Ten months ago, one of my favorite albums of the year was released. Lana del Rey cannot do anything without receiving loads of media press after clawing her way to the top with the release of publicized music video for her debut singles, “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans”, and her debut album, Born To Die, which was near perfect in my opinion. Now, the vocal darling has given people something else to talk about: a re-release of her debut in the form of a standalone EP entitled Paradise, featuring eight brand new tracks, nine if purchased from iTunes. Preceded by the critically acclaimed lead single, “Ride”, the re-release shows Lana doing what she does best: singing beautifully on somber, emotional tracks. A great addition.
The lead single opens up the new project. “Ride” is haunting and beautiful from the moment in begins. Del Rey has been criticized for her vocal abilities since a disastrous live performance on SNL, but the new single seems to have shut up even her harshest critics. Dealing with problems including loneliness, alcohol and parents, Lana sings the material with utmost perfection, leading up to the song’s best line: “I’m tired of feeling like I’m fucking crazy”. Move aside Adele.
On “American”, with an opening reminiscent of “Summertime Sadness”, the artist describes everything an American should be including a reference to Bruce Springsteen being king. Lana tells listeners to be proud and dope, like an American would be. Is this her political piece? It might be. However, the song also holds another meaning: Lana’s love for the perfect man in her life. The track features a great performance and is one of the stronger cuts.
Causing more controversy than any other track on the project, “Cola” comes out swinging with the eye-widening “My pussy tastes like Pepsi-Cola”. Del Rey claims she has a taste for older man, a quality me and her seem to have in common. Including the track on the EP was a brave move, one that we will get to see if it pays off since it will be the project’s official second single. The song is sexy, it is daring and it is not to be unexpected from the singer.
“Body Electric” references many iconic figures including Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and Jesus Christ while maintaining a dark tone throughout. Lyrically, the song may not be the best weapon in del Rey’s arsenal, but she still sing the material as if it is damn perfect. This is one reason I absolutely love it. The chorus is highlight, the artist gives it everything she has and makes it a moment I won’t forget. Lana is definitely electric.
Del Rey includes the first track not written by her. On her cover of “Blue Velvet”, first teased in the artist’s latest commercials for retail store H&M, the artist proves she has the talent needed to warrant an album release. She ignores the sometimes-overbearing production found on her debut and focuses on the vocals and delivery. Lana excels here and will transport the listener back a few decades as they take the first dance with their true love.
The artist sings she is an angel living in a world filled with “Gods & Monsters”. On the song, featuring a beat different than anything the artist has released before, Lana gets overly sexual as she compares herself to a groupie saying “No one is gonna take my soul away”. The track may be one of the main reasons for the Parental Guidance sticker on the album’s cover, but it is utterly delicious and bad (in a good way).
“Yayo” has made its way out previously, on EPs and albums released by Lana under a different name. The five-minute track seems pretty, but most of the times it is hard to decipher just exactly what the singer is saying underneath the heavy, unnecessary production. To be honest, the song is a mess and may be the worst moment for the album. If the song failed to catch attention after two tries, maybe a third try wasn’t the way to go.
The new EP closes with “Bel Air”, a light and airy effort which sounds as if it could be featured in the end credits of a drama. The singer encourages listeners not to be afraid to shine, but other than the encouraging words and the lovely chorus, the song is weighed down by its own shortcomings. The songwriting is far from perfect and it just is not the strongest effort to close the extended play with. Left a bad taste in my mouth.
Paradisewas another chance for Lana del Rey to get the critics on her side. Did it work? It may have worked slightly. While the new extended play features fantastic pieces and outstanding vocal performances, half of the project suffers from a lack of character, or maybe too much of the character del Rey has set herself out to be. The EP does not showcase anything new from the artist. Instead, she is playing to her strengths while using sometimes-provocative material to get people talking about what she is doing. The single choices are the right decisions, however, I was just hoping for a bit more than what was presented here. Paradise receives an 85%.
Tracks to Hear: “Ride”, “American”, “Cola” and “Body Electric”
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