity for someone of her calibre. Most artists nowadays are made to last 3 albums and then fade. Lana's proved with 4 top 10 releases in the US and 3 top 3 albums that she's got more longevity than most artists nowadays.

    Except hip hop has been around for just over 35 years. And twerking is from the South and not a fad.

     

    Tf am I quoting...excuse me joshuasean, this was supposed to quote someone else but can't be bothered to fix,

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  7. Posted

    I only look forward to Katy, Colbie and JoJo next year to give me upbeat songs. I don't think the others will deliver it.

     

    Yes they make me sad. I had a terrible Depression last year and I'm so Glad that it ended. Art Deco reflects all the mistakes I made and the others are sad because I fell in love again and they are about him.

     

    I hope you start to feel better in time. Do you like Carly Rae Jepsen?

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  8. Posted

    I still love it but I don't want to listen to it because it makes me sad. I'm sick of being sad all the time. Why can't someone put out fun/happy music?

    I don't expect lana to do it just another one of my faves to do it.

    That's the reason why I love Lana because she's so sad and sweet.

    Yeah, I get you. She is going to change with her next album. Who else do you enjoy that puts out upbeat music? I'm really excited for Janet Jackson's newie with the latest bop. I still love the album and it doesn't affect me like you but if I'm down, it's not the best to listen to.

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  9. Posted

    iconic singer/songwriter David Gates wrote "And Aubrey was her name" in his hit song "Aubrey" (he was the lead singer of Bread)

    (Telly Savalas slayed with his cover of "It"

     

    have nothing against Drake or Taylor or Mariah Or Celine or any of the cookie cutter acts that go for the #1 singles ad nauseum and years later

    one can not remember even one of the songs they sang as all of them are so generic

    Taylor probably doesn't realize Ryan Adams is making fun of her in his new 1989 album,(in a Weird Al sort of way), same way he gets shoutouts to sing "Summer of 69" in his shows because his name sounds like Bryan Adams.

     

    Lana is iconic. Why some here don't seem to think so I have no idea. Fuck the haters. This is suppose to be the LANA board.

    Not third rate imitators or those going for singles

     

    You know, legendary cool actor Martin Milner (of Adam-12 and Route 66) just died. In his obits is a cool quote-

    he says Hi

    "People always thought I should be as big as the biggest superstars, but you know what, I never aspired to have to work it 24/7/365 to attain and then hold on to that status. So I guess that makes me a bum". What a great quote. His fans never forgot him and mourned his death, and Adam-12 is seen everyday on Cozi-TV and his show co-star still goes around making appearances (which Martin did until he was too ill to do so).

     

    The comparisons for Lana are with Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell and the Dead and Jonathan Richman and Lou Reed and Iggy Pop and Klaus Nomi

    and all those who can sing for 50 years and do whatever they fucking feel like and not worry about getting a number one album

    (Hell, it took James Taylor 45 years for his recent was his first #1 album). Do you think he gives a shit?

    Beats the hell out of working a day job 9 to 5.

     

    Artistes rule. Picasso wasn't popular when he was alive. Neither were most artists.

     

    I know over 50 years, I have continually returned to Leonard Cohen, and you know what 99% of the world has no idea who he is.

    He could walk next to most people and they don't have a clue.

    He retired for a decade, then came back and sold out Madison Square Garden, but in reality- who wants to see him in a 20,000 seat arena?

    I remember the cafes and clubs where he is right in front. But cool is, he could sell out the Garden and Radio City Music hall and has never

    had a hit single or #1 album.

     

    Why are people so concerned about how many Lana sells?

    The entire music world wrote her off 4 years ago, and how cool is it she has a #2 record, with FANS and supporters who will remember her decades from now

    without a hit single.

    Why does she need to have one or two hit singles, when she releases a full album and there is not one bad song on it, and they are meant to

    be listened to in the order they are in, in full. Song 1 to 14 of Honeymoon. Everything isthere for a reason in the order they are put.

     

    Without one of them, its like ripping a chapter out of a book.

     

    Feel free to disagree. I don't post to have a conga line of people agreeing with me. I post what I believe and feel.

    Not to please those that seemingly can't be pleased at anything.

     

    Congratulations Elizabeth on a great written, produced, sounding album Honeymoon that continues the standard of excellence NO ONE else

    provides. (As you say yourself in Honeymoon the song). There ain't nobody else for me but you musically in the 2000s.

    (Or as you say in the bridge in American). (and the funny thing is, Leonard Cohen said the exact same thing in his recent song "Slow").

    (Was he listening to Lana when he wrote Slow?)

     

    Great artistes create great art.

    the art is what matters

    even if no one buys it

    But #2 in a week Drake releases something is fucking fantastic for an artist the entire world wrote off (but I didn't) three or four years ago.

    Lana now has-

    5 Top 20s on the Billboard 200.

    4 Top 10s.

    Fucking fantastic!

     

    I agree that charts mean shit but calm yourself - also heaps of people know who Leonard Cohen is...simmer down. She's released 3 full-length albums that have gained attention, is only 30, continues to stun many of us...no need to put down heaps of other artists to elevate Lana. (I think it's OK to criticise and compare overall but you are doing too much.) Time will tell. 

     

    Also just for anyone else reading this, I get the enthusiasm here because I have faves whom are much more reputed and taken seriously than Lana and whom cannot produce a whole album where I hardly skip songs like Honeymoon. It's bizarre.

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  10. Posted

    A few comments: 'Take this shit to Tumblr' 'Tumblr ghetto' - funny how people saying this are well aware of Tumblr - it must have quite an impact huh?...newsflash those saying this and are born after 1990, social justice or being passionate about social justice did not start on Tumblr or the Internet. And there are lots of young people who inspire me around social justice. Social justice is a strong part of art and will always be part of life - you don't have to engage with it but good luck living a life where you think it's funny that a whole group of people are bring stereotyped end denigrated and they are just going to sit there and take it.

     

    Can't be bothered to look up your handle but the person standing with a user on Lana boards and copying the hashtag...but um we should calm down, ok bro.

     

    Tumblr has done a lot to self-educate and meet like-minded people and spread feminist, antiracist etc ideas. We can all be interested in whatever we want but to pretend that Tumblr is a separate segment of society is naive. I see feminist Lana fans, not all of Lana fans are white and/or Christian or atheist. If you don't want to participate in a 'racial' conversation and someone says something Islamophobic or racist then be quiet.

    2

  12. Posted

    I agree that one should respect other cultures but I really don't think muslims do that (at least not when it comes to them having to adapt). I live in Paris and the region is full of arabs and muslims, and even though the burqa is forbidden here for example, you still see ladies wearing them in the Champs Elysées ( now try to go to one of those really strict countries wearing short shorts and tight clothes (what Brazilian girls normally wear tbh) and you'll have a really hard time). Another example is Sweden: Ever since the country has opened its borders it's become a mess (Swedish people told me this). The muslims there do not want to adapt and instead demand the country's gov to do it. I'm an immigrant too but I try to adapt to French culture as much as I can. In that sense I DO have a problem with Islam (with all religions tbh, but Christianism doesn't have that much influence anymore and doesn't affect daily life and laws in most countries I believe). And before I'm labeled as racist, I'd just like to say that in no way I have a problem with the people themselves. The problem is religion tbh

    Islamophobic and xenophobic cunt - you are racist, the other posters called it. Islamophobia is also racism because Muslims are racialised in the exact way you are doing.

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  14. Posted

    What you are talking about?! I read every damn critical piece about Lana. I don't remember many complaints about her vocals besides the very subjective assertions that she sings with "no emotion" or her singing is boring. To say that Lana has weak vocals it's a nonsense tbh. I was drawn to her because of her voice mainly and I have to say that I'm not a big fan of female vocalists. Is she technically perfect? No, but she improved a lot and frankly she's better than many hyped pop and indie female vocalists. Her songs are intricate, going from a low register to a high register in a dime which few female vocalist could pull of. And dear, her music was trashed on misogynistic and ideological grounds mainly and had little to do with her vocal delivery. She's a good lyricist and I saw a steady progression in her career, there are missteps as on any album of any artists but to say that she's a weak lyricist is just as nonsensical. I could show you tens of Lana's lyrics which could hold their own even without the music. Maybe the critics got tired of their own BS about Lana and they are just more courageous in praising her music because she's more accepted now.

     

    I don't follow the critics this era and I'm late but I'm surprised in a good way that the UK papers are staning for HM and I hope that it will not happen the inverse reaction to the US that happened in the BTD and UV era.

    Some of her lyrics are shit but yeah her vocals are sublime live. Blown away by how she can go from low to high without much of a breath. She sings the difficult part of Ride very well. I don't understand being a recording artist who knows they can't sing a song as well live for eg Sia with Chandelier and Katy Perry with that first song from her latest...just don't sing the song in a high register in the first place.

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  15. Posted

    This is not a hate post against you or your opinion at all, and I am very satisfied with HM as an album, but I also don't get people who throw crap at BTD all the time and say that just because it's her first official album somehow it's also her worst.

     

    I don't get why would someone NOT want her to write about honoring long lost love and a glamorous lifestyle, when that world is so captivating, it just draws you in.

    I don't get why would someone NOT want more videos on the level of these:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bag1gUxuU0g

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxDdEPED0h8

     

    I don't get why would someone not want her to do photoshoots this amazing again, who, why would you not want her to look this good again?

    920bf0871268f206a5c7f714566b8520.jpga13154e6802d76fbb06e2e6810a276ad.jpgLana+Del+Rey++600x600+PNG+diffe.png

     

    Born To Die was not only an album, it was an experience. What she does now does not compare. But I also understand that it is not supposed to, as making BTD was her main goal in life.

    Now, HM is a wonderful album and I sincerely love all songs. But I can't help but feel that BTD is on a whole other level.

    That's fine if you prefer the BTD era. I didn't get into Lana for her look or videos (only watched them last year). I generally find her videos boring although I think she is beautiful. I don't really know what you mean by BTD was her main goal. I find it admirable that she works so goddamn hard on her art and works hard to have a great personal life. She released this album 15 months after UV...and it's fantastic quality.

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  16. Posted

    Can I just say that I thought some people were just talking overhyped blah blah over the album? I didn't see the appeal of Freak and MTWBT, but loved GKIT, TLY, HM, AD, TBD already...and had only heard the UO version but listening now...this is heaven. I adored Ultraviolence but she has progressed overall like you wouldn't believe (except most of you have heard it). Also how lucky are we as fans to get this perfection a mere 15 months later?

    1

  17. Posted

    I feel like I should but I just can't rn.

     

    The thing that makes it "racially charged" is that she described someone as ghetto, not a place that is actually a ghetto.

    Agree with you but a LDR board with stupid fucking stans (and I stan her but still criticise her appropriation and racist bullshit) is not the place. Oh oops!

    ?????? It really isn't?? I mean as far as I'm aware, but I go to an academically selective high school so everyone is a lot more accepting about stuff, I know plenty of people at comprehensive high schools to be racist and many peoples grandparents especially, but it seems like it's fading out more with each generation. Hmm I'm not sure, maybe personally I just struggle to see it because I'm constantly in an environment that's wholly accepting regardless of race, gender, sexuality etc

    Lmao...yep those public high schoolers are much more racist than you smarties!
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  19. Posted

    Yeah I'm with technicolor, I don't really care about her videos. None of them are really interesting to me. Her brilliant music, which I listen to every day is what captures me. So it's nice to see someone else say that. Because a lot of fans get excited about the videos but I hardly watch them and haven't seen most of them. 

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  21. Posted

    Funny. The Fiona lyric, "You fondle my trigger, then you blame my gun," feels relevant here. But it's a two-way street, for sure: Lana provokes the media by saying strange/unsettling things in interviews and in music then refuses to account for them; the media provokes Lana by asking her difficult and triggering questions, and then sensationalizes her dramatic and/or uncooperative response. Neither side is innocent at all.

     

    I've said before that Lana's willful solipsism is what really rubs people (in the media and in general) wrong. In an age of interconnectivity and transparency, with an emphasis on social cooperation, Lana basically says 'fuck that.' In this interview she admits she's very selfish, says no therapist could possibly know her better than herself, says she doesn't need money, is glib about smoking, etc. Basically, she comes off like an obstinate 17-year-old. Some part of her refuses to grow up. I love this about her in many ways, but it will continue to work against her as she ages and people expect more candor and less defensive posturing from her. I hate to say it, but her extreme 'selfishness as a virtue' stance reminds me a bit of Ayn Rand at times (who is adored by angsty teenagers who cannot see a world beyond their own.) There's an interesting thing here about Mammalian vs Reptilian thinkers/creators. It's about the workplace, but it's applicable to anything. I think Lana, right now, is Reptilian.

     

    'While mammals need others from the day they’re born, reptiles are adapted to living on their own. So, as they grow--whether we’re talking about the culture of crocodiles or a corporation--they have lives that are "individually oriented and socially isolated," they live in a world, Porges says, "defined by risk and not sharing or benevolence or creativity," and so the defining features of a reptilian workplace are embedded in defense and fear.'

     

    just had to quote all of this. I read this comic on Ayn Rand today and your comment is extremely apt.

     

    on the other hand I think it's great she knows how to end things and set strong boundaries. it's not a big deal. Julia Roberts used to walk out of interviews around 20 years ago when questions get invasive and now she is a pro with press and knows how to enforce privacy.

     

    i've read many a celebrity interview where usually a male journalist will whine about a woman celeb doesn't take his shit and the male journo takes it really personally and runs the woman down. I don't really see this here - instead he comments on her fluctuating moods, and his opinion of her is supposed to be paramount, but she tells him, I am confident...yes! 

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