Ultraviolence

I hesitated buying Lana's album for a day. That was a day of listening to this wonderful album that I cannot get back. I enjoy just about every song on the extended album, and I feel that Lana's voice has grown and become even more glamorous. While I do not think any of the songs move me as much as "Ride" or "American", my belief is that the album as a whole is outstanding. A very solid album, with back to back wonderful songs. I just wish that a few of her multitude of other wonderful songs would have been included on this album. "Never Let Me Go", "Angels Forever", "JFK", "Goodbye Kiss" (both versions, especially the BBC 1 live version), "Pawn Shop Blues", "Every Man Gets His Wish", and probably 30 other songs that I have heard Lana sing. Songs not yet released, but that are as worthy of purchase and as good as or better than songs released by the current popular artists. I would gladly pay $3.00 each to purchase at least 30 of her unreleased songs. There perhaps are many more than I have heard on YouTube or eLyrics. Of an estimated 40 unreleased Lana songs, I would be glad to purchase 35 of them. To me that is a reflection of the fact that she is a rather remarkable artist. I could not even imagine Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks leaving that many songs of this caliber on the cutting room floor. I do hope that some of her already recorded songs get released in the near future. Why deprive fans of songs by the best songstress that exists. It is hard for me to accept that from my perspective the best singers of my generation take a back seat to Lana. Stevie Nicks, Linda Ronstadt, Agnetha Faltskog, Grace Slick, Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Madonna, and many others have a lot of wonderful songs amongst them. Can Lana come up with a total that surpasses all of them together? Perhaps so, at least in my opinion. And I have tremendous respect and admiration for the above singers. They are all great and had many wonderful songs among them through their career. My personal belief is that Lana is already right there at the top of the list. And has a lot of time in front of her to continue providing her fans with her glamorous songs. Most albums (other than greatest hits albums) that get released now days have 1 or 2 great songs, a couple of good ones, and then several that serve as filler. The first 3 Lana albums, this one included, are more in line with "greatest hits" albums. Just about every song is either great or at least very good. And from my perspective Lana already has enough wonderful songs recorded to fill up 3 or 4 more lovely albums. I do hope that the existing songs get released, and that she continues to put out exceptional music for the next several decades. I still have to wonder "Lana Del Rey, how you get that way"?

I really love it and its soooo good its brilliant 🥹🥹

This is not an album that reaches out and grabs you immediately. I have found that often, though, records that demand repeated listening turn out to be the ones that penetrate more deeply and more permanently than something catchier might. "Ultraviolence" is definitely such a record; it is definitely a slow burner and now it haunts me. I bought this record a few months ago and didn't listen to it as much as I did "Born to Die" or "Paradise" when I first bought them. I would play it occasionally, and I found the more I listened, the more I wanted to listen more, and again, to hear things I hadn't heard previously. I don't mean musically - I admit to being no music expert - I mean emotionally, viscerally. It has taken me this long to figure out what this record reminds me of. It is a lot like - and again, I don't mean musically as they are very different records musically; I mean in a more general way - Tori Amos' "Boys for Pele" (in my opinion, one of the best modern albums ever made). It is a similar departure from what is still very very good previous music. It is definitely not as radio-friendly, but it is more ambitious and ultimately more affecting than her previous albums. (And I still really love those.) One thing that I think Lana Del Rey has in common with Tori Amos (they are more alike than you might think) is that she is very good at playing a character, but sometimes one wonders if that character is perhaps herself. My gut feeling is that she is more transparent than she gets credit for, but who knows, perhaps she's just a good actress. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. The strengths of "Ultraviolence" are many, but there are two that stand out to me. It is a very cohesive album (again, like "Pele"); I love concept albums when done well and this one is. That doesn't mean there aren't some tracks that appeal to me more than others. The title track, "Brooklyn Baby", and "Old Money" are standouts for me, but there really isn't a bad song on the record. Really, though, what cannot be understated is the intensity of the emotional response this record evokes. I firmly believe that the best art expresses - through whatever medium - something very profound about the human condition and resonates with us at a level perhaps deeper than we can explain. Really good art leaves us changed after experiencing it. "Ultraviolence" does that.

In an extensive collection of wide ranging genres and eras of vinyl records this album stands out as an extremely clean crisp pressing for anything put on wax in the last long while. Maybe it was just mixed perfectly for my particular system, but it sounds better than records I have spent quite a bit more on. The music itself is what it is if it is your style. Personally it hits a direct vibe of understated nostalgia glistening with despondent nonchalance.

Record came undamaged/unwarped, includes 3 bonus tracks, and it’s a very unique item to add to any Lana Del Rey collection.

Came cracked, but amazing album and disk, if I could give it 4 1/2, I would

Love it, i was looking for this album a while ago

The sound on this vinyl is amazing, warm and rich. Ultraviolence captures Lana’s dark, dreamy vibe perfectly. Every track feels cinematic and timeless. A must-have for any fan.

Le passioni condivise uniscono. Stringono ancor di più legami già solidissimi. Sto attraversando una fase bellissima in cui mi vedo come un faro che illumina il cammino di mia figlia nel mondo della musica. Una sensazione da pelle d'oca. Ma è anche giusto che lo scambio sia reciproco. Cosi quando mia figlia mi ha proposto di ascoltare bene Lana Del Rey non ho storto il naso con sufficienza (tipo... elena, ti sto passando i Pink Floyd, i Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, etc etc e tu mi parli della Del Rey?) ma le ho dato ascolto. E quando mi ha detto di provare a partire con l'album Ultraviolence" l'ho preso e basta. E sorpresa sorpresa, mi è piaciuto. Ma davvero. E non perchè lo ha proposto mia figlia, perchè è un bel disco. Punto uno, liquidate in un baleno chi dice che la Del Rey è l'ennesima stelletta del pop da classifica, qui ci sono consapevolezze molto diverse. Questa è un'artista con una maturità musicale diversa. Il suo immaginario visivo si rifà molto agli anni 50 e 60 ma anche la sua musica ha qualcosa di arcano. Ma vestito con gli abiti della modernità. E poi c'è quella fantastica voce, che sa essere teatrale al limite del kitsch (ma senza varcare mai quel confine), passionale come poche, erotica anche, e potente, davvero potente. Gli arrangiamenti sono poi davvero calibratissimi, mai sopra le righe, tutto e sfumato al punto giusto, con echi (lontani ma ci sono) di country, folk, blues e in maniera ovviamente più marcata di un raffinatissimo dream pop. Sembra una diva del cinema dei 60 la Del Rey e la sua musica ha davvero molto di cinematografico, senza essere caricaturale. "Ultaviolence" scorre come un album coeso, non come una raccolta di brani da potenziale classifica. E' davvero un album che ti rapisce, quella voce ti rapisce come la foto di copertina che mostra una Del Rey delicata ma molto sensuale. Sono contento di aver fatto questa conoscenza. E credo che non si fermerà a questo album. Per cui, voi amanti del rock più serio, mettete da parte i pregiudizi e provate a dare una possibilità a questa ragazza. Sono certo che molti resteranno colpiti. E partite proprio da questo "Ultraviolence". Difficile rimanere indifferenti. Poi magari non lo si dice agli amici, ai coetanei con cui si divide la passione musicale. Si può sempre dire...ah questo, beh è di mia figlia/o....

When my package arrived, it was all damaged! Not the cd, but the case was all damaged… there was a scratch and a broken piece on it. The cd is good and the rest is also beautiful but I’m disappointed about the damage.

J'ai acheté cet album en toute confiance, les yeux fermés, restant sur le très bon souvenir du premier album de Lana Del Rey, et conforté par les premiers commentaires qui semblaient dithyrambiques. Cela dit, une fois l'album reçu, je n'ai pas éprouvé le coup de foudre de la dernière fois. Ce qui m'a conduit à attendre un peu avant de m'attaquer à ce commentaire. Et j'ai bien fait... En effet, alors que l'ensemble m'a paru assez plat, voire un peu morne (où était la dimension rock que semblaient évoquer les premiers commentateurs ?), et que j'avais peine à imaginer que je pourrais l'écouter plus d'une ou deux fois, en me le repassant un peu plus j'ai fini par l'apprécier davantage. Je craignais que, là où certains (nombreux, il me semble) avaient vu un côté artificiel à la première production, de par son côté "artisanal" un peu retravaillé, je trouve celui-ci plus artificiel pour ma part, ou moins authentique, car inspiré par trop de conseils et "professionnalisme". D'où, peut-être, le côté plus monotone ou linéaire... En fin de compte, en réécoutant plusieurs fois (et j'ai bien fait car, même en réécoutant l'album au moment où je rédige ces quelques lignes, je partais pour 4 étoiles et revois encore mon appréciation), il m'apparaît que l'album est plaisant, agréable, et conserve les qualités qui font le charme et le caractère de Lana Del Rey, avec sa voix si particulière et envoûtante. En définitive, un album qui me semble de très bonne facture et que je vais continuer à apprécier. Un peu plus de deux années m'avait paru long à attendre avant la sortie d'un nouvel album. Heureusement que je ne me suis pas arrêté à la première écoute. Heureux que Lana Del Rey continue... J'attends déjà la suite, avec plein d'espoir.

Dank der schnellen Lieferung von Amazon erhielt ich die CD schon vor dem offiziellen Erscheinungstermin. Seitdem läuft die Platte bei mir pausenlos. Ich bin ein sehr großer Born To Die Fan und hatte deshalb sehr hohe Erwartungen an das Album, nachdem Lana es letztes Jahr angekündigt hatte. Beim ersten Hören war ich etwas skeptisch. Lana hatte ja angekündigt mit Ultraviolence in eine ganz andere Richtung gehen zu wollen, weg von dem Prunk von BTD, hin zu Minimalismus und mehr Gefühl. Sie ist hörbar etwas zu ihren Wurzeln zurückgekehrt, im Sinne von den Zeiten als sie als Lizzy Grant aktiv war. Trotzdem hatte ich ein wenig auf Hip-Hop Beats und Geigen gehofft. Doch dank dem Produzenten Dan Auerbach (Black Keys) stehen jetzt eher Schlagzeug und Gitarre im Vordergrund, was gepaart mit Lanas Stimme überraschend gut und echt klingt. Das von Lana gewollte „West-Coast-Feeling“ kommt definitiv rüber und textlich übezeugt es auch. Am besten laut auf einer guten Anlage hören oder im Auto bei sonnigem Wetter. Nun kurz zu den einzelnen Liedern: CRUEL WORLD - das längste Lied auf dem Album. Ruhige Einleitung und setzt den roten Faden des Albums. Gitarren und Lanas Stimme im Vordergrund (4/5) ULTRAVIOLENCE - eingeleitet von Streichinstrumenten hat es wohl als Einziges Lied Ähnlichkeit mit einem Song aus dem Vorgängeralbum. Das Lied erinnert mit Lanas engelhafter Stimme im Refrain ein wenig an Body Electric. Vom Inhalt gewohnt düster „He hit me and it felt like a kiss...“ Sehr schön, klingt live aber noch besser. (4,5/5) SHADES OF COOL - wurde schon vor einigen Wochen von Lana auf YouTube veröffentlicht und gefiel mir nicht direkt, hab mich aber andauernd dabei ertappt wie ich wieder auf das Video klickte. Es ist was anderes, und der Refrain umspült einen wie eine Welle. Highlight ist das Gitarrensolo ab 03:50, also unbedingt zu ende hören! (4,5/5) BROOKLYN BABY - der mit Abstand fröhlichste Song auf dem Album und einer meiner Favoriten, macht super Laune und wird definitiv mein Lied für den Sommer sein. (5/5) WEST COAST - die Lead-Single des Albums, gefiel mir von Anfang an, hat einen super Atmosphäre und behandelt thematisch die Gebräuche der 'West Coast'. Schlagzeug super, besonders gelungen ist der Tempowechsel im Refrain und super Stimme. Macht definitiv Lust auf Sommer und Meer. Favorit (5/5) SAD GIRL - handelt davon die „Frau an der Seite/Zweitfrau“ zu sein und wie sie das stimmt, welchen Vorurteilen man ausgesetzt ist wenn man einen vergebenen Mann liebt. Hat einen Retro-Rock tune (4,5/5) PRETTY WHEN YOU CRY - wieder etwas ruhiger, melancholischer, gefällt mir (4,5/5) MONEY POWER GLORY - ungewöhnliches Lied, wirkt wie eine Hymne, sehr euphorisch. Ist auch eines meiner Favoriten (5/5) F***ED MY WAY UP TO THE TOP- definitiv provokant und wohl an die gerichtet die Lana seit dem Beginn ihrer Karriere unablässig kritisiert haben. Sehr cooles Lied und irgendwie auch sexy (5/5) OLD MONEY- so eine schöne Ballade!, wurde beim hören wirklich emotional. Lanas Stimme, super Text und Streichinstrumente. Lädt ein zum träumen. Absolute Empfehlung! Perfekt (5/5) ! THE OTHER WOMAN- obwohl von anderen gelobt, gefällt mir Nina Simone's Version eindeutig besser. Für mich das schwächste Lied. (3/5) WEST COAST (Radio Mix)- Original gefällt mir besser, diese Version ist etwas glatt-gebügelt und wohl nicht so sperrig wie das Original und deswegen radiotauglicher, verbreitet gute Laune und Lust auf Sommer. (4,5/5) BLACK BEAUTY- DER Grund weshalb man sich die Deluxe-Version holen sollte. Das Demo wurde letztes Jahr gegen Lanas Willen geleaked und bis zuletzt war sich Lana unsicher ob sie es dennoch veröffentlichen sollte. Ich bin echt froh dass sie es getan hat. Die Gitarren super, Stimme super, Schlagzeug super... richtig dynamisch und rockig. (5/5) GUNS AND ROSES- wieder etwas ruhiger, hat etwas gedauert einen Zugang dazu zu finden, nach mehrmaligem Hören gefällt es mir aber. (4,5/5) FLORIDA KILOS- super zum relaxen, ist wieder etwas sommerlicher und unbeschwerter (4/5) Zusammengefasst lässt sich sagen, dass sich Lana bei diesem Album eindeutig vom Pop (zeitweise) abgewendet hat. Wer also BTD Part 2 erwartet hat, wird das hier nicht finden. Jedoch sollte man das Album mehrmals hören bevor man sich festlegt, weil einige Lieder brauchen eindeutig etwas Zeit um sich zu entfalten. Alles in allem aber ein super Album!