4) Ultraviolence Is A Tragic Concept Album
Detractors have criticized Del Rey in the past for crafting a stylized persona in her work, but all artists do this to an extent and with Lana, this artificial character is arguably the biggest draw of her songs. Through the tortured ruminations of this central noir inspired figure, Del Rey is able to explore the depths of melancholia without sounding overly depressing.
Ultraviolence is a concept album yearning to find the beauty in tragedy, romanticizing extreme emotions of loss and isolation. Del Rey was born to create dark ballads that wrap doomed affairs and American decadence into one sad, haunting work of art. The sweeping desolation of the opener Cruel World sets the tone for the rest of the album and even the more pop-friendly songs like West Coast contain a bleak undercurrent.
Even with song titles like Sad Girl and Pretty When You Cry, the album never strays too far into the gloom, remaining sad but ultimately not depressing. Del Rey’s sensual yet childlike vulnerability is threaded throughout Ultraviolence, unifying each track with a consistent tone that should sound repetitive, but actually reveals itself to be more and more varied with every listen. In an era where single downloads reign supreme, it’s refreshing that Ultraviolence was clearly designed to be enjoyed as an entire experience, one that is perfect for hazy summer days and long, intimate nights.
