Criticism of Lana Del Rey

[MinigunsNRoses 17]

Whenever I see, like, a review or whatever, of a LDR album or something, well, these hipsters on youtube seem to give her generally negative reviews, but whatever they don't like about it, I either completely disagree with them or could not give less of a fuck. It's like... Were we listening to the same thing? Like, can they not tell how beautiful the music is or how incredibly versatile and expressive and beautiful her voice is?

 

Another thing is that maybe I just have a thing for melodrama, because I heard a lot of the same criticisms about her lyrics as I did (at least in terms of being melodramatic) with Evanescence, which was my favorite band of the past 10+ years...

 

Look, I know. "haters gonna hate." is it really as simple as that? I feel like there has to be something else going on somewhere...

[Velours 1,511]

Some people don't like her since her sound is slow and very calm. I absolutely love those type of songs, when i have shown some of them, be it Lana or another artist/composer, i've found that most people seem to have like, the idea that calm music makes you sleep and it's boring. When i showed one instrumental to a friend (Specifically, the Twin Peaks main theme) she said ''My god, that's gonna put me to sleep!'', and i've been recieving the exact same replies from other people. Most like upbeat songs, with powerful voices and at least catchy/easy-to-understand lyrics, Lana doesn't usually head towards that direction, instead having a more slow pacing sound, melancholic/reference filled lyrics and her voice is calm, moody and of course, absolutely beautiful, but most people think you've gotta have a powerhouse voice to be considered like a talented artist, it doesn't help that the majority her detractors think she's manufactured and she's only there because she comes from a wealthy background (AKA you don't have a rags-to-riches background means you're fake/ain't talented).

 

In a very personal opinion, i think most of them hate because they can, because she's an easy target, without even having listened to her more carefully.

But some people genuinely don't like her, and that's fine, everyone got different tastes, as long as you respect.

[Lad 8,801]

Lana Del Rey is so boring, all her success is thanks to Cedric Gervais. I hope HoneyMoon is produced by him otherwise she can say goodbye to the made-up career her dad bought!!!!!!11111!

[lazybooklet 575]

Many critics said that Lana seems to repeating herself over the same theme, same imaginary (red dress, bad boy, etc.). Some seems to like it, some don't. I personally find that having a recurring theme is what inspires the artist, and I truly don't mind Lana sings about the same thing again and again, as long as she keeps improving her lyrical skill and her poetry. I actually prefer her to sings about sad love and nostalgia all the time, unlike many other artists who is trying to put some philosophy and current affair / political opinion in their works which sounds like propaganda.

[CriesMarmalade 178]

I agree with a lot of the criticism toward Lana's lyrics, which are often juvenile and repetitive (literally, not just thematically), and give the impression that Lana is trying to build herself up as a tortured soul, bad girl, gangster, or whatever other image appeals to her. That's not to say I don't admire her for daring to take on many different archetypal personas/roles, it's just she sometimes does it in such a tryhard way (pointless drug references, mentioning how 'crazy' she is/how she's going to die young) that it makes the biographical aspect of her work seem doubtful. I think Lana's lyrical strengths lie in finding beauty/poetry in mundane things or observations (LDR aka Lizzy Grant is a good example of this) and in referencing classical American themes/motifs, as well as generally setting a scene/atmosphere. She seems to have lost this touch and is more interested in an epic/larger than life kind of drama (Born to Die, Money Power Glory) which betrays the 'show don't tell' that she did so well earlier on.

 

I do find a lot of criticism toward Lana's obsession with heartbreak/lost love to be rather hypocritical though. This may be one of the most, if not the most, popular themes throughout all musical history, on which so many artists have based their entire musical output. I think this is where the criticism goes into the anti-feminist angle and people's issues with Lana's submissive devotion come up, a point that really bothers me, because it seems to suggest that critics only want her to sing about the experiences which they find acceptable, or that women like Lana should feign an image of empowerment for the sake of making others happy. It takes strength to reveal weakness, and delving into it is far more the mark of a real artist than jumping on a feminist (or any political) bandwagon for the sake of 'setting a good example' is.

[MinigunsNRoses 17]

I actually really liked this review of Born to Die (except I think I would have given it a solid 8.0, at least). I think it's like we're coming from the same place. Like, "'robot girlfriend?' whatever, have you listened to this shit?" yeah. You can't give a negative review to an album you find yourself listening to and singing/humming [along with] over and over again! Lol

 

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2012/01/lana-del-rey-born-to-die.html

 

And then I was listening to Ultraviolence last night, and, I just kept thinking, why would I need to THINK about or analyze this album to death (even with the flaws I would admit it has) when it makes me FEEL so strongly!?

 

[also, I am a feminist, but that's a discussion for another time. It certainly doesn't keep me from enjoying her music!]

[TRASHBABY 346]

 

[also, I am a feminist, but that's a discussion for another time. It certainly doesn't keep me from enjoying her music!]

lol you should stay away from the feminist thread on here then, its a  mess

[CarlPFisher 46]

I do not feel as though most of her songs are simplistic.  At the same time that she focuses on love and lost she has a way of invoking Nabakov, Hemingway (the sun also rises in Money Power Glory), and other literary allusions which lead to a much more complex theme than just the surface concept of a damsel in distress. One of my personal favorites 'Body Electric' is clearly a reference to an insecure woman who has an internal struggle between an extroverted vs introverted lifestyle. For instance, she discusses partying and dancing while invoking the rosary prayer with a subtle reply in which her party lifestyle is validated with the line 'She Said Don't Worry About It." This is a great example of a poem about a life in conflict between ones religious teachings and desire to be with oneself (all I need are my heros) and the desire to be with the crowd. This is just one example of Lana's more philosophical and deep songs that can go way above most people's heads including the hipsters on Youtube who claim to know things when they don't. 

[letsescapelizzy 672]

Lana Del Rey is so boring, all her success is thanks to Cedric Gervais. I hope HoneyMoon is produced by him otherwise she can say goodbye to the made-up career her dad bought!!!!!!11111!

 

guess you're entitled to your opinions, I can respect that, but i thought most people here like her>? maybe i'm wrong.

I couldnt disagree more, i think the original SS sounds alot better than the cedric remix. i also think she has had help from her Dad, but at the same time

she has great talents in songwriting and singing. I also think some of her stuff is boring and i have only a select number of songs, but those are great.

to each there own. 

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

guess you're entitled to your opinions, I can respect that, but i thought most people here like her>? maybe i'm wrong.

I couldnt disagree more, i think the original SS sounds alot better than the cedric remix. i also think she has had help from her Dad, but at the same time

she has great talents in songwriting and singing. I also think some of her stuff is boring and i have only a select number of songs, but those are great.

to each there own.

have you heard of this new invention? its called sarcasm

[letsescapelizzy 672]

being sarcastic? OK good then..

all i saw was the tread title 'criticism of lana del rey' pulled up out of the blue..

shoulda read from the beginning maybe..

 

good to know.. i did think for a minute, it was sardonic, but on this thread ? who knows..

Enforcer stands down 

 

[letsescapelizzy 672]

have you heard of this new invention? its called sarcasm

 

not to waste time arguing, but how do you know she was being sarcastic?

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

not to waste time arguing, but how do you know she was being sarcastic?

1) the use of !!!11!!

2) why would someone who thinks Lana is boring be on a Lana Del Rey fan-forum

3) Miss America is a guy

[letsescapelizzy 672]

1) the use of !!!11!!

2) why would someone who thinks Lana is boring be on a Lana Del Rey fan-forum

3) Miss America is a guy

 

1) ? WHAT DOES THE 11 MEAN??? MEANS FUCK ALL TO ME.?? lol

 

2) all kinds of fuckin morons on here ya know?

 

3) who cares if shes a guy or girl!!

what diff does that make????

 

BYE

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

1) ? WHAT DOES THE 11 MEAN??? MEANS FUCK ALL TO ME.?? lol

 

2) all kinds of fuckin morons on here ya know?

 

3) who cares if shes a guy or girl!!

what diff does that make????

 

BYE

......

 

the !!!11!! is often used sarcastically to imitate trolls

 

ok...

[letsescapelizzy 672]

......

 

the !!!11!! is often used sarcastically to imitate trolls

 

ok...

 

thanks for the lesson on internet trolls. never seen that before.. i'll remember that, should i see !!11 ever again.. LMFAO..

[VegasBaby 895]

i can see why people wouldnt like lana's music or her image. i appreciate criticism of her work and don't get defensive. it's so childish when people get pathetic at stan wars but i think lana can take criticism; people aren't always going to like everything she makes which could improve how she works idk

[HEARTCORE 18,971]

thanks for the lesson on internet trolls. never seen that before.. i'll remember that, should i see !!11 ever again.. LMFAO..

[letsescapelizzy 672]

i can see why people wouldnt like lana's music or her image. i appreciate criticism of her work and don't get defensive. it's so childish when people get pathetic at stan wars but i think lana can take criticism; people aren't always going to like everything she makes which could improve how she works idk

 

yes you are right. Its all an image for better or for worse. She has to deal with that. thats the entertainment industry.. and also the music industry which is quite a bit different.. i respect peoples opinions, we are all free to think what we want. shes had plenty of critics over the past while, and thats part of it. im sure she has grown immune to it b now. i sure would have.

[letsescapelizzy 672]