Lana Del Ray (album)

Not to be confused with Lana Del Rey (EP).
Lana Del Ray
Studio album by Lana Del Ray
Released January 4, 2010
Recorded 2008; 12 West, 37th Street, 4th Floor (New York City)
Length 47:23
Label 5 Points
Producer David Kahne
Lana Del Ray chronology

Kill Kill
(2008)		 Lana Del Ray
(2010)		 Lana Del Rey
(2012)

Lana Del Ray[1] (also known as Lana Del Ray a.k.a. Lizzy Grant[2]) is the debut studio album by American recording artist Lana Del Rey. The album was released digitally via iTunes Stores by 5 Points Records on January 4, 2010 when she was known as Lana Del Ray. However, the record was eventually pulled from retailers soon afterwards because, according to Del Rey, the label was unable to fund it. Del Rey ultimately bought back the rights to the album, whose title uses an alternate spelling of the singer's stage name, "Del Rey" being spelled "Del Ray" instead. After releasing Born to Die (2012) under her stage name Lana Del Rey, she expressed her wish to re-release the album.

Recording and history
"Kill Kill"
A brief sample of "Kill Kill". which combines electronica and blues rock elements.[3]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Del Rey released a three-track extended play (EP) titled Kill Kill through 5 Points Records in October 2008, during which time she was known as Lizzy Grant.[4] David Kahne, who recorded the album with Del Rey over a period of three months, in 2008.[5] "Yayo" would later be re-recorded, released again, on the "Paradise Edition" of Born to Die[6] Del Rey stated that Kahne "is known as a producer with a lot of integrity and who had an interest in making music that wasn't just pop."[7] Her father, Robert Grant, helped with the marketing of the album,[8] which was available for purchase on iTunes for a brief period before being withdrawn. According to David Kahne, who produced Grant and Label owner David Nichtern, Grant bought the rights back from her label, 5 Points, as she wanted it out of circulation. In an interview, Nichtern stated "Her and her new manager came in and said 'We want to get this off the market. We’re going for a completely new deal. We’ll buy you out of the deal.' So we made a separation agreement."[9][10] In January 2012, upon the release of her major-label album, Born to Die, Del Rey stated to the BBC that she recently bought back the rights of the album and was planning on re-releasing it in the Summer of 2012.[11][12] In May 2012, she announced that the album would not be re-released that summer.[13] Del Rey did however re-record and re-release "Yayo" on her Paradise EP.[14][11][3]

On his official website, David Kahne wrote about the recording process and the story behind the song "Gramma" stating: "Lizzy's Gramma is so important in her life. While we were recording, Lizzy had a picture of her Gramma holding her on her lap. Lizzy was crying and her Gramma has such a sweet smile on her face, in the sun at the beach. "I don't want to think I'm bad, Gramma, just for feelin' pretty..."[15]

Release and artwork

Del Ray and producer David Kahne finished the whole album in early 2008 and were expecting for it to be released later that year, her label at the time said that she should just put out a extended play instead, she didn't expect to not release the album that she worked night and day on for a year. Fervent supporters from iTunes contacted her to drop all 13 songs and promised her credit. Del Ray instead released the EP for Kill Kill, which was released on 21 October 2008. The standard album was digitally released on 24 January 2010 and was shelved no longer than three months because she inverted her focus on other projects. It's a golden album depicts Del Ray wearing a black baseball jacket with a glimmering silver bra, blonde hair cut while leaning back against a wall looking down; the title "Lana Del Ray a.k.a. Lizzy Grant" is positioned at the top left of her image in all-capitalized black Impact, The artwork was unveiled on iTunes in January 2010 and was made available through the traditional digital download in January to March 2010. Photography was taken by her sister Caroline Grant.

Music videos

Del Ray released seven self-directed music videos through YouTube during the recent recordings for the album and the Kill Kill extended play. The first, titled song "Kill Kill", was released on 11 March 2008, it served for the lead single from the album on 21 October 2008. It was followed by "Gramma" and sees Del Ray singing when wearing her long blonde wig and a red baseball jacket. It was released on 8 April 2009 and the song was also released on 21 October 2008, track 3 from the extended play "Kill Kill". 22 April 2009 there was "Yayo" the song was released on 21 October 2008, track 2 from the extended play "Kill Kill". Uploaded on 13 June 2009 was "Mermaid Motel", 3 August 2009 "Put Me In A Movie", 23 August 2009 "Brite Lites", 18 October 2009 "Jump".

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer Length
1. "Kill Kill"  Elizabeth GrantDavid Kahne 3:57
2. "Queen of the Gas Station"  
  • Grant
  • Kahne
Kahne 3:04
3. "Oh Say Can You See"  GrantKahne 3:40
4. "Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven)"  
  • Grant
  • Kahne
Kahne 3:55
5. "For K, Pt. 2"  GrantKahne 3:24
6. "Jump"  GrantKahne 2:50
7. "Mermaid Motel"  GrantKahne 3:59
8. "Raise Me Up (Mississippi South)"  GrantKahne 4:22
9. "Pawn Shop Blues"  
  • Grant
  • Kahne
Kahne 3:26
10. "Brite Lites"  GrantKahne 2:57
11. "Put Me in a Movie"  GrantKahne 3:13
12. "Smarty"  
  • Grant
  • Kahne
Kahne 2:49
13. "Yayo"  GrantKahne 5:45
Total length:
 47:23

References

  1. ↑ "Lana Del Ray by Lana Del Ray – iTunes". iTunes Store (US). Archived from the original on April 17, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Lana Del Rey to Re-Release First Album". Rolling Stone. January 27, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tremblay, Brea (2008). "Lizzy Grant Interview". Index Magazine. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Kill Kill: Lizzy Grant: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2012.
  5. ↑ Collier, Jessica (January 28, 2010). "Lizzy Grant aka. Lana Del Rey releases album". Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  6. ↑ "Born To Die - The Paradise Edition". Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  7. ↑ Calvert, John (October 4, 2011). "Original Sin: An Interview With Lana Del Rey". The Quietus. Retrieved December 3, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Jessica Collier,: Interview: Lizzy Grant aka. Lana Del Rey releases EP". adirondack daily enterprise.com. January 28, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Why Lana Del Rey's First Album Disappeared". MTV (Viacom). January 30, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
  10. ↑ "lana del rey cover story". Billboard (Prometheus Global Media). January 13, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Young, Alex (January 27, 2012). "Lana Del Rey to release "lost album"". Consequences of Sound. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  12. ↑ "love, the law, lana del rey cover story". BBC. January 27, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Lana Del Rey on World Cafe". NPR. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  14. ↑ Sturges, Fiona (January 20, 2012). "Lana Del Rey: A beguiling beauty who's more than a one-hit wonder". The Independent. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  15. ↑ http://www.vincristin.com/songs/gramma