Lana Del Rey Day - And Then I'll Stop, I Promise

Okay, so clearly I've been drinking the Kool-Aid, albeit Pabst Blue Ribbon flavored and named after today's new indie Queen Lana Del Rey. Lana Del R-aid. Anybody? I think it has a nice ring to it.

The long awaited debut from the internet sensation drops today. Born To Die has already hit the number one spot on iTunes Top Albums chart in 17 countries and continues to climb in others. Looks like the haters and nay-sayers are eating their words right about now.

To celebrate the release, check out these new videos of Del Rey performing cuts from her debut. It's no Saturday Night Live, but in this case that may be a good thing. Enjoy!

Born To Die


Video Games


Million Dollar Man


Off To the Races
COMING SOON!

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Review: Lana Del Rey "Born To Die"

It seems that everyone has an opinion about the viral sensation that few knew existed a month ago, Lana Del Rey. And while many of her critics slam her for the awkward and off-putting performance she delivered on Saturday Night Live a couple of weeks ago, the fact remains that she's one of the most talked about artists that have emerged seemingly - and arguably - out of obscurity. But just days from the release of her debut album Born To Die, any press is good press.

As her single bounces into the Top 10 this week and the album predicted to do the same, music insiders are on the edge of their seat to see what this self-proclaimed "gangsta Nancy Sinatra" has up her sleeve next.

When I had my first listen to the highly-anticipated LP, it was everything I expected it to be: sultry, dark, artistic and, most of all, beautifully produced. Strings take the center stage on the album, as they gently strum through each of the 15-tracks, most of which were ironically produced by hip-hop producer Emile Haynie (Eminem, Lil Wayne). And even the tracks that appeared online as demos in the summer have been reproduced, leaving out their thumping beats, to fit the mellow and cinematic feel of the record.

Thematically the album provides much of what you'd expect from the pouty-mouthed songstress, as she teeters back-and-forth between passionate, and sometimes psychotic, lover, old-Hollywood glamor and seductive Lolita (literally, there's a track with the title). The four tracks from the previously released EP are clearly some of the album's highlights: the title track, "Born To Die", the dark mid-tempo favorite "Off To the Races", the breathy "Blue Jeans", and the viral sensation that started it all "Video Games". Other standouts include the dark ballad "Million Dollar Man", a cliche-filled track that lyrically isn't as impressive as the Fiona Apple styled vocal. "National Anthem", which is best summed up by it's hook (Money is the anthem/  God your so handsome/ Money is the anthem/ Of success), "Radio", including the almost-phrophetic lyrics "they only love me 'cause I'm playing on the radio", and the perfect Hollywood ending, "Lucky Ones", also seemingly find their way on repeat. Ultimately thought, from start to finish, this record proves strong and masterfully crafted. 

While it remains to be seen what this controversial new starlet will do with her flourishing fame, I can only hope this is part one of a series of successful stories told by Lizzy Grant (aka Lana Del Rey).

Listen to "Radio" now below and pre-order Born To Die on iTunes now.

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First Listen: Lana Del Rey "Without You"

With just days from the release of Born To Die, the debut album from Lana Del Rey, another track surfaces on Tragic Kingdom. Serving as a preview of what's to come from the Deluxe Version of the beautiful debut from the singer, enjoy this first listen of "Without You". 

A haunting melody swells around lyrics, that fill the singer's Twitter bio (Everything I want I have/ Money, notoriety and Rivieras/ I even think I found God/ In the flash bulbs of your pretty cameras).  A love story that so desperately calls to be included in feature films, the track is reason alone to spring for the Deluxe Version of the record, out January 30.

You can pre-order your copy now on iTunes and come back tomorrow for the full review of - and more music from - Born To Die.

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Wednesday Wrap Up: Good Girl Edition

The holidays are long over and the music industry's wheels have once again begun to turn at full speed. If you missed yesterday's long list of new releases, you can check them out here. Kellie Pickler emerged with her new traditional country record 100 Proof, Jack & White released their follow up EP Winter and new singles from Lana Del Rey and Bon Iver arrived. But the new tunes aren't the only things buzzing in the air. This morning, Country's reigning Queen, Carrie Underwood, announced that her new single, a rockin' foot-stomper titled "Good Girl", will be released to radio on February 23rd. See the single's artwork here and watch the clip of Carrie's announcement below. 

And here's other news making headlines this week in music:

- L.A. Reid announced the return of Fiona Apple via twitter. Read more about the long awaited new album here.

- Lana Del Rey is accused of plagiarizing the melody of her hit single "Video Games". Listen to the 'other version' here.

- Miike Snow releases a new track from his upcoming debut, which features indie-princess Lykke Li. Stream the song now.

- Simon Cowell announced that he will be launching a new - albeit another hit - reality series in search of the "world's greatest DJ's", read more.

- National joke, Nickelback, takes to Twitter to thank The Black Keys for dissing them, check out what they had to say here.

- Miley Cyrus returns to music with her take on Bob Dylan's "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go" and it's not that bad. Check out the music video here.

For more on these stories and all the latest goings on in music, keep checking Tragic Kingdom's Wednesday Wrap Up to stay in the know.

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Best of 2011: Top 10 Albums

If 2011 could be remembered for one thing, it would be that in 2011 the music industry was saved... by Adele. Selling 5.82 million copies of her sophomore album 21 - numbers that labels haven't seen in years - she definitely stands out as one of the industry's heroes. And even though not all albums saw the same success, there were still some seriously good records that dropped this year. Here's a list of my favorite.

10. Chancellor Warhol: The Silver Factory. Each track from the 14-track, sophomore LP feels like it was hand-picked and perfectly crafted for this compilation. The clever rhymes match with the album's equally clever title, borrowing from a Warhol of another name. The album's first single "Elvis"could easily find it's place in hip-hop's hall of fame and leave the genre's self-proclaimed "king," Kanye West, speechless. Listen to the track here now.

9. St. Vincent: Strange Mercy. Her third disc as St. Vincent, singer-guitarist Annie Clark delivers her take on electronic punk brilliantly.  Contributing to the electro-craze and paving the way for other like her, it's not likely that you'll be skipping any tracks on this compilation.

8. Youth Lagoon: The Year of Hibernation. It's rare that an artist emerges from obscurity - with an album that sounds like it was produced in his basement - and comes out on top. Youth Lagoon became an internet sensation with his unique sound and cinematic videos. Trevor Powers (Youth Lagoon) proves he has an ear for clever arrangement and the ability to write unique and catchy melodies. 2012 could be a big year for this newcomer and I'm looking forward to what's next from him.

7. The Black Keys: El Camino. The seventh album from rock music's new poster child, The Black Keys is great (their best in my opinion). Effortlessly taking you from track one to the last of the eleven-tracks, it feels like the duo have played on the album's kitschy title, taking the listener from point A to B like the old-school Chevrolet. And while the record is shorter than their previous efforts, it makes it that much more appealing ... and perhaps craving another.

6. SPELLS: Escapist. Ever since I first heard SPELLS in the late summer, I haven't been able to stop listening to his captivating debut EP Escapist. A unique blend of some of the most relevant sounds in music at the moment and making bold stylistic choices with the likeness of Radiohead and Coldplay, this indie-eloctro rocker is poised for greatness. And rumor is there's a new project in the works that will be better than anything we've heard yet.

5. Ryan Adams: Ashes & Fire. One of Ryan Adams' most mellow and beautiful records to date - my favorite for sure - Ashes & Fire includes background vocals from Norah Jones and wife, Mandy Moore. The record is flawless from start to finish and was set on repeat for most of my Fall, especially the track "Kindness". Touring in 2012, this record will likely continue to gain him more critical attention as more critics dive into its greatness.

4. Britney Spears: Femme Fatale. Clearly the smartest album to date for pop's reigning Princess, Femme Fatale was packed full of catchy pop melodies and dance beats that kept die hard fans satisfied and made fans out of those that still hadn't forgiven her for her public breakdown years earlier. The disc's first two singles, the clever "Hold It Against Me" and "Till The World Ends", consecutively debuted at number one making Spears the second artist in history, after Mariah Carey, to achieve that feat. And it seems we've only begun to see what Britney has in store for the future. Read more about the record here.

3. Lady Gaga: Born This Way. What would 2011 be without mention of Lady Gaga? Obviously one of the weirdest acts in music's history, her uncanny ability to write clever pop hooks, controversial lyrics, and memorable melodies will earn her a spot in pop music's hall of fame. With singles like "Judas", "Edge of Glory", "You & I" and the album's title track, this album contributed in a big way in 2011. 2012 will undoubtedly provide more crazy costumes and controversy, but hopefully more incredible pop tunes.

2. Coldplay: Mylo Xyloto. One of my most anticipated albums of the year, Coldplay delivered more than I could have expected on their new release. A more up-tempo, electronic sound, the record plays perfectly into their collection of masterfully written catalog. The stage is set and I hope to catch these legends-in-the-making on tour when they come through the U.S. in 2012. A show that I'll likely never forget. Listen to "Princess of China" now here. 

1. Adele: 21. "Rolling in the Deep" + "Someone Like You" + that voice. Enough said.

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First Listen: Lana Del Rey "National Anthem"

When you saw this post you probably thought either:
a) holy smokes, enough of Lana Del Rey already, or
b) hell yes! Just post the whole album already!

Only weeks until the release of Born To Die, the debut album from Lana Del Rey, and another track arrived this morning in my inbox. This time, it's the record's final track "National Anthem". No, it's not the country's patriotic tune, nor a take on the Radiohead masterpiece. The track does in fact have an anthemic hook ("Tell me I'm your national anthem"), but the verses are Ke$ha inspired talk/rap combined with Del Rey's signature pouty vocal. 

Listen to the track below and stay tuned for more from Lana Del Rey, who will take SNL's stage on January 14th followed by the release of Born To Die on January 30th.

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Best Of 2011: Top 10 Songs

2011 was quite a year for music - some of the biggest albums of our time hit the shelves, legends were made, and newcomers burst onto the scene with feverous vengeance. Listed below are the top ten tracks Tragic Kingdom played on repeat all year long.

10. Foster the People: Pumped Up Kicks. These electronic rockers had a big year and whether you liked it or not, you had to bob your head to the controversial single that seemed to play every 5 minutes on radio all over the country. It'll be interesting to see where these guys take their next project, but for now let's retire this catchy number and look forward to something new in 2012, shall we?

9. Kelly Clarkson: Stronger. The album, of the same name, was packed full of catchy pop anthems, but the second single from the pop diva is an instant pop classic. The flash mob-inspired video that accompanied it could have been better, but I'm hopeful we're only beginning to see the life of this jam.

8. Lana Del Rey: Born To Die. Had this single not dropped in late December it would have likely been towards the top of the list. As one of 2012's most promising new starlets, my hunger for more music from this newcomer is insatiable and the title track from her upcoming album satisfied that hunger for the time being. Her full album drops at the end of the month.

7. Ryan Adams: Lucky Now. Ryan Adams returned with his album Ashes & Fire, his most mellow and stripped down album to date. And while the entire album is a clear masterpiece, the lead single kicked it off quite nicely.

6. Lady Gaga: Electric Chapel. One track that has yet to be released to radio from Lady Gaga's massively successful Born This Way was one of my favorite tracks of the year. The electric guitar, heavy synth, and even heavier beat is a pure work of art.

5. The Black Keys: Lonely Boy. The Nashville rockers' new record is flawless and the lead single from El Camino is a perfect jam. Maybe it's the pivotal bridge in track that seems to connect their consistent sound to an insatiably infectious hook, allowing credibility on the pop charts this year. And it's that track that have music enthusiasts - like me - (and music supervisors) salivating.

4. Watch The Throne (Jay Z & Kanye West): N**gas in Paris. One of the greatest rap collaborations in history of the genre and the single was a great way to kick off one of the most hyped games of the year. And if rumors are true, there may be a Watch The Throne Pt. II, which would clearly be another solid move.

3. Coldplay: Princess of China (feat. Rihanna). When Coldplay's new record Mylo Xyloto hit my inbox it was like Christmas had come early. The more uptempo album is good from start to finish and includes some massive radio friendly hooks, but none as captivating as the duet the band turned out with R&B Princess, Rihanna. I can only imagine what this track does when it is brought to life in an artistic video and hits radio.

2. Britney Spears: Till the World Ends. It's Britney, bitch. A term that seemed more relevant this year than when her Blackout album, from which it was featured, was released. For years the world watched as their pop starlet tried to recover from a highly public breakdown, but in 2011 when her Femme Fatale album was released, it seemed the never-ending support of her fans paid off. Well that, and the incredibly infectious hook that the other pop-starlet Ke$ha helped write. "Till the World Ends" will likely end up as infamous as her "oh baby, baby" from the previous decade and will remain on my "party playlist" for years to come.

1. Adele: Someone Like You / Rolling in the Deep. No surprise here. And while it pains me to follow suit from what every other list is doing, it's undeniable that Adele is the winner of the year. And not only that, but I can't even decide which track had more of impact. The lead track "Rolling In the Deep, from her album 21, is clearly worthy of years of praise. And the follow up single "Someone Like You" is so heart wrenching and honest, even SNL had to poke fun at it's impact on the country.

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