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Some Like It [Red] Hot: "Lana del Rey"


"Lana del Rey" is the recently-implemented stage name of one Lizzy Grant, a doe-eyed singer-songwriter from Brooklyn. After garnering lackluster responses as a solo artist, 24-year-old Grant went back to the drawing board... and along with her PR team, conceptualized the alter ego that is now better known as "Lana del Rey." There's even rumored to be an album named after the persona, which was released before the complete ["package"] concept was fully realized (2009-10); It seems as though the album has since been pulled from all major online retailers.


Of the 5-6 Lana del Rey mp3 tracks that I've managed to locate... 3 seem to be fairly recent, noteworthy, and official: "Video Games," "Blue Jeans," and "Kinda Outta Luck." Having dubbed herself "The Gangster Nancy Sinatra," that illusive SWAGGER is eloquently plastered across the 3 above-stated del Rey tracks. Fans of these compositions, may also want to check out "Kill Kill," "Diet Mtn Dew," and "Yayo" - which were more than likely originally featured on the 2009-10 leaked/pulled album.
Grant's overall sound can best be described as Throwback R&B crooning, backed by Florence + The Machine-esque string arrangements with added Electro bleeps and blips. A slightly Poppier, sun-drenched affair, "Kinda Outta Luck" [above] is my current favourite. The other night, Lana del Rey played a "secret" warm-up show @ Glassland's Gallery... in preparation for her first string of live dates: Sept. 21, 27, 30 and Oct. 5th. Stranger Records will release "Video Games" as a vinyl single on Oct. 10-11th, with "Blue Jeans" featured on the B-side.