Thursday, January 19, 2012

Video Games

Song: Video Games
Artist: Lana Del Rey
Album: Born to Die





Have you heard about this chick yet?

Well, Lana Del Rey, the New York City-born, Lake Placid raised, singer-songwriter who is just 25, has made quite the splash this week when she debut on "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend and many have said she's the worst performer the show has ever had.  (ouch)  Her debut album, "Born to Die" isn't even out yet (but is next week) though everyone seems to be talking about her.

I first heard her debut single "Video Games" this past October but it didn't grab me.  It wasn't until mid-December that I took a second listen as I was seeing the song make quite a few "best singles of 2011" lists and I thought I should give her another go.  "Video Games" is a haunting-yet-odd woozy-waltz of a song that Rey delivers in a half-bored, half-drugged fashion that regardless, gets under your skin.

Well, she performed the song on SNL and it seems to have gotten the entire world talking about her.  I could see, if you hadn't heard the song itself prior to the performance, that you might get a little "WTF?" out of it... but it's just kind of how she sings.  You're just going to have to listen to it yourself.  (video below.)

The song has gone to #1 in Germany, and has been in the top ten in Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK.  Del Rey sites Nancy Sinatra, Britney Spears, Elvis Presley, and Kurt Cobain as influences.  Okay.

I recently got the four-track EP they released to iTunes prior to her SNL performance and music is very quirky.  From string-laiden pop trip-hop to sweeping retro-ish balladry... it's certainly not what is on the radio right now... but could she be the Adele of 2012?  (haha)

Enjoy.

Video Games
Video Games (Live on SNL)
Born to Die

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