''Lana Del Rey'' is the eponymous second

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

by American singer-songwriter

Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent r ...

. It was released on January 10, 2012, in the United States and Canada through Interscope Records. After the release of the EP ''

Kill Kill ''Kill Kill'' is the debut extended play (EP) by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey, released under her former name, Lizzy Grant, on October 21, 2008, in the United States through 5 Points Records. The three songs on the EP would later be inc ...

'' (2008) and her debut studio album '' Lana Del Ray'' (2010) via an independent label, the EP was released in anticipation of Del Rey's major label debut album '' Born to Die'' (2012). The tracks are influenced by several genres, including

indie pop Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...

, hip hop, and alternative music. The lyrics and melody were written primarily by Del Rey,

Justin Parker Justin Parker is an English songwriter and record producer best known for his work with female singer-songwriters such as Lana Del Rey, Bat for Lashes, and Banks. Career Parker began writing music when he was 17, but his career breakthrough ...

and

Emile Haynie Emile Haynie (born July 13, 1980), often credited simply as Emile, is an American music producer from Buffalo, New York. His range of production includes alternative rock, hip hop, indie and pop music. Haynie has worked with several prominent ar ...

. Production of the album was led by

, who also co-wrote "

Blue Jeans Jeans are a type of pants or trousers made from denim or dungaree cloth. Often the term "jeans" refers to a particular style of trousers, called "blue jeans", with copper-riveted pockets which were invented by Jacob W. Davis in 1871 and pate ...

". Music videos accompanied each single, which were produced by Del Rey herself and uploaded to YouTube. Although the video for "

Video Games Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...

" that Del Rey filmed with her

webcam A webcam is a video camera which is designed to record or stream to a computer or computer network. They are primarily used in videotelephony, livestreaming and social media, and security. Webcams can be built-in computer hardware or peripheral ...

was not intended as a single at the time, it garnered enough online buzz to be noticed by Stranger Records, leading to Del Rey signing a joint record deal with Interscope and

Polydor Records Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...

. Selling over 24,000 copies in the United States, the EP peaked at number 20 on the US ''Billboard'' 200, reaching number six on both the ''Billboard'' Rock Albums and

Alternative Albums The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in '' Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, p ...

charts. All four songs on the EP were released as

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

on ''Born to Die'', with three charting internationally.

Music and lyrics

Del Rey used lower vocals on the EP, claiming "people weren't taking me very seriously, so I lowered my voice, believing that it would help me stand out. Now I sing quite low... well, for a female anyway." The singer's first singles, "Video Games" and "Born to Die" were described variously as "quasi-cabaret balladry", "woozy and sometimes soporific soundtrack soul", "pop", and "

". The third track, "Blue Jeans", was influenced by hip hop and has a minimalist beat that recalls songs by

Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...

. "Off to the Races" has been lyrically described as "a freak show of inappropriate co-dependency", with a chorus that recalls Sheryl Crow's "down and out drunken loner persona" in her 1994 single "

Leaving Las Vegas ''Leaving Las Vegas'' is a 1995 American drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis, and based on the semi-autobiographical 1990 novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic in Los Angeles who, having ...

". Pryia Elan of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' noted the track "almost falls under the weight of this persona. There's none of 'Video Games' measured, piano-led reflection. Instead the psychosexual rumblings of the lyrics and the dual voices she uses off set the comparatively simple musical shades on display."

Critical reception

John Bush of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

considered the singer a femme fatale "with a smoky voice, a languorous image, and a modeling contract". However, Bush rated the EP 2.5 stars out of five, considering it only "as a teaser from the album".

Commercial performance

The EP entered the ''Billboard'' 200 on the chart issue of January 21, 2012, at number 20, after selling 14,000 digital copies. As of February 1, 2012, it has sold 24,000 digital copies in the United States.

Track listing

Charts

Release history

References

{{Authority control 2012 EPs Albums produced by Emile Haynie Indie pop EPs Interscope Records EPs Lana Del Rey albums