West Coastby Lana Del Rey

This was the first single I heard to Lana's "Ultraviolence" album. It stands better alone than as a piece of the album (which gets too repetitive for me). West Coast has a hypnotic sway to it, really creates an atmosphere where you feel the coastal breeze. As with many of Lana's songs, I picture this one in an old-school Hollywood club where drinks and drugs and free love reign, and although she expresses passion for her Latin lover, the singer seems torn between going with him and pursuing her own chance of becoming a starlet.

The song won't blow you away, nothing in-your-face about it. Underwhelming in a good way, in how creates a strong yet subtle atmosphere. If you're like me and can't handle the whole of "Ultraviolence", give this song a listen and decide if you want to commit to a full album of melodramatic downer songs that don't quite match up (except Brooklyn Baby). But as a single, West Coast is different from anything on her previous albums and I love it.