I really do love Video Games. It's a great song and I think you'd have to be musically stunted not to like it. But Born to Die has been a huge disappointment.
Lyrically it's pretty weak. Here's a verse from Dark Paradise.
All my friends ask me
Why I stay strong
Tell 'em when you find true love it lives on
That's why I stay here
There's no remedy, for memory
Your face is like a melody
It won't leave my head
Your soul is haunting me
And telling me that everything is fine
But I wish I was dead
Yikes. It seems as though she wants to be seen as deep and meaningful but the lyrics are too linear and obvious to make them poetic. She also works too hard on making things rhyme which to me is a bit naff. And melodically it's very middle of the road. It's benefited from some pretty slick production but that's about it.
Her laconic voice is the album's only redeeming feature. But alas, after having watched her perform Video Games on Saturday Night Live I seriously question the merits of her vocals.
She may aspire to be an indie songwriter, but this album places her firmly in the pop genre.
