{}}{{<{*~{* Collected Musings on Lana Del Rey }{}:!"!:{

 

Who I am obsessed with because she looks like me and also suggests a Life Style I have hurled my Self into ( you think you know Shit about me from this Blog? Think again ). But where Lizzie Grant is co Dependent to the Point of Self Annihilation, I love me Every Body, I am the Bestest, look at my Glorious Art. 

As Far as I know, Lizzy Grant wrote the Songs on her First Album, Lana Del Rey aka Lizzy Grant, a Work of Art which is Pure GirlKore, yo : the Persona signing out to us from the Tracks is un Deniably a Young Lady, Original in her Honest Vulnerability. Through this she draws us in, through this she establishes her Greatest Gift : the Ability to love. The Album's Softness and Submissiveness, with their Freudian Echoes, are what distinguish it from the GirlKore Music Work of the Nineties, Punk a More Aggressive, Second Wave Style. The Third Wave Feminist, the Feminist Chauvinist, finds Xpression in the Self Xploitative Lizzie Grant / Lana Del Rey. What makes Femininity Feminine, Unique and Powerful, that Fundamental which has been used to justify its oppression, is Vulnerability, the Willingness to xpose One's Weaknesses so as to gain Strength. So, Lana Del Rey is a Lolita, a Stripper, a Self Sacrificing Girl Friend, a Lover, a Wannabe Starlet, an Abandoned Girl Friend, a Naif, too Eager to Love, looking for her Self in a Man when she ought to be looking inward, a Mistake Many Young Ladies make, e'Specially under Patriarchy. Lizzie Grant is not pretending to be an indePendent Woman here, but, in singing Songs about these Failings from her Own Perspective she is displaying a Self Awareness that is Refreshing in its Accuracy to the Feminine Xperience. Too Long the Likes of Lizzie Grant / Lana Del Rey have been the Objects of Men's Songs rather than their Own Songs, which makes Born to Die an Apt Title in Deed. The Lizzie Grant Self is Dead, replaced by the Lana Del Rey Object. Too Long Ladies have sung the Words Men have put in their Mouths, and this is why Born to Die is a Tragedy. Lizzie Grant has sold out, Ladies and Gentle’Men. She has been subsumed. In stead of singing Honestly about how Men make her feel like on her First Album, on Born to Die she has allowed them to whisper in her Ear the Songs they would rather hear. The Evidence of her Lack of a Fully Formed Sense of Self, One that xists out Side of the Attentions of Men she looks up to, is Perfectly embodied in Lana Del Rey’s Botox Mouth.

Musical Chain of Authenticity : Crossover Star


White Lady Represent : Lana Del Rey

Industry Rank : Marketing Xperiment

What happens when a Record Label decides an Indie / Acceptable Un Usual Artist is Popular Enough or has the “ Right Stuff ” to become More Famous and, thereby, earn them More Money? She becomes a Crossover Star. This allmost allways goes Awry. The Artist is either absorbed into Commercial Pop and looses what made her a Unique Musician, or, the Authenticity that got her Attention threatened by a Move up the Chain, Xposure, and the Corresponding inCrease in Demands causes the Artist to Self destruct, Usually with Drugs. Lana Del Rey is a Case in Point. Lana Del Rey aka Lizzie Grant is a Beautiful and disTurbing Album whose Brilliance lies in its Lyrical Details – the Wedding Ring in Brite Lights, Yayo’s Haunting Chorus, the Casinos on Indian Reservations in Queen of the Gas Station, etc. It’s Nostalgia with a Frank, Submissive / Oedipal Sxuality. It’s Hot, and a Little Transgressive. Born to Die ( that Name ) is a let down by Comparison. Born to Die, Video Games, Blue Jeans, Diet Mountain Dew, and Summertime Sadness have Good Tempo and showcase Lana's Talent for Evocation, but the Rest of the Album is as Typical as those Songs are Pretty. The over All Effect is Mainstream Pop Virtually inDistinguishable from what is being put out by the More Comfortable, More Conformist Singers of the Rotating Door. Lana Del Rey fell for the Popularity Trap, put Trust in ( un Doubtably Male ) Producers who said they could make her a Star ( just like she said she would on Lizzie Grant ) and won / lost ( just like she said she would on Lizzie Grant ). The Self Awareness that made Lizzie Grant so Precious gets smothered on Most of Born to Die. It is replaced by References to High End Living. I guess we All wish we could have that, but Spending Sprees get Redundant in Music. There is still Hope : Lana could pull back from her Fame, she could produce her Nxt Album her Self, and we could have a More Astute Artist. Or she could get Married and move to the sub Urbs of Arizona.

A Response to watching the Music Videos for Lana Del Rey’s Summertime Sadness and National Anthem, whose inSpirations can be paraphrased as “ Lesbians would be Edgier ” and “ Do what the President wants Young Lady and be a Traditional Mother to the Children of a Capitalist ” ( or scrolling through Tumblr en Generale ) : Lana Del Rey’s Devotion to Male Capitalist Authority is her Down Fall, like Cat Power’s was Liquor and Pills. Sxual Orientation / Race is i’Relevant to the MONOLITH. This is America to Day, Ladies and GentleMen. But the Beautiful Gloss covers an Empty inTerior, like a Billion Brand New Cars with no One to buy them. Lana Del Rey tries to have Authentic Feelings. These are mellowed in Favour of Commerce. Lana Del Rey is Commodified. Of her Personality Traits on Lizzie Grant, Only her Coy Sluttery, Wistful Nostalgia and Selfless Adoration remain, along with Consumer Spending. The First Part of National Anthem plays like a Commercial for the Upper Middle Class in a “ Better ” Time. Don’t let the Progressive Obama Reference fool you, Lady. As seen by the Bouffant and the Doe-like Commitment, this is Regressive Kennedy Era subServient Wifery ( how Many Mistresses you think Buddy has? How Many Hookers you think he visits? I mean, come on, look at that Chain. You don’t sport a Chain like that cause you enjoy being a Responsible Husband and Father as Well as a Liberal Democrat. What Universe this Film supposed to be taking Place in? One where Coke Dealers [ or Rappers pretending they’re Coke Dealers ] are the President? Is this our Collective Future? Our Present? ).

Lana Del Rey is a House Cat surrounded by Dogs in a Dark Alley in a Plush Neighborhood of Los Angeles. The Poor Girl. No Make up can cover her Lack of Autonomy. 

Where ever I turn are Trite Girls with Pretty Faces.

Darling, I want More than a Pretty Face.



 



Both Music Videos end in Death. Born to Die, I guess. Death is a pre Occupation of Many a Master Work. Here it is as Sentimental and Superfluous as the Rest of the Eye Candy. Lana Del Rey hints at a pro Found Yearning but it remains muted and trivialized behind Catchy Ballads and Flirty Dresses, her Xperiences no More Dangerous, in Truth, than growing up Wealthy in the sub Urbs. Lana Del Rey strikes me as the Kind of Girl who would put her 16th Birth Day on tV.

On that Note, is Carmen about Lizzie Grant? It doesn’t matter, Really. Every Day I roam about the InterNet looking for Things to inspire me. Every Day I feel disAppointed at what I am able to find. I feel a’Lone, my Personal Oeuvre a Comfort in a World of Girls bantering about their Finger Nails. Beauty and Fame are Both Superficial and Sx can be too. What Nxt, Lana Del Rey? What Nxt, Marie Calloway? What Nxt, Cat Marnell? Is the Solution to a Lady's Problems Really Lip inJections? No Way. Many turn from Truth. They surrender to Objectification. They are their Sun Glasses and Rings. I don’t have that Choice, my Friend. Life, to me, is a Translucent Film Reel, and I stare through it to the Darkness that goes on and on and on and on...

Who thinks I should have a Steamy Lesbian Affair with Lana Del Rey à la Samantha Ronson and Lindsay Lohan, or, you know how I do, twist Art / Life and play the Lady Friend in Summertime Sadness? Out wardly, the Relationship between Lana and I will consist of whispering to One an Other at Fashion Shows, dancing in an Erotic Manner at Clubs Only to disappear into back Rooms ( where, un Doubtebly, there are Drugs ), eating at Restaurants where we have Conversations un Heard but for my Laughter, standing out Side of Pools, going to Art Galleries, and riding in Cars that are not moving. I will Briefly appear in Tabloids Only to be deemed too Dangerous. In wardly, the Thing between me and Lana will consist of Scissoring, Hotels, and Group Sx Scenes, and, as opposed to throwing our Selves off Bridges, I will build HRTNRKFRM and Lana will have a Long Relationship with a Man called Karl.

Okay. Wow. How about we play a Game? It’s called : count the Layers of dis Respectful Bull Shit in this Music Video!

1 )  Lana Del Rey is supposed to be … a Homeless Run Away Girl who … its Hard to tell cause the Video seems More about Jingoistic Evocation than telling a Coherent Story, but let me give it a Shot … is forced into prostituting her Self to a Biker Gang.  Oh Good. Look how Sad she is with All these Greasy Men touching her. Why is she her Self so Clean? Why does her Hair look like a Wig? Who’s the Well Dressed Old White Guy that shows up? Lana gets saved from the Bikers by a European Hotelier? So em Powering! - Once, this Lady in a Bar told me about being kidnapped by Bikers, tattooed, and allmost forced into Prostitution ( she escaped and had the Tattoo tattooed over ). Did not sound like the Basis of a Sxe Fun Time Music Video. What ever Idiots put this Dribble out ( I hate you, Pop Culture, you hear me? I hate you and I will crush you with Shane Smith’s Media Empire – wait … why do I have to try to fuck the Head of a Media Empire to get Alt Lit to take me Seriously, again? Because I prefer to write Unique Critical Essays about Hipsterism and get paid for them than Tired Short Stories about my Personal Life in Rural Canada and not get paid? ) is convinced the Xploitative Misogynistic Criminal Sx Industry is the Stuff of Young Girls’ Wet Dreams. Hooray!

2  )  But! It gets Worse! We couldn’t just make Light of the Sxual Xploitation of Girls! No no no! We have to trivialize Racial Genocide too! Watch Young Lana Del Rey prance about in a Native American Head Dress while Middle Aged White Biker Dudes throw Gasoline on a Fire and get Drunk! ( Are you crying yet? I’m allmost crying. I Actually yelled at the Screen when I first watched this Video. ) Ha ha! We decimated your Population and now we’re using your Sacred Land and your Sacred Symbology in our Frivolous Music Video! Read thi is not Native! and think about how Many People this Music Video takes a Shit on.

Andrea