Ultraviolence - Post-Release Discussion Thread + Poll

[PARADIXO 32,942]

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

FINALLY!

[eight 88]

I think both albums are amazing in their own right.

 

 

They are different. Not better, not worse, just different.

[alltoowell 48]

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.

Digital. I like that they're raw too, but there is such a thing as 'too much'.

[alltoowell 48]

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.

I hadn't really noticed that but I get you. I just feel like SOC goes kinda crazy around the bridge and the guitar and the vocals just kinda hurts my ears 

[Creyk 11,699]

It depends on your style and what you are into really.

Overall, BTD is a more classy album with more unique lyrics and the ever present retro beauty queen / gangsta Nancy Sinatra feel.

She abandoned these things for the UV era both sonically and visually, so of course it's different.

UV is like a more mature, artistic Lizzy Grant.

BTD is the perfection of Lana Del Rey

[strange weather 1,953]

ultraviolence is musically, vocally miles better than BTD. BTD is better lyrically and thematically. mostly because ultraviolence is a little redundant in those areas. 

 

sadly, this era is boring. so it's coloring my vision   we don't have the cool, artistic videos of the eras before btd/early btd era.  (yes, the ultraviolence vid was basically homemade but it disappointed.) we don't have the promo and HQ videos of btd. i just want her to seem to care about promoting ultraviolence.

[GypsyNightshade 20]

ultraviolence is musically, vocally miles better than BTD. BTD is better lyrically and thematically. mostly because ultraviolence is a little redundant in those areas. 

 

sadly, this era is boring. so it's coloring my vision   we don't have the cool, artist videos of the eras before btd/early btd era.  (yes, the ultraviolence vid was basically homemade but it disappointed.) we don't have the promo and HQ videos of btd. i just want her to seem to care about promoting ultraviolence.

 

Is promo neccessary for an artist such as Lana? like really- does promo matter. Isn't it about the music not the bling???

[Thunder Revenant 20,943]

I am  getting so annoyed because of all this "Lana doesn't need promo" and "Do you only care for the charts, Lana focusses on her music and not the sales" posts .. like really guys, atm she is lazy as f*ck. Even if there was a desease that caused her to cancel all of this gigs, she doesn't give a sh*t about singles, music videos or performances. And all of these things are things, which are not just publicity work, no, they are also important for fans. It's not neccecary to go all big like with Ride (I mean like ... the production was indeed big and expensive, but the video is sh*t and I would always prefer stuff like the Carmen music video) but at least a little bit of promo would have been nice. And this "the Ultraviolence video is so deep and has many metaphors" is self-delusion as well in my eyes. It's a lazy and boring video, which isn't even as atmospheric as it could have been, even if it would've been simple like it is.

[Anthem 1,558]

I just feel like UV as a whole has been so uninspired. Maybe its because I have a lot of the physical copies of things and I notice how more detailed BTD/P was than UV. She had her concepts down with BTD/P even to the packaging of the CDs (and it was impressive!), while UV is just a gray, flowered, "pretty" collection of random things. I guess being in love with Born to Die and Paradise thematically doesn't help my perspective, but I just don't see her overall theme or message or inspiration. Like someone else said, we are missing cool videos with storylines and promotion and just her involvement with the album in general. I'm skeptical if she really will do a huge tour next year.

 

Overall I'd say I like BTD over UV, but I like Paradise and AKA more than both of them. 

[strange weather 1,953]

Is promo neccessary for an artist such as Lana? like really- does promo matter. Isn't it about the music not the bling???

 

it's not necessary, i suppose. i don't mean that i want her to do promo to get more famous or climb the charts. i don't give a fuck about that. i'm interested in lana and her creative projects that go w/the music. so i want her to do things like the BBC thing she canceled as well as other performances that i can watch in HQ. i want her to perform different songs, most of all. i want the setlists of her shows to be ultraviolence-heavy instead of the same old. if i were her, i'd take advantage of my vast back catalog and throw in a few unreleased songs now & again. i'm a tori amos fan and she pretty much plays a different setlist every night & even includes b-sides in her shows. why can't lana do that? 

 

i want music videos that are more than an afterthought. the visuals have always been an important component of her music but ultraviolence is so uninspired in this area. tropico was a huuuge project & even if you thought it sucked, it was at least ambitious. are we even getting anymore videos for UV?

 

i know she did a ton of print interviews early on in the era but it would be nice to WATCH her being interviewed. 

 

her lack of promo just makes me think she doesn't care about the project, which is strange since she was always saying how UV made her forget about BTD. what happened to that?? she needs to get over herself and this victim complex she has with the media. i just wish she would focus on the fact that she has a great, intense following and release stuff for us and not care about non-fans. ugh.

[HighLikeABitch 138]

Lana writes and releases. I think it was obvious that the music and production was 50/50 it UV seems more natural lana. Like she's sticking by her statement of loving to write and put her story out there. I don't think she feels the need to make more of it, because tbh UV is iconic and a god of an album!

*BTD was 50/50. UV is more of a Lana Album!!!

[GypsyNightshade 20]

it's not necessary, i suppose. i don't mean that i want her to do promo to get more famous or climb the charts. i don't give a fuck about that. i'm interested in lana and her creative projects that go w/the music. so i want her to do things like the BBC thing she canceled as well as other performances that i can watch in HQ. i want her to perform different songs, most of all. i want the setlists of her shows to be ultraviolence-heavy instead of the same old. if i were her, i'd take advantage of my vast back catalog and throw in a few unreleased songs now & again. i'm a tori amos fan and she pretty much plays a different setlist every night & even includes b-sides in her shows. why can't lana do that? 

 

i want music videos that are more than an afterthought. the visuals have always been an important component of her music but ultraviolence is so uninspired in this area. tropico was a huuuge project & even if you thought it sucked, it was at least ambitious. are we even getting anymore videos for UV?

 

i know she did a ton of print interviews early on in the era but it would be nice to WATCH her being interviewed. 

 

her lack of promo just makes me think she doesn't care about the project, which is strange since she was always saying how UV made her forget about BTD. what happened to that?? she needs to get over herself and this victim complex she has with the media. i just wish she would focus on the fact that she has a great, intense following and release stuff for us and not care about non-fans. ugh.

 

I think Tori Amos is able to do that now as she is in that legend status ( even though most don't know or have heard her music and they should EVEN if they don't like it)

 

She still has her label she needs to apease, and whilst she is with interscope, she will need to do what is set out in her contract (whatever that is) however she isn't seemingly doing any of that tbh.

 

what is a Non-fan? I don't get what you mean?

[strange weather 1,953]

I think Tori Amos is able to do that now as she is in that legend status ( even though most don't know or have heard her music and they should EVEN if they don't like it)

 

She still has her label she needs to apease, and whilst she is with interscope, she will need to do what is set out in her contract (whatever that is) however she isn't seemingly doing any of that tbh.

 

what is a Non-fan? I don't get what you mean?

 

tori has always done her shows like that, though. there's no excuse to play the same setlist night after night when you have PLENTY of other songs you could perform. it's lazy.

 

& i think you are missing my point? i want lana do to more creative/visual/interactive stuff, a lot of which she used to do. she could change her setlist, make more videos, perform on tv shows/radio shows...or she could do something like a webchat w/fans. we don't even know if there will be an ultraviolence tour yet! i just expect more from her is all. 

 

...a non-fan is exactly what it sounds like: someone who isn't a fan of lana del rey. she needs to focus on those of us who love her and stop worrying about haters.

[GypsyNightshade 20]

tori has always done her shows like that, though. there's no excuse to play the same setlist night after night when you have PLENTY of other songs you could perform. it's lazy.

 

& i think you are missing my point? i want lana do to more creative/visual/interactive stuff, a lot of which she used to do. she could change her setlist, make more videos, perform on tv shows/radio shows...or she could do something like a webchat w/fans. we don't even know if there will be an ultraviolence tour yet! i just expect more from her is all. 

 

...a non-fan is exactly what it sounds like: someone who isn't a fan of lana del rey. she needs to focus on those of us who love her and stop worrying about haters.

With all artists, I've learned to expect nothing - thus I won't be dissappointed.

 

I get what you are saying with the setlist- those things would be good- but on a tour its to promote the album - thus it would be the same setlist. (mostly)

 

Can you be a fan of her and not like some of her songs?? is there scope for that?

[Valentino 885]

With all artists, I've learned to expect nothing - thus I won't be dissappointed.

 

I get what you are saying with the setlist- those things would be good- but on a tour its to promote the album - thus it would be the same setlist. (mostly)

 

Can you be a fan of her and not like some of her songs?? is there scope for that?

 

Of course. I think few fans can genuinely like everything an artist does. There are always blunders. Even with my very favorite artists, there are songs or even entire albums I skip over, but that doesn't make the love I have for the artist or the remaining songs less important. I don't think I'm a bad Lana fan because "she's disgusting, I'm delicious" is a cringe-worthy lyric or because I prefer BTD to UV.

[Rem 2,392]

I haven't listened to UV in a while and I like it again now.

 

but I can never replay it  tho  ... it drags on and on...sooooooooooooo depressing compared to BTD.

 

BTD  songs are slow but idk..it's so much more interesting to listen to. The beats are bigger, the melodies are instant and latch on to you. Her vocals are smoky, but somehow still light and enjoyable to listen to.

 

UV is dark, heavy, moody, I feel dizzy listening to her vocals...because she sounds like there's something up her nose. Tight, squeezed, uneasy.

[Rem 2,392]

oh my biggest problem is still her voice.

 

I mean remember in 2011 hearing VG for the first time. Her voice was so haunting. 

 

Now on UV..it's a mess. The only track that could be consider on BTD and Paradise level is Old Money. All the other songs are bad vocally.

[ilovetati 15,299]

Her voice on UV is so much more confident and natural, and the album showcased her range. I'm not sure how anyone can prefer her BTD vocals.

[Rem 2,392]

Not really, she is slurring every single song..every single word..on top of that the way the vocals are mix is just horrendous...The radio effects and the extra echo more so than normal...more reverb...

 

 

 

It's like the good sis changed the way she sings completely. 

 

From "Feet don't fail me now, Take me to the finish line" CLEAR, CRISP, CONCISE.

 

To "Dawn on the whest coasth, they got a sayin'"

 

She should take notes from Azealia banks. The sis know why she flops now she makes her sing far more easy to understand..with precise wording, clear, stand out vocals.

[Honeymooner 336]

Everyone will have an opinion on which album is better, and we're all entitled to those opinions. Here's mine: I really can't say one is better than the other, because they're very different. There are more songs on BTD than UV that I like and that are in my playlist. To be exact, I have 9 from BTD, 4 from Paradise, 2 movie songs ("Young and Beautiful" and "Once Upon a Dream"), and 5 from UV.

 

I agree with many who have said that Lana's voice is generally stronger on UV. Considering that BTD was released in 2012, meaning recorded mostly in 2011, and UV was recorded in 2013/2014 and released in 2014, it would make sense that her voice has improved. She toured all over the world for nearly 2 years before starting on UV, and all that experience would improve anyone's skill. I speak from experience -- I played viola for 17 years as section leader in an orchestra, then switched to violin to be the orchestra's concertmaster. In a year, I feel my violin playing has improved dramatically, especially when it comes to sight-reading high notes that I wasn't used to. I can do things now that I couldn't do a year ago. So it's the same for Lana, I'm sure.

 

That said, though, have you heard her vocals in "Cola?" When she starts doing what I call the "showoff" part, she hits some really freaking high notes. I'd heard them in live performances, but only recently listened to the song on the album, and she does the same thing there. And that was in 2012, so even then, her voice and range was impressive.