Video Games (Omid 16B Remix)

I heard there was a lot of hype surrounding a particular video on YouTube (Video Games) which had gone viral, I listened once and wasn't convinced. I found myself wanting to go back to it a lot to give it a second chance, it certainly grew on me, Del Rey is original and a great story teller.

These are two exceptional songs about love and heartbreak, Blue Jeans being a lot stronger than the title track. A lot of people are sceptical about her image, having already tried to hit the big-time under another alias, and failing. For me, I'm buying this because her music is good, her lyrics are simple and her voice is capturing, it craves your attention.

I definitely recommend this, and pre-ordering her debut album!

Who or what is Lana Del Rey? Does this sultry and coquettish singer represent the resurgence of old style Hollywood allure, a sort of Lauren Bacall for the Twitter generation ready made to soundtrack David Lynch films? Alternatively is this just pure Valleys of the Dolls pastiche, all cosmetically enhanced plastic lips and big wigs with the hint of some scheming pop Svengali in the background and representing little more in musical terms than "Barbie Duffy". We know that before Lana Del Rey had the make over there was just plain old Lizzy Grant of Lake Placid, New York. We also know that "Video Games" and its ubiquitous video full of Eisenhower era America imagery has been viewed by millions and has generated so much noise on the internet that it has been almost deafening. Everyone has an opinion on Ms Del Ray and the record executives at Stranger Records must think Christmas has come early.

But what about the music on this extended EP? The one non Video Games song on this EP namely "Blue Jeans" is frankly little more than "Chris Issak Lite" and based so obviously on the "Wicked games" template that its almost a cover. We then have 3 versions of "Video Games". You could of course not stop there and access one of the many other remixes across the internet employing a variety of style and in the case of "Club Clique for the bad girls" a disco dance mix. The nine minute plus Mr Fingers mix on this EP is in the same orbit and while it might sound great watching the sun crashing into the Mediterranean from a blissed out Isle of Ibiza it goes on far too long. Equally the Omid 16B remix is one of those where the producer has not quite managed to integrate the vocals into a heavy dub style mix and is rather off kilter to say the least. Thus we are left with the main course the original "Video Games" and sadly for Lana Del Ray she will never record a song again that matches this in terms of impact or melody. By the time her album comes out we will be either be bored senseless of her or she will be so mainstream that shoppers will drop her into the supermarket basket by the bucket load. And yet "Video games" represents the best mainstream ballad recorded in 2011 and sits in that rare line of songs which absolutely arrive at the right time and define the Zeitgeist. In the same way that Sinead O'Connor's cover of Prince's "Nothing compares to u" exploded on release with a tearful video to match, so to does Lana Dey Rays "Video Games" touch a cultural nerve with its pouty glamour and seemingly perfect fit for recession hit times. In the last analysis and in the best traditions of pop music it is completely disposable and time limited but brilliant all the same.

I don't usually write reviews but I saw the low rating for this release and was really surprised. On my first listen to Video Games I thought "wow, what a lovely voice" and on the second I fell for the melody. It's bittersweet and I find myself going over the lyric meanings. Blue Jeans is also a great track. They have a similar sound and vibe so perhaps Lana Del Rey is a marmite artist who you love or hate but I for one can't wait to hear more from her with the album release.