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Lana Del Rey (EP)

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Not to be confused with Lana Del Ray (album).

Untitled

Lana Del Rey is the second extended play (EP) by American singer and songwriter Lana Del Rey. It was released on January 10, 2012 in the United States and Canada through Interscope Records. After publishing two unsuccessful works, her first EP, Kill Kill; and her first studio album, Lana Del Ray, the four-track EP was released in anticipation of Del Rey's major label debut Born to Die (2012). The tracks are influenced by several genres, including indie pop, hip hop, and alternative music. The lyrics and melody were written primarily by Del Rey, Patrik Berger, and Justin Parker. Production of the album was led by Emile Haynie, who also co-wrote "Blue Jeans".

Contemporary critics gave mixed reviews of the EP. Music videos accompanied each single, which were produced by Del Rey herself and uploaded to YouTube. Although the video for "Video Games" that Del Rey filmed with her webcam was not intended as a single at the time, it garnered enough online buzz to be noticed by Stranger Records, opening the opportunity for Del Rey to sign a joint record deal with Interscope and Polydor, leading to the eventual publication of the EP and additional videos for "Blue Jeans" and "Born to Die".[1]

Selling over 24,000 copies in the United States, the EP peaked at number twenty on the Billboard 200, peaking at six on the Rock Albums chart and six on the Alternative Albums chart. All four songs were released as singles on Born to Die, with three charting internationally.

Background

"I wanted to be part of a high-class scene of musicians. It was half-inspired because I didn't have many friends, and I was hoping that I would meet people and fall in love and start a community around me, the way they used to do in the '60s. I wanted to be seen as a good singer, and not much more than that."

—Del Rey on the difficulty of her career beginnings[2]

Del Rey was born in New York City, New York in 1985 and was raised in Lake Placid, a quiet village outside of New York. At age fifteen, she was sent to boarding school in Connecticut, before moving to New York City at eighteen to study metaphysics at Fordham University. While attending the university, according to Del Rey, her musical experience began here, discovering the right acquaintances on her own.[3] After her uncle taught her how to play guitar, she realized that she could probably write "a million" songs with only those six chords.[4] She then began performing in clubs in New York City, using various stage names such as Sparkle Rope Jump Queen and Lizzy Grant and the Phenomena. Recalling the experience, Del Rey said, "I was always singing, but didn't plan on pursuing it seriously. When I got to New York City when I was 18, I started playing in clubs in Brooklyn – I have good friends and devoted fans on the underground scene, but we were playing for each other at that point – and that was it".[5]

Del Rey performing "Video Games" during a concert held in Amsterdam in November 2011

At age twenty, Del Rey signed a USD$10,000 recording contract and moved to a trailer park in New Jersey. The album that she recorded was later shelved, catalyzing her to pivot her focus. Instead, she began work in community service, and for the next five years, worked at homeless outreach, drug, and alcohol rehabilitation centers.[3] She was quoted in an interview as saying, "The only passionate people I met in New York, were social workers."[6] A few years later, Del Rey signed to 5 Point Records, an independent record label owned by David Kahne. With the label, she released the three-track EP, Kill Kill, in October 2008 and a full-length studio album Lana Del Ray in 2010.[7][8] After hearing Del Rey's demo, Kahne contacted her; she obliged, knowing his reputation as a producer and his wish to produce music other than pop.[9] Del Rey also explained why she then changed her stage name from Lizzy Grant to Lana Del Rey: "I wanted a name I could shape the music towards. I was going to Miami quite a lot at the time, speaking a lot of Spanish with my friends from Cuba – Lana Del Rey reminded us of the glamour of the seaside. It sounded gorgeous coming off the tip of the tongue".[10]

After uploading a few of her tracks to her YouTube channel, Del Rey was discovered and got signed by Stranger Records to release her debut single "Video Games".[11] She told The Observer that "Video Games" was never intended to be a single, but she enjoyed the video and uploaded on the internet.[3] The song earned her a Q Award for "Next Big Thing" in October 2011.[12] Later that month, she signed a joint record deal with Interscope Records and Polydor to release her second studio album, Born to Die.[4][13][14][15] Del Rey built anticipation to the album by doing a number of live appearances, such as promotional concerts at the Bowery Ballroom and at the Chateau Marmont,[16][17] and with performances at television shows such as De Wereld Draait Door,[18] and Later... with Jools Holland.[19] To further promote the upcoming release of Born to Die, Interscope Records released the EP in the United States and Canada on January 10, 2012.[20] The four tracks that appear on the EP ("Video Games", "Born to Die", "Blue Jeans", and "Off to the Races") were previously available for purchase as singles in international markets.[21][22][23]

Composition

"Blue Jeans"
A 21 second sample of the song, features Del Rey using lower vocals over a minimalist hip-hop influenced beat.[24][25]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Del Rey stated the use of her lower vocals on the tracks claiming that "people weren't taking me very seriously, so I lowered my voice, believing that it would help me stand out. Now I sing quite low... well, for a female anyway."[24] The singer's first singles, "Video Games" and "Born to Die" were described variously as "quasi-cabaret balladry",[26] "woozy and sometimes soporific soundtrack soul",[27] "pop",[28] and "indie pop".[29]

Her own description of her music is "Hollywood sadcore".[30] In her own words, Del Rey described most of her songs being like "a dark love story seen through hopeful eyes."[31] Tim Lee of musicOMH noted the songs are extremely similar, commenting that "her (alleged) agents clearly having stumbled upon a formula with which they can (allegedly) print money and (allegedly) further consign Lana's secretive, (allegedly) real debut LP to the annals of history. You didn't hear it from us, right?"[32] Del Rey has once described herself as a "gangsta Nancy Sinatra",[33] though she cites Britney Spears, Elvis Presley, and Kurt Cobain as her musical influences.[34][35]

The third track, "Blue Jeans", was influenced by hip hop and has a minimalist beat that recalls songs by Timbaland.[25] Del Rey also raps in a few verses of the song such as "You’re so fresh to death and sick as cancer [...] Love you more than those bitches before".[25] "Off to the Races" has been lyrically described as "a freak show of inappropriate co-dependency",[36] with a chorus that recalls Sheryl Crow's "down and out drunken loner persona" in her 1994 single "Leaving Las Vegas".[36] Pryia Elan of NME noted the track "almost falls under the weight of this persona. There's none of 'Video Games'' measured, piano-led reflection. Instead the psychosexual rumblings of the lyrics and the dual voices she uses off set the comparatively simple musical shades on display."[36]

Response

John Bush of Allmusic considered the singer a femme fatale "with a smoky voice, a languorous image, and a modeling contract".[37] However, Bush rated the EP 2.5 stars out of five, considering it only "as a teaser from the album".[37] The EP entered the Billboard 200 on the chart issue of January 21, 2012 at number 20, after selling 14,000 digital copies.[38] As of February 1, 2012, it has sold 24,000 digital copies in the United States.[38]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Video Games"
Robopop4:03
2."Born to Die"
  • Del Rey
  • Parker
Emile Haynie4:45
3."Blue Jeans"
  • Del Rey
  • Haynie
  • Dan Heath
Haynie3:30
4."Off to the Races"
  • Del Rey
  • Tim Larcombe
  • Patrik Berger
  • Haynie
5:01
Total length:17:19

Charts

Chart (2012) Peak
Position
Canada (Canadian Albums Chart)[39] 18
US Billboard 200[39] 20
US Billboard Alternative Albums[39] 6
US Billboard Rock Albums[39] 6
US Billboard Digital Albums[39] 7

Release history

Country Date Format
United States[40] January 10, 2012 Digital download
Canada[39]

References

  1. ^ "Eight Reasons Why Lana Del Rey Blew Up". Nov 4, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  2. ^ Simpson, Leah (January 29, 2012). "Lana Del Rey hoped music industry would make her more friends". Digital Spy Ltd. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Sowray, Bibby (February 10, 2012). "Lana Del Rey Biography, Quotes and Facts". Vogue. Condé Nast Publications. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  4. ^ a b Savage, Mark (January 27, 2012). "Love, the law, and Lana Del Rey". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  5. ^ Chappet, Marie-Claire. "Lana Del Rey Biography on Vogue.co.uk". Vogue UK. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  6. ^ "Lana Del Rey Online". December 15, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  7. ^ "Kill Kill: Lizzy Grant: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. October 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012. Retrieved January 22, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Jessica Collier,: Interview: Lizzy Grant aka. Lana Del Rey releases album". adirondack daily enterprise.com. January 28, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  9. ^ "Original Sin: An Interview With Lana Del Rey". The Quietus. October 4, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
  10. ^ "Meet Lana Del Rey". Vogue. Condé Nast Publications. October 20, 2011. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  11. ^ "Lana Del Rey signs to Stranger!". Stranger Records. June 30, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  12. ^ Larsen, luke (October 25, 2011). "Lana Del Rey Wins Q Award, Says Album Due Out January". Paste. Wolfgang's Vault. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  13. ^ Horowitz, Stephen. "Lana Del Rey: The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 27, 2012.
  14. ^ Halperin, Shirley (December 5, 2011). "Lana Del Rey to Release Interscope Debut January 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  15. ^ Swash, Rosie (September 4, 2011). "One to watch: Lana Del Rey". The Observer. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  16. ^ "Lana Del Rey explains significance of 'Video Games' location Chateau Marmont". NME. IPC Media. December 13, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  17. ^ Glazer, Eliot (December 6, 2011). "Watch Lana Del Rey Perform 'Video Games' Live at Bowery Ballroom". New York. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  18. ^ Idolator Staff (November 12, 2011). "Lana Del Rey Sings "Video Games" On Amsterdam's 'DWDD'". Idolator. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  19. ^ Phillips, Amy (October 11, 2011). "Watch Lana Del Rey Perform "Video Games" on "Later With Jools Holland"". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  20. ^ Daw, Robbie (January 10, 2012). "Lana Del Rey EP Hits iTunes: Listen To All Four Tracks". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  21. ^ Chappet, Marie-Claire (October 17, 2011). "Lana Del Rey finally releases debut single". The Telegraph. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  22. ^ "Born to Die in Singapore". sg.7digital.com. December 30, 2011. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  23. ^ "Off to the Races - Single". iTunes (in Dutch). Apple Inc. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  24. ^ a b Copsey, Robert (November 23, 2011). "Lana Del Rey: 'People didn't take me seriously with a high voice'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  25. ^ a b c Ryan, Damien (September 14, 2011). "Track Review: Lana Del Rey – Blue Jeans". So So Gay. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  26. ^ Perpetua, Matthew (December 19, 2011). "Lana Del Rey to Appear on 'Saturday Night Live'". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  27. ^ Caramanica, Jon (December 11, 2011). "Finally Taking the Stage, Direct From the Internet". The New York Times. Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  28. ^ Ritchie, Kevin. "Charisma, sensuous sounds and a viral video make the New York singer songwriter 2011's hottest rising star". Now. NOW Communications. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  29. ^ "Lana Del Rey enters Last.fm singles chart with "Video Games"". Yahoo!. December 27, 2011. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ "Lana Del Rey, Scala, London/Wild Beasts, The Cathedral, Manchester". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. November 20, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  31. ^ "Flush the Fashion: Lana Del Rey Interview". June 16, 2011. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  32. ^ Lee, Tim; Welsh, David; Hubbard, Michael (December 2011). "Track Reviews: December 2011 (Part 1)". musicOMH. Archived from the original on February 11, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2011. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; February 1, 2012 suggested (help)
  33. ^ "New band of the day: Lana Del Rey". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. May 13, 2011. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  34. ^ Michelson, Noah (August 8, 2011). "Look: Lana Del Rey's "Video Games"". Out. Joe Landry. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
  35. ^ "Lana Del Rey: 'I was inspired by Nirvana's Kurt Cobain'". NME. Time Inc. December 9, 2011. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  36. ^ a b c Elan, Pryia (December 21, 2011). "Lana Del Rey, 'Off To The Races'". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  37. ^ a b Bush, John (January 10, 2012). "Lana Del Rey EP". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  38. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (February 1, 2012). "Lana Del Rey Aiming for No. 2 Debut on Billboard 200 Album Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 11, 2012.
  39. ^ a b c d e f "Lana Del Rey EP : Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  40. ^ "Lana Del Rey Releases - Lana Del Rey EP". Interscope Records.com. Interscope Records. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
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