Marvin Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 She's all over the media. Initially loved by the music press but now derided (especially if you read the review of her album in Rolling Stone magazine). At first music journo's seemed to fall for Del Rey because she appeared to come from no where. However, now a little more is known of her she has almost become a hate figure. Much seems to focus on people's believe they have in some way been duped, that her father's money and her record company have bought her success and that she is completely contrived. Regardless of what you think of her music I think they way the music press have turned on her has been ridiculous and hypocritical. Her initial success was borne out of people 'finding' a youtube video of her. And although her father's money may mean she can indulge herself in trying to be a pop star more than most, ultimately you can throw as much money as you want at an artist it doesn't mean people will like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Never heard the music but from google it looks like she had a botched lip-job? The Artic Monkeys seemed to suffer a bit of the same thing. They were trumpeted as a success of myspace or social networking in general - a "real grass roots" thing. It turned out someone had chucked some money at them, and (at least for the people I know) this seemed to destroy some of that charm. Personally, I like to listen to the music and forget about anything else. Some people won't listen to the music of someone if they don't like that image or personality, and I think that's sad. To take it to an extreme I would listen to Gary Glitter (if I liked his music) where as other people wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) Music journalism is fadish, it has been for years, and the music business is just a game of 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' nowadays. Frankly it doesn't really matter whose money is behind you. She'd hardly be the first person to have used nepotism to her advantage to make her way to the top and I doubt she'll be the last. All I care about is the end product, which with Lana Del Ray is a resounding 'meh'. She ticks all the right boxes; at first glance she's alternative and a bit jazzy, plus she fits neatly into the 'female solo artist with husky voice' category that is so definitely flavour of the month right now. But let's face it, she's doing nothing new. If I want to listen to Nancy Sinatra, I'd listen to Nancy Sinatra. She hasn't got any lasting power, and I do believe she'll melt away and be forgotten in a year or two unless she does something drastic. And let's face it... Nancy Sinatra had better songs too. Edited January 31, 2012 by risingson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Somewhere along the line the border between a person's output (be it artistic or any kind of produced good or service) and their personal character has been lost. For a lot of people it seems you can't like a performer's output unless you somehow approve of them as 'a person'. Infantile. Apparently Mozart was a bit of a d1ck. So what? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1328025534' post='1520492'] The Artic Monkeys seemed to suffer a bit of the same thing. They were trumpeted as a success of myspace or social networking in general - a "real grass roots" thing. It turned out someone had chucked some money at them, and (at least for the people I know) this seemed to destroy some of that charm. [/quote] The one thing about the Arctic Monkeys is that they were 'of their time'. They had a definite sound and Alex Turner had the lyrics that spoke to large amounts of people right across the board, and their first album will be remembered for a long time because it sold in ridiculous numbers. A cliche perhaps, but they were like the 21st century Oasis, probably with a lot more substance about them. Lana Del ray is just a carbon copy of things done a million times over, without sticking strongly in the public conscience. She's not bad, but there just isn't enough interesting about her for the comparison to hold up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I wasn't comenting on musicality or longevity, just that a lot of people liked the idea that this was something "grass roots" (do you know what I mean by that? like sprung out of no where by the sheer power of the internet and good-looking youthful music fans) and when they found out it wasn't as genuine, they didn't like it as much... They weren't judging the music, they were judging the story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1328026566' post='1520514'] I wasn't comenting on musicality or longevity, just that a lot of people liked the idea that this was something "grass roots" (do you know what I mean by that? like sprung out of no where by the sheer power of the internet and good-looking youthful music fans) and when they found out it wasn't as genuine, they didn't like it as much... They weren't judging the music, they were judging the story [/quote] Yeh, I do get what you mean and the Arctic Monkeys on the surface seemed to be the perfect blueprint for this kind of rise to fame. But the whole grass root thing is totally fabricated. I'm not saying it doesn't apply to some degree, and the power of viral marketing and video footage of new up and comin acts can't be denied, but it is obviously quite dishonest for labels to be suggesting that people like Lana Del Ray owe their discovery due to Youtube popularity or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [url="http://www.spin.com/articles/deconstructing-lana-del-rey?page=0%2C0&utm_source=spinfacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spinfacebook"]http://www.spin.com/articles/deconstructing-lana-del-rey?page=0%2C0&utm_source=spinfacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spinfacebook[/url] Have a read of this for more on the subject. I find her slightly bland and uninteresting, but I am enjoying the hipster backlash as they realise they were played by the labels again. She's not as sh*t as Sandi thom was at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judo Chop Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 She's just the NME's latest hype, have a look on their website, they have a new story every day about how ordinary and down to earth she is. I'd put money on them giving her album a bad review, the NME's usual trick is to build an artist up for months and then slaughter them when the debut album comes out. Anyone remember Viva Brother? No? Of course you don't, because they're s*** and don't seem to exist outside of the NME's coverage. They were the magazine's last "next big thing" and now they've been abandoned since the bad reviews came rolling in, and it's probably going to happen to Lana Del Rey too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 And The Vines. NME used to have some stupid story about them in every week too until their 2nd album came out and they had to admit that they weren't actually very good. As for Del Ray, nice looking girl and the music I heard on a TV advert was fairly inoffensive. I probably wouldn't turn it off if it came on the radio (assuming she's on Classic or Jazz FM which is mostly what I listen to) but I wasn't impressed really. I find Ed Sheeran much more annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1328026566' post='1520514'] They weren't judging the music, they were judging the story [/quote] This sums it all up in a nutshell. If one likes the music then feel free to like it. Muso's and muso journalists in particular have got themselves preoccupied with wanting to find 'authentic artists' whatever that means. All art is authentic and at the same time contrived and all is an indulgence of spare cash, so ultimately uncool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1328029026' post='1520570'] I find Ed Sheeran much more annoying. [/quote] That's the guy who writes long jingles for LEGO isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicJunkie Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 All of the live videos I've seen of Del Ray show her as very uncomfortable on stage, no presence at all. That's the real shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarethFlatlands Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1328029393' post='1520582'] That's the guy who writes long jingles for LEGO isn't it? [/quote] It's the guy who did 2 things everyone should learn after hearing a Bon Iver album and picking up an acoustic guitar:- 1. Realise that it's pretty easy to make that kind of music; and 2. That you in particular shouldn't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Lana who? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='risingson' timestamp='1328025730' post='1520499'] Music journalism is fadish, it has been for years, and the music business is just a game of 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' nowadays. Frankly it doesn't really matter whose money is behind you. She'd hardly be the first person to have used nepotism to her advantage to make her way to the top and I doubt she'll be the last. All I care about is the end product, which with Lana Del Ray is a resounding 'meh'. She ticks all the right boxes; at first glance she's alternative and a bit jazzy, plus she fits neatly into the 'female solo artist with husky voice' category that is so definitely flavour of the month right now. But let's face it, she's doing nothing new. If I want to listen to Nancy Sinatra, I'd listen to Nancy Sinatra. She hasn't got any lasting power, and I do believe she'll melt away and be forgotten in a year or two unless she does something drastic. And let's face it... Nancy Sinatra had better songs too. [/quote] I don't know and haven't heard Lana Del Ray but a big plus one on listening to Nancy Sinatra - especially the stuff recorded with Lee Hazlewood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHUFC BASS Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 LOL! at her and the music papers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_C Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1328033589' post='1520667'] Lana who? [/quote] Elizabeth Grant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I don't watch telly or read "celebrity gossip" stuff, so I have not a scooby about Lana Del Rey's life other than that she sings. I like her songs & I like her voice. I even bought her album (the 1st album I've bought this year) & I like it. I wouldn't say she sounds like Nancy Sinatra, more like a female Chris Isaac. If you want my honest opinion on it, I'd actually give it 7/10. It's not a musicians album, but it is good for listening to in bed or in the car (I'm listening to it whilst stripping the plaster & lathe out of the pantry). Here's the title track from her album... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LELrkrfS8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
risingson Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1328035120' post='1520699'] I don't know and haven't heard Lana Del Ray but a big plus one on listening to Nancy Sinatra - especially the stuff recorded with Lee Hazlewood. [/quote] Nancy Sinatra was amazing and very much of her time. She also had the good fortune to have had some great backing from L.A's finest songwriters and musicians like Lee Hazlewood, which just made her music so great. They say that music is largely cyclical nowadays. That's fine, and musicians should have every right to draw influence from their peers and contemporaries, but there needs to be something groundbreaking or indeed very special for the end product to hold any worth and importance. At the moment there is just too much music getting backing from labels that smacks of just backing sure-winners and derivative acts. This is Lana Del Ray all over. She has an impressive voice, but she's repeating what has already been heard. Music can't hope to move forward with these kinds of artists being sold as seminal and groundbreaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1328027428' post='1520531'] She's not as sh*t as Sandi thom was at least. [/quote] I saw Sandi Thom at the Rhythm Festival last year and was full of cynicism, but was actually pleasantly surprised. Did some really good Bluesey stuff, which apparently is were she's at at the moment (Well 6 months ago). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Admiral Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Interesting thread and I wonder how long it will be before the Vintage Trouble backlash starts, when people realise the band they 'discovered' playing at their local venue and they've told all their mates about, are actually not a gang of 40 somethings who are 'keeping it real' and doing it the hard way by gigging relentlessly, but are in fact signed to Doc McGhee's management company, and the 'underground band' thing is just a very clever marketing ploy aimed squarely at the middle aged, middle income, middle class rock fans who hate what the music biz has become - ie: Simon Cowell's toy, and relish the chance to get behind a 'real band' (man). Doc McGhee you will know as the ex manager of Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, Kiss............. and guess who VT are opening for this summer? Yep.........Bon Jovi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monckyman Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Well I suppose this is the kind of discussion musos have about other musos,with a few curled lips and disapproving comments,but it`s all irrelevant if you like the tunes. I like Del Ray, her cash doesn`t bother me at all (rabid commie that I am),because she makes a pleasant noise. That`s all there is at the end of the day. The rest is all chaff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Not sure about any of this I can only judge with my ears and I find it dreary and depressing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairyhaw Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 [quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1328039930' post='1520813'] I saw Sandi Thom at the Rhythm Festival last year and was full of cynicism, but was actually pleasantly surprised. Did some really good Bluesey stuff, which apparently is were she's at at the moment (Well 6 months ago). [/quote] I heard she'd collaborated with Joe Bonnamosa (probably spelt that wrong) and this what heralded the "going back to the roots" phase. She's still bloody awful. And has crazy eyes. Just keeping the cynicism alive for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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