Electra Heart - Marina & The Diamonds
Born to Die (Paradise Edition) - Lana Del Rey
What do these three women's album have in common? Sex & empowerment.
Two great words for me.
Let's start with Lotus. Christina has been overtly sexual since, well, Genie in a Bottle. Over time she's lost the subtly and gone straight for the sex punch line.
Example: "It’s true what you heard, I am a freak, I’m disturbed / So come on and give me your worst / We’re moving faster than slow, / If you don’t know where to go, / I’ll finish off on my own"
There is no hiding what she's singing about. But the good thing about Lotus is, it isn't all about sex. The album has an emotional range from "let's turn down the hate" to "spin around in circles on my middle finger" to "In my own way, regret choices I've made/ How do I say I'm sorry? to "For every time you broke me/There's a thousand faces of me.......Now you're gonna face an army/Army of me." I like Lotus. It's a decent body of work.
Songs I recommend:
Red Hot Kinda Love - it's funky beats are refreshing.
Blank Page - a confessional ballad
Overall I give the album **1/2. She's still hasn't topped her album Back to Basics.Electra Heart - Marina & The Diamonds
With such a unique voice, it's hard to dislike any syllable that comes out of her mouth.(she is Welsh, so, cool dialect) Plus, her lyrics are cheeky, sexual, and devious. And these are a few of my favorite things!
The opening song Bubblegum Bitch sets the tone for the whole album.
"I’m miss sugar pink liquor, liquor lips/I’m gonna be your bubblegum bitch." Seems vapid? Nope. This song, like the rest of the songs are a commentary on young love, self doubt, sexual empowerment, and the need for fame.
My favorite song on the album is Sex Yeah. Seems like an obvious, right? The song isn't just about sex as in intercourse, but sex as female or male and how "sex" defines women. It's entirely too clever for the weak mind. Lyrics:
If history could set you free (from who you were supposed to be) / If sex in our society (didn't tell a girl who she would be) / 'Cause all my life I've tried to fight what history has given me
Another must listens: Teen Idle, Homewrecker, Hypocrates,.... Ahh hell, just listen to the whole album cause I give it ****. It's on constant repeat.
Born to Die (The Paradise Edition) - Lana Del ReySo the interweb has been in a frenzy over Lana's song Cola with the opening line of the song she swoons "My pussy tastes like Pepsi Cola." Instead of using the album art, I had to use this lovely vintage inspired poster. It makes me laugh. Cola as a song is just okay for me. I think mostly because it is in the shadows of other songs. American is a haunting tale of love.
Gods & Monsters is a haunting tale about the loss of innocence. In an ode to Walt Whitman, Body Electric sticks in your head with her melancholy voice repeating "I sing the body electric." Seems like it might be annoying, but it isn't. It's once again, haunting. I don't think Lana is for everyone. But I love her voice and her American references and obvious love of the country. There's just something about this chick that makes me wanna ride :) I give the album ***1/2
