Born To Die

Filled with torch songs influenced by hip-hop, Lana Del Rey wrote and recorded *Born to Die* in a chilling fashion. These noir-shaded numbers are mostly built on orchestral accouterments and subtle vocal samples. Del Rey’s husky narrative lingers like smoke clouds, leaving wafts of rhythmic phrasings delivered by an icy, heartbroken femme fatale.

After last year's hit "Video Games" and the endless remixes, leaks, think-pieces, and controversy that followed, it's finally here: the major-label debut from Lana Del Rey.

Fundamentally wary of any artist who whiffs of pop contrivance, indie-rock circles greeted singer Lana Del Rey with equal parts fascination and skepticism. After all, her aesthetic—a boutique blend of ’60s pin-up glam and indie listlessness, with a light dusting of trip-hop—was so refined that it had to have been…

​Born to Die reinforces the notion that a woman’s role is one of seduction, submission or pliability

Let’s table opinions for a few paragraphs and talk about facts.

Check out our album review of Artist's Born to Die on Rolling Stone.com.

Stop analysing too far, and what you end up with is a genuine contender.

Lana Del Rey is a femme fatale with a smoky voice, a languorous image, and a modeling contract.

'Born To Die' is in fact a highly pleasant and charming album.

Before Lana Del Rey (née Lizzy Grant) had even released her debut album, she had accumulated nearly half a million Facebook "likes," was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, and announced the re-release of what was essentially Born to Die's prequel.

<p>Lana Del Rey is just about weird enough to remain compelling, writes <strong>Kitty Empire</strong></p>

Since when exactly has “authenticity” ever been a criterion in pop music?

For a moment, let's forget about Lizzy Grant, the privileged girl who grew up in New York City and may or may not have had a music career handed to her...

<p>Ignore the silly arguments about authenticity – and the even sillier lyrics – and enjoy Lana Del Rey's beautifully turned pop music for itself, advises <strong>Alexis Petridis</strong></p>

Album Reviews: Lana Del Rey - Born To Die

Lana Del Rey - Born to Die review: Utterly brilliant.

Lana Del Rey's Born to Die doesn’t walk on water but its misty-eyed retro-pop makes for compelling listening, writes James Lachno.

The dust will eventually settle around the flapdoodle about withdrawn albums, whether Lana Del Rey is authentic, a fabulist construct or rubbish live. And when it does, this, the debut album, will be left. There’s no doubt that “Video Games” and its follow-up “Born to Die” were terrific singles, sieving the existential drift of Julee Cruise and Chris Isaak through a hip-hop sensibility. The package was completed by the irresistible Del Rey voice, a downer-dosed Stevie Nicks.