sparklrtrailrheaven

Such a good, sweet interview! Thanks for posting! Also: 
 
 
hack ha 
(kidding, ofc. but the idea of 2016 laptop-esque demos is exciting) 

cute lil cover for one of lanas CUTEST SONGS THAT YOU ARE ALLLL SLEEPING ON
kinda got insipired by the cover of por vida for the colouring 
 

I listened to Lana Del Ray again tonight, for the millionth time-- my feelings haven't changed. This album is genius, and it definitely saddens me that Lana will likely never return to this set of aesthetics and style of music.
 
However, the genius of AKA is not *just* Lana. I give a sizable part of my respect for the album to David Kahne, as well. While Lana created killer melodies, lyrics, and concepts that would work extremely well under the guidance of any producer, Kahne had the perfect touch to push the songs from "excellent" to "god-like", in my opinion. 
 
It definitely deserves repeat listens-- some subtle flourishes Kahne brought in are best noticed after you've been bowled over a few times by Lana's handiwork with the stories told and pictures painted here. To me, the perfect example of Kahne's "Midas touch" on AKA is "Pawn Shop Blues". As evidenced by a live performance and a demo, PSB was a staggeringly beautiful, tender, and poignant track when Lana was doing it on her own. However, Kahne took it to another level-- while PSB in its raw state is mournful and brimming with sadness, Kahne's instrumentation gives it depth-- it goes from being a "sad" song to something better described as "bittersweet". With the angelic echoes and trembling guitars, Kahne doesn't detract at all from Lana's lyrics-- instead, he gives them deeper meaning and manifold facets. Pawn Shop Blues becomes, all at once, a hopeful look at living for a purpose outside of yourself, a melancholy assertion on the nature of love and loss, and a somber reminder of how one can lose it all for nothing. With these extra dimensions, the track becomes infinitely interesting, as it's hard to tell where the hope begins and the desperation ends. 
 
I'm rambling-- my point being, AKA is an absolutely genius record that I'll love 'til the day I die, and both David Kahne and Lana are geniuses for putting just the right elements in just the right places to create an album that is cohesive yet kaleidoscopic, and that has so many facets and subtleties that it demands repeat listens. Fabulous. Please continue sharing info and thoughts on AKA here, because it means the world to me and I want to know all there is to know about it!
 
Thanks for reading all this 

I 100% agree with your opinion, it was early 2010 and I can't remember if the indie artists used to have the same support as they have now, plus that artwork was really ugly I don't know what they we're thinking, and I love Chuck's photography but damn that was an ugly cover Thank you for making this thread and all of you for spreading more info of this amazing album, I might do my review later

I agree wholeheartedly! <3 I think this album (and the people who worked on it, including David Nichtern!) have never received their due. So, I was so happy to be able to start this thread, so as you said, we could coherently gather information and spread the love for AKA! Also, kudos for finding that article! It's certainly one of the most informative out there about this period in Lana's history. You're too sweet
 
I agree too about AKA's artwork-- while I've grown to love it in association with the album, it was not executed well at all. Even Kill Kill's artwork, while not perfect, looks a lot more inviting and evocative of the music than AKA's. Honestly, despite only being released 6 yeas ago, I think AKA was a bit ahead of its time in some respects. Lana was definitely making music that was hard to define, but with more genre-hopping mainstream artists these days (think Marina & the Diamonds or Melanie Martinez, whom I often see grouped in the same circles as Lana),  AKA could be better marketed and received if it were released today, imo. 

I don't know if this is the right thread for this, (and sorry for double-posting!) but has the theory ever been raised that Lana took her name from Delray Beach in Florida? We all know Florida is a favorite place of Lizzy's, and I found this article about T.R.A.F.F.I.C. that mentions that the first T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conference was held in 2004 at Delray Beach: http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2014/september-october.htm
This has probably been mentioned, but still thought it was pretty cool 

I agree wholeheartedly! <3 I think this album (and the people who worked on it, including David Nichtern!) have never received their due. So, I was so happy to be able to start this thread, so as you said, we could coherently gather information and spread the love for AKA! Also, kudos for finding that article! It's certainly one of the most informative out there about this period in Lana's history. You're too sweet
 
I agree too about AKA's artwork-- while I've grown to love it in association with the album, it was not executed well at all. Even Kill Kill's artwork, while not perfect, looks a lot more inviting and evocative of the music than AKA's. Honestly, despite only being released 6 yeas ago, I think AKA was a bit ahead of its time in some respects. Lana was definitely making music that was hard to define, but with more genre-hopping mainstream artists these days (think Marina & the Diamonds or Melanie Martinez, whom I often see grouped in the same circles as Lana),  AKA could be better marketed and received if it were released today, imo. 

I listened to Lana Del Ray again tonight, for the millionth time-- my feelings haven't changed. This album is genius, and it definitely saddens me that Lana will likely never return to this set of aesthetics and style of music.
 
However, the genius of AKA is not *just* Lana. I give a sizable part of my respect for the album to David Kahne, as well. While Lana created killer melodies, lyrics, and concepts that would work extremely well under the guidance of any producer, Kahne had the perfect touch to push the songs from "excellent" to "god-like", in my opinion. 
 
It definitely deserves repeat listens-- some subtle flourishes Kahne brought in are best noticed after you've been bowled over a few times by Lana's handiwork with the stories told and pictures painted here. To me, the perfect example of Kahne's "Midas touch" on AKA is "Pawn Shop Blues". As evidenced by a live performance and a demo, PSB was a staggeringly beautiful, tender, and poignant track when Lana was doing it on her own. However, Kahne took it to another level-- while PSB in its raw state is mournful and brimming with sadness, Kahne's instrumentation gives it depth-- it goes from being a "sad" song to something better described as "bittersweet". With the angelic echoes and trembling guitars, Kahne doesn't detract at all from Lana's lyrics-- instead, he gives them deeper meaning and manifold facets. Pawn Shop Blues becomes, all at once, a hopeful look at living for a purpose outside of yourself, a melancholy assertion on the nature of love and loss, and a somber reminder of how one can lose it all for nothing. With these extra dimensions, the track becomes infinitely interesting, as it's hard to tell where the hope begins and the desperation ends. 
 
I'm rambling-- my point being, AKA is an absolutely genius record that I'll love 'til the day I die, and both David Kahne and Lana are geniuses for putting just the right elements in just the right places to create an album that is cohesive yet kaleidoscopic, and that has so many facets and subtleties that it demands repeat listens. Fabulous. Please continue sharing info and thoughts on AKA here, because it means the world to me and I want to know all there is to know about it!
 
Thanks for reading all this 

I agree wholeheartedly! <3 I think this album (and the people who worked on it, including David Nichtern!) have never received their due. So, I was so happy to be able to start this thread, so as you said, we could coherently gather information and spread the love for AKA! Also, kudos for finding that article! It's certainly one of the most informative out there about this period in Lana's history. You're too sweet
 
I agree too about AKA's artwork-- while I've grown to love it in association with the album, it was not executed well at all. Even Kill Kill's artwork, while not perfect, looks a lot more inviting and evocative of the music than AKA's. Honestly, despite only being released 6 yeas ago, I think AKA was a bit ahead of its time in some respects. Lana was definitely making music that was hard to define, but with more genre-hopping mainstream artists these days (think Marina & the Diamonds or Melanie Martinez, whom I often see grouped in the same circles as Lana),  AKA could be better marketed and received if it were released today, imo. 

@@sparklrtrailrheaven @@longtimeman please correct me if i'm wrong, but i think i was the first to find that article way back in the day! you know, david nichtern is also one of the foremost buddhist meditation teachers in america, and i hope his practice was a useful tool to deal with the - to me - unjust hand he was dealt. without his (and his label's) gamble on lizzy/lana we probably would never have discovered her. it's likely she would have eventually achieved mainstream success in one of her incarnations or facets, but i know i wouldn't have been such a huge fan without "AKA", which is still my absolute favorite album of hers. imagine a world in which that record never existed, or amounted to simply a handful of demos in lana's laptop! i'm so glad that wasn't the case, and that you created this thread @@sparklrtrailrheaven, because even though we longtime fans, many of us from the original LDR.FM, are well aware of these facts, it's great to have them grouped together coherently, with evident love, for everyone - oldtimers and newbies alike - to discover and revisit both the information and the album, and celebrate its wonderful, bizarre "cohesive yet kaleidoscopic" glory! ♥

AKA is such a special album, her best work for sure.The songs are magical - they're like drug induced sparkly Nevada lullabies.

I listened to Lana Del Ray again tonight, for the millionth time-- my feelings haven't changed. This album is genius, and it definitely saddens me that Lana will likely never return to this set of aesthetics and style of music.
 
However, the genius of AKA is not *just* Lana. I give a sizable part of my respect for the album to David Kahne, as well. While Lana created killer melodies, lyrics, and concepts that would work extremely well under the guidance of any producer, Kahne had the perfect touch to push the songs from "excellent" to "god-like", in my opinion. 
 
It definitely deserves repeat listens-- some subtle flourishes Kahne brought in are best noticed after you've been bowled over a few times by Lana's handiwork with the stories told and pictures painted here. To me, the perfect example of Kahne's "Midas touch" on AKA is "Pawn Shop Blues". As evidenced by a live performance and a demo, PSB was a staggeringly beautiful, tender, and poignant track when Lana was doing it on her own. However, Kahne took it to another level-- while PSB in its raw state is mournful and brimming with sadness, Kahne's instrumentation gives it depth-- it goes from being a "sad" song to something better described as "bittersweet". With the angelic echoes and trembling guitars, Kahne doesn't detract at all from Lana's lyrics-- instead, he gives them deeper meaning and manifold facets. Pawn Shop Blues becomes, all at once, a hopeful look at living for a purpose outside of yourself, a melancholy assertion on the nature of love and loss, and a somber reminder of how one can lose it all for nothing. With these extra dimensions, the track becomes infinitely interesting, as it's hard to tell where the hope begins and the desperation ends. 
 
I'm rambling-- my point being, AKA is an absolutely genius record that I'll love 'til the day I die, and both David Kahne and Lana are geniuses for putting just the right elements in just the right places to create an album that is cohesive yet kaleidoscopic, and that has so many facets and subtleties that it demands repeat listens. Fabulous. Please continue sharing info and thoughts on AKA here, because it means the world to me and I want to know all there is to know about it!
 
Thanks for reading all this 

I don't know if this is the right thread for this, (and sorry for double-posting!) but has the theory ever been raised that Lana took her name from Delray Beach in Florida? We all know Florida is a favorite place of Lizzy's, and I found this article about T.R.A.F.F.I.C. that mentions that the first T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conference was held in 2004 at Delray Beach: http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2014/september-october.htm
This has probably been mentioned, but still thought it was pretty cool 

This may have been mentioned before, but what do we know about Lana's relationship with Aaron Peer, who made and starred in the short film "Poolside" with her? It struck me that his character is called "Ray" in the film-- at first, I dismissed it as coincidence or perhaps creative input from Lana, but come to think of it, could Ray be a nickname for someone named Aaron? My brother's name is Aaron, and I can't help but think of the way our southern great-grandmother prounounced it-- "Ay-ron"-- which in turn reminds me of Ray.
 
This is a big stretch, of course, but perhaps it would be an interesting avenue to explore-- if Aaron Peer was indeed the "Ray" Lana has sung about (and even apparently named herself after), this could be the first step in unlocking some big mysteries. 
 
Just a thought! 

Yeah, the MTV article is the probably the definitive article on AKA to read, especially since David Nichtern is interviewed and has a lot of first-hand insight on Lizzy and the recording of the album. 
 
I definitely agree about the album probably selling few copies, which is kind of unusual due to the push it got from Amazon and iTunes, you know? 

I listened to Lana Del Ray again tonight, for the millionth time-- my feelings haven't changed. This album is genius, and it definitely saddens me that Lana will likely never return to this set of aesthetics and style of music.
 
However, the genius of AKA is not *just* Lana. I give a sizable part of my respect for the album to David Kahne, as well. While Lana created killer melodies, lyrics, and concepts that would work extremely well under the guidance of any producer, Kahne had the perfect touch to push the songs from "excellent" to "god-like", in my opinion. 
 
It definitely deserves repeat listens-- some subtle flourishes Kahne brought in are best noticed after you've been bowled over a few times by Lana's handiwork with the stories told and pictures painted here. To me, the perfect example of Kahne's "Midas touch" on AKA is "Pawn Shop Blues". As evidenced by a live performance and a demo, PSB was a staggeringly beautiful, tender, and poignant track when Lana was doing it on her own. However, Kahne took it to another level-- while PSB in its raw state is mournful and brimming with sadness, Kahne's instrumentation gives it depth-- it goes from being a "sad" song to something better described as "bittersweet". With the angelic echoes and trembling guitars, Kahne doesn't detract at all from Lana's lyrics-- instead, he gives them deeper meaning and manifold facets. Pawn Shop Blues becomes, all at once, a hopeful look at living for a purpose outside of yourself, a melancholy assertion on the nature of love and loss, and a somber reminder of how one can lose it all for nothing. With these extra dimensions, the track becomes infinitely interesting, as it's hard to tell where the hope begins and the desperation ends. 
 
I'm rambling-- my point being, AKA is an absolutely genius record that I'll love 'til the day I die, and both David Kahne and Lana are geniuses for putting just the right elements in just the right places to create an album that is cohesive yet kaleidoscopic, and that has so many facets and subtleties that it demands repeat listens. Fabulous. Please continue sharing info and thoughts on AKA here, because it means the world to me and I want to know all there is to know about it!
 
Thanks for reading all this 

I agree! Ever since finding out from @@Eclipse that two of my favorite Lana tracks, Trash Magic and Pin Up Galore, were produced by Steven, I've been dying to hear what production he gave to AKA, as it's my favorite album! It'll be a match made in heaven 
 
And, I don't believe there would be a version of Smarty-- I'm pretty sure that was one of the two tracks, along with Gramma, that Lana and David wrote in-studio. 

Imagine the music she would've made if AKA had taken off, though... 

I'm sensing some negativity, no? Let's keep this civil and on-topic, okay? 

Welcome to the Lana Del Ray post-release thread, a place to collect information on, discuss, and appreciate Lana’s 2010 debut album! 
 

 
Tracklist:
1. Kill Kill
2. Queen of the Gas Station
3. Oh Say Can You See
4. Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)
5. For K, Pt. 2
6. Jump
7. Mermaid Motel
8. Raise Me Up (Mississippi South)
9. Pawn Shop Blues
10. Brite Lites
11. Put Me in a Movie
12. Smarty
13. Yayo 
 
While Lana Del Ray (commonly known as AKA) wasn’t Lana’s first studio album -- that honor goes to Sirens -- it was her debut on a record label, and her first album to be sold commercially. AKA’s history was turbulent, which probably owes to much of the mystery and misinformation that surrounds the album today:
 
 
As noted above, the formation of AKA brought about many demos and outtakes that didn’t make the final cut, including Lizzy’s collaborations with producer Steven Mertens. Below is a helpful guide to the AKA demos, along with information on unused tracks recorded with both Mertens and David Kahne:
 
 
Lana’s promotion of her music during the AKA era included interviews, frequent live performances, and perhaps most distinctively, the creation of self-assembled music videos for most of the tracks on the album, much like the “Video Games” visuals that would propel her to stardom in 2011. Below are a selection of these videos, plus relevant fan creations: 
 
 
 
Lastly, here are some helpful links for further info and exploration of AKA:
 
 
 

I don't know if this is the right thread for this, (and sorry for double-posting!) but has the theory ever been raised that Lana took her name from Delray Beach in Florida? We all know Florida is a favorite place of Lizzy's, and I found this article about T.R.A.F.F.I.C. that mentions that the first T.R.A.F.F.I.C. conference was held in 2004 at Delray Beach: http://www.dnjournal.com/cover/2014/september-october.htm
This has probably been mentioned, but still thought it was pretty cool 

This may have been mentioned before, but what do we know about Lana's relationship with Aaron Peer, who made and starred in the short film "Poolside" with her? It struck me that his character is called "Ray" in the film-- at first, I dismissed it as coincidence or perhaps creative input from Lana, but come to think of it, could Ray be a nickname for someone named Aaron? My brother's name is Aaron, and I can't help but think of the way our southern great-grandmother prounounced it-- "Ay-ron"-- which in turn reminds me of Ray.
 
This is a big stretch, of course, but perhaps it would be an interesting avenue to explore-- if Aaron Peer was indeed the "Ray" Lana has sung about (and even apparently named herself after), this could be the first step in unlocking some big mysteries. 
 
Just a thought! 

Imagine the music she would've made if AKA had taken off, though... 

Welcome to the Lana Del Ray post-release thread, a place to collect information on, discuss, and appreciate Lana’s 2010 debut album! 
 

 
Tracklist:
1. Kill Kill
2. Queen of the Gas Station
3. Oh Say Can You See
4. Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)
5. For K, Pt. 2
6. Jump
7. Mermaid Motel
8. Raise Me Up (Mississippi South)
9. Pawn Shop Blues
10. Brite Lites
11. Put Me in a Movie
12. Smarty
13. Yayo 
 
While Lana Del Ray (commonly known as AKA) wasn’t Lana’s first studio album -- that honor goes to Sirens -- it was her debut on a record label, and her first album to be sold commercially. AKA’s history was turbulent, which probably owes to much of the mystery and misinformation that surrounds the album today:
 
 
As noted above, the formation of AKA brought about many demos and outtakes that didn’t make the final cut, including Lizzy’s collaborations with producer Steven Mertens. Below is a helpful guide to the AKA demos, along with information on unused tracks recorded with both Mertens and David Kahne:
 
 
Lana’s promotion of her music during the AKA era included interviews, frequent live performances, and perhaps most distinctively, the creation of self-assembled music videos for most of the tracks on the album, much like the “Video Games” visuals that would propel her to stardom in 2011. Below are a selection of these videos, plus relevant fan creations: 
 
 
 
Lastly, here are some helpful links for further info and exploration of AKA: