Ultraviolence - Post-Release Discussion Thread + Poll

[DeadAgainst 1,515]

UV sounds "heavy" on digital because the EQ is extremely imbalanced (as said before); there is too much bass and not enough treble -- fortunately, you can either track down the vinyl or use a custom EQ setting (Treble Booster, etc.).

 

It's a brilliant album on vinyl though, so many unique analog textures give it a sense of timelessness and replayability.

[alltoowell 48]

I find that SOC can be a bit... painful to listen to on headphones. Am I the only one? Honestly, I feel that the album needs to be "cleaned up" a little if you know what I mean.

[LittleFool 1,912]

Should I write a post detailing how i think this is inferior to Born To Die? 

 

The lyrics, vocal performance, and the production are all a step back from BTD/Paradise.

 

Although I respect all opinions, you've said enough of the same on this forum to last us a lifetime. So. Please. Go somewhere else.

[xr2 16]

I find that SOC can be a bit... painful to listen to on headphones. Am I the only one? Honestly, I feel that the album needs to be "cleaned up" a little if you know what I mean.

 

Digital or vinyl one of SOC? I have only listened to the digital one, but i don't have the problem..

 

Well Born to Die is more polished, sometimes maybe too polished.. I think the raw songs on Ultraviolence or however you want to call it creats a special effect. It reminds me more of the 60s and the classy style she puts out with some songs.

[Thunder Revenant 20,943]

I find that SOC can be a bit... painful to listen to on headphones. Am I the only one? Honestly, I feel that the album needs to be "cleaned up" a little if you know what I mean.

 

 

I know what you mean. I looove Money Power Glory, but everytime she sings a word, which ends with an "s", there is this small uncomfortable hissing, which I guess could have been "fixed" easily during the production.

[GodBlessMe 2,141]

I find that SOC can be a bit... painful to listen to on headphones. Am I the only one? Honestly, I feel that the album needs to be "cleaned up" a little if you know what I mean.

Yes especially when she sings "and maybe someone new". I always have to take my earphones out at that part...

[Lirazel 700]

I've finally listened to Ultraviolence enought to have a final opinion on it.

IMHO, it's a good album - very classy and all - but it doesn't match the brilliance of BtD.

It's biggest issues stem mostly from the same place as those of Paradise, but are amplified due to album length.

The first one is that every song sounds the same. I guess it's cool for people who like ~coherent~ listening experience, but to me, it makes the record difficult to listen at once and puts it in the 'mood album' getto. It's an record for a rainy day, while I could listen to BtD in it's entirety no matter if I was happy or sad, thanks to the upbeat music and depressing lyrics.

The record could use more lively songs (but not as lively as Florida Kilos, lol). Even The Antlers put two songs with upbeat sound on Hospice.

The second issue.... I remember when Black Beauty leaked, I complained about her driving the point to hard (Black Beauty...Black Beauty... aaaaahaaaaa... Black Beauty, baby... Black Beauty) and someone replied that those are only demo lyrics that she's gonna replace for sure. Guess what. Not only the lyrics stayed the same, she makes the same mistake in other songs, the worst case being Guns and Roses.

The record has some great songs like Old Money or FMWUTTT (I find the second half much, much better than the first one), but it's an 7/10 record for me. The same-sound issue makes awesome songs like Ultraviolence tiring.

 

[Hundred Dollar Bill 21,804]

All the songs sound the same on Ultraviolence? Sorry, I can't hear you over the HEY, SHAW, & strings that are in almost every BTD song.

[GodBlessMe 2,141]

Tbh I don't understand how it's possible to think that BTD is better than UV...

[naachoboy 7,993]

All the songs sound the same on Ultraviolence? Sorry, I can't hear you over the HEY, SHAW, & strings that are in almost every BTD song.

People just want something to complain about lol since they like more BTD but they cant say anything more than call UV repetitive. 

[Constantine 4,074]

 

Lirazel, on 21 Sept 2014 - 9:22 PM, said:

 

 

 

I've finally listened to Ultraviolence enought to have a final opinion on it.

IMHO, it's a good album - very classy and all - but it doesn't match the brilliance of BtD.

It's biggest issues stem mostly from the same place as those of Paradise, but are amplified due to album length.

The first one is that every song sounds the same. I guess it's cool for people who like ~coherent~ listening experience, but to me, it makes the record difficult to listen at once and puts it in the 'mood album' getto. It's an record for a rainy day, while I could listen to BtD in it's entirety no matter if I was happy or sad, thanks to the upbeat music and depressing lyrics.

The record could use more lively songs (but not as lively as Florida Kilos, lol). Even The Antlers put two songs with upbeat sound on Hospice.

The second issue.... I remember when Black Beauty leaked, I complained about her driving the point to hard (Black Beauty...Black Beauty... aaaaahaaaaa... Black Beauty, baby... Black Beauty) and someone replied that those are only demo lyrics that she's gonna replace for sure. Guess what. Not only the lyrics stayed the same, she makes the same mistake in other songs, the worst case being Guns and Roses.

The record has some great songs like Old Money or FMWUTTT (I find the second half much, much better than the first one), but it's an 7/10 record for me. The same-sound issue makes awesome songs like Ultraviolence tiring.

I rest my case.

[Lirazel 700]

I'm not saying that the second half doesn't have the flaws, just that I personally like it better(maybe cause I've listened to it less than the first one).

I'm as entitled to my opinion as you are, guys.

The record doesn't sound samey to you - cool, but it still does to me.

I'm not hating on it, but it's nowhere near life-changing experience for me.

And I'm aware of the hip-hop samples repeating throughout BtD, but it doesn't make it sound the same FOR ME, while Ultraviolence songs are samey.

I love Old Money, Is This Happiness, Flipside and FMWUTTT, but for example, Cruel World is a terrible opener.... The title track would be much better.

Tbh I don't understand how it's possible to think that BTD is better than UV...

OMG, I feel you. I also can't believe a thing like different taste exists!

[GodBlessMe 2,141]

I'm not saying that the second half doesn't have the flaws, just that I personally like it better(maybe cause I've listened to it less than the first one).

I'm as entitled to my opinion as you are, guys.

The record doesn't sound samey to you - cool, but it still does to me.

I'm not hating on it, but it's nowhere near life-changing experience for me.

And I'm aware of the hip-hop samples repeating throughout BtD, but it doesn't make it sound the same FOR ME, while Ultraviolence songs are samey.

I love Old Money, Is This Happiness, Flipside and FMWUTTT, but for example, Cruel World is a terrible opener.... The title track would be much better.

OMG, I feel you. I also can't believe a thing like different taste exists!

Yeah I wish different taste was illegal.....

[Lirazel 700]

Yeah I wish different taste was illegal.....

 

Your sig says one thing, but your words say something completely different. How is it going in the Official Lana Del Rey Cult?

It's hilarious how you guys can't accept that someone might not love Ultraviolence as much as you do - and I'm not saying that it's a bad album, just not my personal fave.

 

[GodBlessMe 2,141]

Your sig says one thing, but your words say something completely different. How is it going in the Official Lana Del Rey Cult?

It's hilarious how you guys can't accept that someone might not love Ultraviolence as much as you do - and I'm not saying that it's a bad album, just not my personal fave.

 

Lol i was joking!

[eight 88]

Her vocal delivery on Ultraviolence is out of this world. You get the sultry deep voice but you also get that light and fluffy high voice. If anything on this album is good, it's her singing.

 

The production compliments the vocals. I absolutely love the band backing her; it's as if it was meant to be.

[Lirazel 700]

Lol i was joking!

 

Haha, sorry for misunderstanding your words.

[GodBlessMe 2,141]

Haha, sorry for misunderstanding your words.

No its totally ok

[xr2 16]

Omg i just found out that the West Coast radio mix isn't the official audio video on Lana's youtube page.. My whole life is a lie ><

[Valentino 885]

So now that UV's been out a while and the ~novelty~ factor has worn off, I can now say I prefer BTD to UV. Of course, AKA still reigns supreme *single tear slides down cheek* but she has forsaken that lovely record and I must move on with my life. i will love AKA till the end of time, i would wait a million years

 

Lyrically, there aren't that many lines that just stick in my head and that I find myself thinking about throughout the day. Maybe "I love you the first time, I love you the last time" and "cause I'm your jazz singer and you're my cult leader" from UV, "cause I don't have to fucking explain" from Brooklyn Baby, and of course "I want money, POWER, AND GLORYYYYYYYYY," but otherwise I'm not gripped. There are some songs that are just lyrically incoherent, like FMWUTTT, which can't seem to decide who it's singing to ("I'm a dragon, you're a whore" but "I need ya baby like I breathe ya baby, fucking need ya baby" ???) and PWIC, which is a mess ("I got much more than that, like my memories, I don't need that," what were you thinking Lana?). The repetitiveness is also a problem. I actually like UV's chorus, but lyrical and melodic repetition can be a tough pill to swallow. It's also not a pill I want to swallow often (Old Money, Guns and Roses, Black Beauty, SG, PWIC).

 

Her singing is not commendable here. Like in "Shades of Cool," she goes from the light heavenly timbre of "you are unfixable" to the croaking of "can't break through your world." It sounds sloppy, and I love Shades of Cool, so it's not some bias against the song. Pretty When I Cry is supposedly some improvised stuff, and I might believe it if only for the quality of the lyrics, which sound like they were made up out of thin air. However, I don't think any supposed "rawness" in her delivery compensates for her shaky pitch. Adding reverb doesn't disguise it. Oh, that's another thing - the vocals are all drenched in reverb and I do not like that sound. Maybe on one song with good vocals (ahem, SoC when Lana's just floating in the heavens) it would add a cool effect, but otherwise it just makes her faults in technique more obvious. 

 

I do like the album, don't get me wrong. I like Cruel World, UV, SoC, Brooklyn Baby, West Coast, Sad Girl, MPG, The Other Woman (I LOVE this cover), Black Beauty, and Florida Kilos. There are a lot of moments I adore - the "blue hydrangeas" part of Old Money, the verses and bridge of Guns and Roses, the "need you baby like I breathe you baby" melody in FMWUTTT, "are you gonna hurt me now or later" in Flipside, and sometimes I'm in the mood for Is This Happiness. As an album, however, I don't like it as much as BTD or AKA.

 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to get down to beat poetry Florida Kilos. Yayo  yayo yayo and all the dope fiends