While you can say what you will about Lana Del Rey the PERFORMER, when it comes to Lana Del Rey the ARTIST, there should be no doubt in your mind that this girl’s got talent for days. Case in point, the new video for Lana’s latest single, the Rick Rubin-produced “Ride,” taken from the forthcoming Paradise Edition of her second studio album, Born To Die, out November 13th on Interscope Records. In the just unveiled Anthony Mandler (“National Anthem“)-directed short film (it runs just over 10 minutes in length), Lana takes on the role of a bad ass biker chick/sympathetic street walker, seemingly unable to distance herself from the male species, even just for a minute. If you’re hoping for an uplifting and uptempo number here, look elsewhere. “Ride” is yet another haunting and dark downtempo ballad, beautifully and soulfully song by the GORGEOUS 26 year old singer/songwriter and it’s video serves as the perfect complement.
As expected, the imagery throughout the “Ride” video is breathtaking. Starting out with a beautifully written monologue, the bulk of the video is essentially a montage of Lana Del Rey looking like the natural beauty we already know she is. Whether she’s wearing a T-Shirt that says, “Buttwiser: The King of Rears,” riding on the back of a motorcycle or something a little more slinky while performing in a dimly lit roadside dive, Del Rey has never looked more gorgeous than does here. If you find yourself with an extra 10 minutes, give this video your time. It’s truly a flawless piece of film making and a clear standout in Del Rey’s quickly expanding videography.
Born To Die – The Paradise Edition features 8 new tracks, including “Ride” and “Blue Velvet,” which was recently used in Del Rey’s 2012 H&M Autumn advertising campaign. It’s a cover of a song from 1950, written by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris and performed by everyone, from Tony Bennett to Barry Manilow.
“Ride” was released September 25th (iTunes US) and Born To Die – The Paradise Edition will be released November 13th (iTunes US/iTunes UK). Check out the stunning video BELOW.
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