Sirens (May Jailer album)

Sirens
Demo album by May Jailer
Recorded 2006; Jim Cushman Studios, Lake Placid, NY
Genre Acoustic
Length 53:17
Producer Elizabeth Grant, Stephen Menander
Lana Del Rey chronology

Young Like Me
(2005)		 Sirens
(2006)		 Kill Kill
(2008)

Sirens is an unreleased demo album by Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, under the pseudonym May Jailer. The entire album was leaked through YouTube in May 2012.[1] The songs on the album were compared to the works of Lee Hazlewood and Jewel.

Composition

Composed entirely of acoustic tracks, the album is devoid of the hip hop beats, electronic tones, and experimental music found on Born to Die.[2][3][4] The vocals are "granola-style". Most of the album's songs have the same tempo.[5]

Critical reception

Tom Breihan of Stereogum said it was not confirmed whether the tracks were recorded by Del Rey, but if they were not, they were believable fakes.[6] Over acoustic guitar, the vocals are tremulous and full of "languid mystique", he said, noting that they are "...a different sort of fragile Lee Hazlewood narco-haze vibe."[6] Idolator likened the Jailer album to Jewel's debut, Pieces of You.[2] Further, Idolator said: "Though her vocals are often weak and shaky, her tone sounds delicate and sweet on all these simple tracks...[The] songs [are] written in her range, so she doesn't have to sing (and sing-talk) in her head voice and resort to that cutesy, flirty baby coo so prominent throughout Born To Die."[2] Pop Crush reviewer Amy Sciarretto said she could imagine Del Rey singing the album's tracks in a coffeehouse. Calling the tracks themselves "folky and fragile", Sciarretto noted that they did not even come close to comparing to the synthesizer-heavy songs on Born to Die.[5] Further, she likened Del Rey's voice to that of a "little bird", saying it was no wonder that songs called "Birds of a Feather" and "Aviation" appeared on the album.[5]

Track listing

Sirens – Standard version[7]

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Drive By(aka for k part 1)"  Elizabeth Grant 2:51
2. "Next to Me"  Grant 2:41
3. "A Star For Nick"  Grant 2:43
4. "My Momma"  Grant 3:25
5. "Bad Disease"  Grant 3:42
6. "Out With A Bang"  Grant 3:19
7. "Dear Elliot"  Grant 4:33
8. "Try Tonight"  Grant 3:35
9. "Peace"  Grant 5:48
10. "How Do You Know Me So Well?"  Grant 3:59
11. "Pretty Baby"  Grant 3:39
12. "Aviation"  Grant 3:11
13. "Move"  Grant 4:13
14. "Junky Pride"  Grant 2:52
15. "Birds of a Feather"  Grant 2:46[8]
Total length:
 53:17

References

  1. ↑ "Lana Del Rey's first album 'Sirens' leaks". Strut.com. May 31, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bain, Becky. "Lana Del Rey's First Album: Listen To Songs She Recorded As May Jailer". Idolator. Buzz Media. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  3. ↑ Copsey, Robert (November 23, 2011). "Lana Del Rey: 'People didn't take me seriously with a high voice'". Digital Spy. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved December 20, 2011.
  4. ↑ Ryan, Damien (September 14, 2011). "Track Review: Lana Del Rey – Blue Jeans". So So Gay. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Sciarretto, Amy. "Listen to Lana Del Rey's May Jailer 'Sirens' Album". Pop Crush. Retrieved October 11, 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Breihan, Tom. "Hear Lana Del Rey's Debut LP As May Jailer". Stereogum. Buzz Media. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Another early album from Lana Del Rey leaks online?". NME. June 1, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Another early album from Lana Del Rey leaks online?". NME. June 1, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2012.