Sound Tracking: Lana Del Rey album fails to meet lofty expectations

Created: Thursday, February 2, 2012 9:42 a.m. CDT

Updated: Monday, February 6, 2012 2:14 p.m. CDT

Text Size: AaAaAaAaAa

Pop singer Lana Del Rey's latest album, "Born To Die," is out this week. (Courtesy photo)

Buy Northwest Herald Photos »

Here is a look at new music out this week.

Lana Del Rey "Born To Die"

Bloggers, music writers, message board trolls and others have spent a considerable amount of time in the past few months dispelling myths about 25-year-old pop artist Lana Del Rey on the internet. I don't care that's not her real name or how much money her dad has. I'm not in the business of reviewing pseudonyms and smart investments. I'm in the music reviewing business. So the rest of this space will be devoted to talking about her major label debut. "Born To Die" so wants to be a brooding indie pop album. But a lack of lyrical substance keeps this from being a good brooding indie pop album. "Pick me up and take me like a real man/And my body's sweet like sugar in the morning yeah/Baby that's because I'm playing on the radio" Del Rey sings on "Radio." While the music is OK, the lyrics just seem rather blah. The same holds true for most of this album. You can't have The Machine without Florence. The first single, "Video Games," isn't bad and is actually one of the better song-writing efforts on "Born To Die." Why couldn't all of the tracks on this release have been like this one? While "Born To Die" may be somewhat disappointing, there is a little glimmer of hope there that Del Rey could have some potential. Now we'll have to wait and see if she is given a chance in the court of computer screen-lit naysayers.

Leonard Cohen "Old Ideas"

The first album of new material in eight years from 77-year-old Leonard Cohen is solid from start to finish. Staying true to his form, Cohen delivers his words as if they were the last to over cross his lips. His deliberate delivery is done with the same rasp as it always has. "Old Ideas" is Cohen being Cohen. He just has a way with words, both in his writing and singing/talking that is unique to his own style. Cohen is haunting yet warm and sincere. While none of these songs are on par with "Hallelujah," one of his greatest hits, they are up there with some of his best. Check out the tracks "Darkness" and "Going Home".

Gotye "Making Mirrors"

Pronounced go-t-yay, this Belgium-born artist has some talent. Gotye is a multi-instrumentalist, and he puts his abilities on display on "Making Mirrors." The electronic pop album stays mostly upbeat. You start to see some flaws in Gotye's game when the songs stray from that path. Song such as "Eyes Wide Open" and "I Feel Better" are much better than the slower numbers. That, however, does not include the creep-tastic "Don't Worry, We'll Be Watching You." You can almost picture Gotye slinking around the corner into the darkness as he sings this one.

Also out this week: Aretha Franklin, "Knew You Were Waiting: The Best of Aretha Franklin 1980-1998"; The Fresh Beat Band, "The Fresh Beat Band: Music From the Hit TV Show": Hit the Lights, "Invicta"; Imperial Teen "Feel the Sound"; The Jealous Sound, "A Gentle Reminder"; Metallica, "Beyond Magnetic"; Gretchen Peters, "Hello Cruel World"; Ringo Starr, "Ringo 2012."

Out Feb. 7: AIR, "Le Voyage Dans La Lune"; Dierks Bentley, "Home"; Escape Club, "Celebrity"; Roberta Flack, "Let It Be Roberta: Roberta Flack Sings The Beatles"; The Fray, "Scars & Stories"; Ben Kweller, "Go Fly a Kite"; Mark Lanegan Band, "Blues Funeral"; Paul McCartney, "Kisses on the Bottom"; of Montreal. "Paralytic Stalks"; Shaggy, "Summer in Kingston"; Silverstein, "Short Songs"; Van Halen, "A Different Kind of Truth"; Rita Wilson, "AM/FM".

Out Feb. 14: Band of Skulls, "Sweet Sour"; Heartless Bastards, "Arrow"; Phenomenal Handclap Band, "Form & Control"; Mitch Ryder, "The Promise."

Out Feb. 21: Band of Skulls, "Sweet Sour"; Cheap Girls, "Giant Orange"; The Chieftains, "Voice of Ages"; Galactic, "Carnivale Electricos"; Angelique Kidjo, "Spirit Rising"; Sinéad O'Connor, "How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?"; Sleigh Bells, "Reign of Terror."

Out Feb. 28: Carolina Chocolate Drops, "Leaving Eden"; Chiddy Bang, "Breakfast"; Corrosion of Conformity, "Corrosion of Conformity"; The Cranberries, "Roses"; Estelle, "All of Me"; Sophie B. Hawkins, "The Crossing"; Ja Rule, "PIL2 (Pain Is Love 2)"; Oak Ridge Boys and Dukes of Dixieland, "When Country Meets Dixie."

• Click here to check out this week's Sidetracks Sound Tracking playlist on Spotify. Want this music on the go? Scan the QR code attached to the Sound Tracking column in Thursday's Sidetracks to link directly to the playlist in Spotify (must have premium account).