M&S Bank was
my first job where I could listen to music. I took great delight in loading my
ipod with CDs I hadn't played for years and also discovering new music.
Probably the new artist I played the most was Lana Del Rey - a great match of gothic pop and PPI data gathering.
Rey's music
could be a song track to David Lynch or film noir movies. Dark and moody treatises
of doomed love, betrayal and fast cars. A throwback to a black and white era.
After the
massive breakthrough single "Video Games", "Born to Die" was
the next single. A good choice too for the name of the subsequent album, as it encapsulates
the themes and imagery of her work.
As with "Video
Games", this was again a collaboration between Rey (credited to her real name - Elizabeth Grant)
and the songwriter Justin Parker. "Born
to Die" is a haunting ballad with modern electronic beats meeting sweeping
John Barry strings. Rey's vocals are cool and emotive, in a lower pitch - listen to the opening of "feet don't fail me now".
The lyrics
are open to speculation, but it seems to be about an intense, ill-fated
relationship. The boyfriend may be unstable ("You like your girls insane")
but she is not naive ("Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough").
She already knows it will not last, but wants to enjoy the ride ("Try to
have fun in the meantime" and "kiss you hard in the pouring rain").
Rey mixes images
of religion ("Lost but now I am found") with Americana ("the road is long"). It ends with
"choose your last words, this is the last time" - the end of a relationship
or life itself ? The award winning video suggested the latter, as it featured
Lana, a handsome male model, a car and an untimely demise.
I admire her work ethic too, in an era of years between
releases, she has managed a prolific five high quality (and lengthy) albums within seven
years, and 2019's effort topped of most year-end polls.
Del Rey's
songs are an intoxicating and enticing concoction of love and doom, and reward frequent
replaying (especially if you are working in a bank).
Hear Next -
Probably "Born To Die" album is the best example of her work,
but I always enjoyed "Lust for Life" too.
** The book of "Song from a Quarantine" is now available on all Amazon sites in paperback and ebook formats - https://tinyurl.com/y43mbr2b
** The book of "Song from a Quarantine" is now available on all Amazon sites in paperback and ebook formats - https://tinyurl.com/y43mbr2b
