A Beautiful album, it is not great, but it has heart. If it were not for the stupidly high amount of hype, then people would actually stop being so hateful and actually listen to the music. I, frankly think people should give her a chance, her music is excellent, each has its own story to tell... Like their own universe and you feel compelled to listen to the end, and it is a grower.

The US critics have called this so wrong by obsessing over her 'authenticity'. This is pop music, not the race to be President! This is a simply magical album and so very different to what's currently happening in the charts. Haunting vocals, beautiful melodies, some subtle hip hop in the mix, amazing production. Best debut album for many a year.

Awesome album, too bad the official critics looked for her personal life + her live in the SNL.
She may not be ready to sing live, but in the studio she's really good.
The album give the image of a happy and sad love and life, but this contrast with her voice is what make the album almost perfect.

Coming into 2012, Lana Del Rey was easily one of the most buzzed about new artists, everything she seemed to do created controversy all over the net. All of this controversy is what led me to her breakout single 'Video Games' in September. From the second I heard her voice on that track, I knew she was going to be something special & this was only confirmed after I began to research her other work. During my research, it also became clear that Lana already had a large group of people who despised everything she did and believe me they made it known by commenting on every article/video about her on the web. So before you take some of the other more... 'harsh' reviews into account, I would like to tell you that even if this album was a masterpiece, the people rating it anything below a 4 would have never admitted to liking it. But enough about her haters, lets get onto the album.

I must say that after listening to it thoroughly, 'Born to Die' is by far her best piece of work to date. Lana effortlessly changes personas, exploring thematic elements of death & love all while displaying her full vocal range. The entire album is cohesive & in my honest opinion no track seems out of place when you listen to it as a whole (Including the 3 Bonus tracks, which all sound like they belong on the Standard Edition). Go into the album with an open mind and I promise you that you will enjoy what you hear. I look forward to seeing this album on an array of 'Best of 2012' lists come the end of the year because this is easily one of the strongest debut albums released in years.

Standout Tracks: Dark Paradise, Summertime Sadness, National Anthem… Expand

First thing I think when listening to this album: who is she trying to copy with that fake voice? Celine Dion, Dolores O'riodan, Dido? Second thing: is this the soundtrack for a really ban melodramatic movie? Third: Why is everybody talking so much about her? There's nothing special in her. And finally: she will soon be forgotten

The album is lackluster, and it's authenticity is BEYOND questionable. Not only that, but all the songs begin to sound alike. Not to say there are not songs that are ear worthy [Lucky Ones, national anthem, Lolita, Summertime Sadness] but this album is as overrated as it gets. She will be forgotten as quickly as she was discovered. Adele's album may be highly overrated and monotone but at least it has character. This album is pretty vacant and lost when you really think about it. The hype surrounding this album is coming from people who obviously are trying hard to be different from what is dominating music or people who really know nothing outside the music they are accustomed to.… Expand

This is one of THE BEST album, I've heard in a while. The album is so atmospheric, haunting, and cinematic. Each song paints a beautiful imaginative picture when you listen to them which is so rare nowadays for a mainstream pop artist to achieve this feat. The production is top notch with cascading swoops that lifts your soul through each songs. The lyrics are well written and fits the theme of the album perfectly, while Lana vocals pierce through with emotion and wonderful clarity. Overall, it is an amazing debut.… Expand

This album has some nice music. I'm really looking forward to her work in the future. I just hope she achieves a masterpiece like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is.

I consider myself a fairly harsh critic of female artists. My all time favorite is PJ Harvey, followed closely by Fiona Apple and Tori Amos. I do not like many female artists and I look for a combination of powerful vocals, thoughtful lyrics, and complex music.

Lana Del Rey's album is absolutely, hands down, the best album by a new female artist that I have heard in over a decade. I listen to it because I love the music. I like her vocals. I like her pop-art approach and the cohesive nature of the songs. I see reviews complaining that she is fake - but that is the point. She is presenting a character for us, a very flawed perception of America - an American illusion. There are clues to her intentions sprinkled throughout the album, notably on National Anthem when she references her intent to blur the lines between real and fake.

The album works beautifully as a whole, each song giving us a moment in one character's life, a moment which furthers Lana's concept of the dark American dream. Her characters are "degenerate beauty queens" and girls with questionable Vegas pasts...but almost always girls or women who know how to love and are hanging within an uncertain moment.

Listen to the music and judge the music. Don't get sucked into the negative hype without hearing the songs. If you like complex sounds, electronic elements, emotive vocals and interesting characters then give the album a chance. I could not be more thrilled and cannot wait to hear more from Lana Del Rey.… Expand

Born to Die more than lives up to the hype LDR created with Video Games. You can expect to bathe in more atmospheric sound as present on her double A side but also get acquainted with a more upbeat, hip-hop side of LDR with tracks like 'Diet Mountain Dew'. Her lyrics are sometimes clever, often silly but at those moments, it's best to ignore them and concentrate on the mystery she creates with her voice and the production. 'Summertime Sadness' is definitely a highlight.… Collapse

This has to be the most overrated album since Adele's 21. It's like people forget all the good music that was released in between... yes, there was good music released. How boring is this anyway? She lacks charisma and the songs sound the same from start to finish.

From the first track to the last, del Rey's haunting theme of love gone wrong and damsel in distress bleeds into each song, albeit in the same melodic pattern, but beautiful nonetheless. Songs "This is What Make Us Girls," "Born to Die," and " Radio" make up a powerhouse trio from the LP that boasts the strongest of her personality and vulnerability. Great freshman album.

Simply conceptual ... Lana del Rey is without a doubt one of the best voices of our time. Her debut album was fantastic and deserves to be recognized.

It's not a bad album, but it isn't great either. Definitely not worthy of the hype. There are some good tunes here but Del Rey is not a very good lyricist and needs to improve her writing skills.

This is probably one of the first pop albums that I like. Don't listen to the "professional critics", cause those can be divided into three categories:
- Those who for some reason thought she was indie (even though she never claimed to be), and then received a pop album. So they gave it negative reviews (pitchfork, stereogum).
- Those who knew she was pop but thought she was inauthentic (what the hell does that mean anyway) and listened to it with their mind already made up.
- Those who listened to it, remaining impartial at first.

Now, my personal review: the first six songs are all great, without any exception. After that, the album gets a bit same-ish, but the tracks are all still good. "Video games" still remains one of the best pop songs of the last years.

Anyone who thinks this girl is untalented, should really listen to this album. She has a phenomenal voice. The lyrics are a bit "eh", but compared to artists like Rihanna/Kesha/whatever she deserves the nobel prize for them.

Pitchfork described born to die as follows: "so romantic it makes you long for reality". I beg to differ. It's reality that makes you want to join LDR's fantasy world. This album won't be everyone's cup of tea, due to the style of music, but it IS certain she has a great voice. I wouldn't call it a master piece, but it is a very promising debut. 8/10… Expand

Very good album overall. Isn't it hilarious how the American critics are the ones generally dissecting her due to her bad SNL debut performance, while the U.K critics are the ones praising her? It goes to show how impressionable the U.S media is, had she not bombed on SNL she wouldn't receive such scathing reviews and you can tell what's the center of a lot of these reviews; her past personal life.

Top tracks:

Video Games
Born To Die
Radio
Summertime Sadness
Million Dollar Man… Expand

I really don't give a F*ck about where she came from and whether she's authentic or fake. Her music touched me, and at the end of the day it's all that really matters. Her album is pop perfection. Wonderful lyrics, great vocals, and AMAZING production.
Top Tracks: Radio, Carmen, and Born To Die. (All the tracks are great, but these are the stand outs)

This doesn't deserve all the backlash it is getting. Agreed that there are some songs sounding in similar style, but I like the style she is setting up for herself. Next album will def be stronger, you can tell she is just getting started, so, listen more than once and see that this is better than a lot of other fluff out there.

The only word to describe Born To Die is perfection. The production, the lyrics and Lana's voice make it one of the best albums of this year so far.

The first 4 songs on the album are top notch. The rest are ok.
Some bad internet chatter beat up on her pretty good, but listening to the first 4 songs I find it hard to believe most honest critics would not be won over.

Funny how the world can turn on someone sometimes.

Im really surprised at these crappy critiques . I mean who cares if she performed badly at the SNL? It was one of her first performances and in a video she said that she gets overly nervous . Lets critique the ALBUM shall we? There are a lot of gems on this album especially "Diet Mountain Dew" & "Dark Paradise" which showcase her unique voice and im quite glad that she's not one of those artists who puts out generic crappy pop music or stupid ballads she actually pours out her heart into this music and you can hear her emotions through her voice . Overall this album is better than the other stuff that Rihanna or Lady gaga or Katy perry are giving us and this does not deserve a "59" . To the critique who compared Lana del rey to Ke$ha , how were you hired? you should be waiting tables were you belong… Expand

This is another pretentious album , that the basic **** think is going to make them look like hipsters and snobs. It's funny because the album has the same melody from the beginning to the end and it's beyond boring and most of the tracks go unnoticed. Her vocals is obviously the best thing on it, there are some ok songs like This What Makes Us Girls, Video Games, Radio and Lucky Ones.

Lana Del Rey's Video Games was a viral internet hit last year. It got the general public and critics buzzing with anticipation. With so much hype around her, will she able to deliver? Boy, she DID! The album is cohesive and a joy to listen to. Each and every track is like a mini-movie. Every song is dramatic which is not a bad thing at all. From the stunning robo beat opening track "Born To Die" to the retro ghostly "Million Dollar Man" everything is I dare to say almost perfect. The Deluxe tracks are also good, especially "Lucky Ones" with its beautiful harps at the end. In Short, this is a very strong debut album by miss Del Rey.… Expand

Atmospheric,retro,youthful,fun,nostalgic,melodic and more,that's Lana Del Rey's debut 'Born To Die'.One of the best pop albums in the last few years,it's fresh and exciting,it sounds like nothing out there.Her voice is hypnotic and while listening to this album I get most intense imagery,it's so beautiful.Gives me chills.
It bugs me that critic score and the fact what kind of albums are getting better reviews than this.The excuses are so funny and they are mostly coming from US critics who are reviewing everything but the album.EW has problems with her lyrics and the next you see them giving Ke$ha,Pitbull,Justin Bieber,Rihanna better scores.Rolling Stone(2 stars really) has problems with lack of her emotions and yet you see them giving Femme Fatale(I love Britney) 4 stars.Or Rihanna 3.5 stars,it doesn't really bother them her repetative repeating of **** million times but they have problem with Lana.Oh it's so cool to hate on Lana.Someone should be fired.Their credibility is laughable.Hypocrisy at best.
It's so sad seeing people wanting someone to fail so badly.They don't even know the real facts about Del Rey and they should check it fast.Spin has nice article about it and everyone should check it -> http://www.spin.com/articles/deconstructing-lana-del-rey?page=0%2C0… Expand

Amazing album, beautiful melodies and fantastic lyrics. I just can't understand why US reviews are so bad, they should focus on her music not not the SNL performace or her so called "fake personality" Lana is truly talented and no one can deny that.

If I'm honest, I didn't want to go with the critics for this one, but when I first downloaded and listened to Born to Die shortly after its release, it became obvious to me that one of my most anticipated albums at the end of 2011 had turned out to be a disappointing mixed bag. Going through the tracklist, the title track and opener is dramatic and initially enjoyable though unremarkable, but the cringeworthy melodrama and lyrics of second track "Off to the Races" chokes is lush strings and production for a full five minutes, no less. Next, "Blue Jeans" is propulsive and inoffensive though bland, with a decent sense for song structure. At this point, "Video Games", the album's only complete triumph, comes off so honest, so sincere and so beautifully crafted that it feels slightly out of place in a set of songs so dedicated to ego and persona. No surprise that it clashes so vehemently with the obnoxious intro to the following track: "You're no good for me, but baby I want you, I want you." The ensuing three tracks are fairly predictable pop songs with their fair share of downfalls, but where normally an album like Born to Die would end in a series of unlistenable sentimental ballads, something must be said for the final few songs on the album, as they show the most promise: "Summertime Sadness," despite the title, builds up well and has a simple, powerful refrain. "Million Dollar Man," while sadly overproduced, may be the only song comparable in quality to "Video Games:" Del Rey's powerful voice is shown off over jazzy piano that make the song interesting and listenable. Still, not even these strong points could save the album: at the end of the day, despite considerable merits, it just sounds all too similar and uninteresting as a whole.… Expand

Para tentar fazer a resenha do álbum de estréia de Lana Del Rey, Born to Die, é necessário seguir uma linha de raciocínio: Lana Del Rey é a versão em um mundo paralelo da Adele. Lana Del Rey é uma artista fabricada, dark, plastificada, indie, misteriosa, melancólica. Enquanto Adele seria a versão de um dos filmes de Woody Allen, Lana seria a David Lynch. Tão diferentes, tão geniais.

Born to Die é uma viagem sombria na cabeça de uma cantora que se transforma em uma personagem em um mundo de corações partidos, morte idealizada e amores a flor da pele. É tudo muito pomposo em sua produção espetacular em sua asséptica. Tudo é feito para parecer tão cru e sombrio e ao mesmo tempo tão perfeito em sua construção. Como uma dona de casa perfeita dos anos cinquenta do meio-oeste americano que se mantêm perfeitamente arrumada para manter as aparências enquanto na verdade é louca psicopata que atormenta os filhos e enlouquece o marido. A mistura de pop, indie com toques de R&B, jazz e rock cria uma personalidade multifacetada de Born to Die que lhe dá personalidade retirando de outros. Tudo ganha vida em desempenhos inspirados de Lana. A produção criada para a personagem Lana Del Rey encontra a perfeita interprete na cantora Elizabeth Grant. Uma interprete, como ela já disse, de estúdio. E como ela faz bem seu papel. Uma montanha - russa de emoções em uma mesma escala de sensualidade, inocência, delicadeza, malicia. As vozes que saem da voz de Lana em cada música é um evento a parte. Composições seguem um mesmo caminho de histórias, mas todas têm complexidade, paixão e vários toques de morbidez. Todas belas em sua plastificação falsa. Lana é uma fabricação como Frankenstein. Diabolicamente perfeita. Não como ressaltar só um momento de Born to Die. Ouça. Mesmo ser for para odiar. Depois procure algo mais natural como a Adele.… Expand

Lana del rey is undeniably talented and her voice is unique, haunting and she has great vocal ability and she brings something new to music industry, but this album just doesn't worth the hype it had the past weeks. The album is too melancholic and melodramatic, a little unsuitable for an album with themes of party-rocking, sexuality and spending money..., plus the album is so repetitive that it gets tiring and boring through the 3/4 of the tracklisting and at the end the whole album seems a little dull. Really hope she does something more essential next time.… Expand