Lizzy Grant a.k.a. Lana Del Rey has come a long way over the past few years. From creating the persona of Lana Del Rey to her debacle of a performance on Saturday Night Live that effectively turned the world against her, she rose like a phoenix and put the world under her spell. I'll admit, after her SNL performance I saw her as a joke. I couldn't understand why anyone liked her. Then I heard 'Young & Beautiful' from The Great Gatsby and everything changed. Last summer I downloaded Born to Die and Paradise to at least give her a chance. But I became addicted.

As I've been conceiving this review I've been torn between writing an epic and keeping it short and simple. I could do an entire literary analysis on this album, exploring the relationships Lana sings about, examining the nuances and the subtleties of the records, trying to discover who Lana is throwing shade at, and how much of this album is actually just her being sarcastic. I could do that, but isn't that what every other blogger out there is doing?

In the end I decided to keep it short and simple. Why? Because I think this album is a masterpiece. I think it's one of those that's going to stand the test of the time, and in 10, 15, 20 years we're going to look back at it and say "wow." I'm not afraid to say that I think Ultraviolence is one of the greatest albums of the past decade. Lana is the most antithetical pop star out there and yet she is one of the biggest pop stars at the moment. Her complete distaste with the music industry pervades this record, and yet she's going to have huge sales numbers next week. Her entire being is an act of ultraviolence and that's ultimately why myself and the rest of the world keeps begging for more.

This album is a divergence from the slick trip-hop beats of Born to Die which 'West Coast' signaled to us. Ultraviolence is all about the psychedelic rock which shouldn't come as a shock since Dan Auerbach of the The Black Keys was Lana's main collaborator. It also sets the tone for the record. This isn't your average pop record: it's rife with tempo changes, unbalanced melodies and many instrumental interludes. It's not easy to digest for the Top 40 listener, but someone who really appreciates musicality and artistry will find something to their liking here. Album opener 'Cruel World' could not be a better example. It's one of the livelier moments and probably the most rock-influenced track, but it's Lana's signature purr that brings the track to life and prepares us for the heaven-sent vocals we're about to hear.

And what about the best song on the record? Well that's 'Fucked My Way Up to the Top' for sure. I love throwing a bit of shade, and Lana does it expertly here. The song is about a certain artist out there who once said that Lana's style was "unauthentic" but then stole it and now claims to be the art piece. Most people seem to think it's Lorde, but no matter who it is, Lana uses the power of music to call out the bitch but does it with the most gorgeous melody and a reverberating and drowning beat that begs to be listened to.

Another one of my favorites is the religious anthem of superficiality, 'Money Power Glory'. Lana's voice truly is heavenly here, as it soars above the guitar strums giving us one of the best potential singles. This is a moment when she responds to the critics and their portrayal of her. She's giving them the opposite of what they expect. 'Brooklyn Baby' perfectly compliments this sentiment, as she sings "they judge me just like a picture book" and eventually giving us one of the best lines of the album, "If you don’t get it then forget it, ’cause I don’t have to fucking explain it." People are going to dissect this album into something it's not, but who cares? Let it stand as a work of art.

No Lana album is complete without songs about men though. And on Ultraviolence Lana has a lot to say. 'Shades of Cool' is set to get a music video today, and it's only right as it's one of the most gorgeous tracks. Her man may be unfixable, but she's going to stick it out with him anyway. And that leads to the title track and the most talked-about song on the album. 'Ultraviolence' is a true gem and the masterpiece around which the rest of this work is constructed. "He hit me and it felt like a kiss" sums it up perfectly, the toxic relationship she has with men. But the incredible instrumental moments are what really make this track stand out, bringing back the glory days of rock music and experimenting.

The saga of love continues with 'Sad Girl' and the cover of Nina Simone's 'The Other Woman' which actually work in tandem. Both songs are about the mistress, the position Lana seems to find herself in too often. 'Sad Girl' is a swaggy jazz number that I could easily see being performed on a tiny stage with smoke billowing in the air and Lana standing in minimal light. The wailing trombone in the back only adds to the melancholic sentiment. 'The Other Woman' is the album's final number, and it has that wild west vibe to it that lead single 'West Coast' has, and it leaves us in a somber state. It's a dejected and sad Lana, all alone.

This theme of loneliness continues to pop up in other songs on the record as well. 'Pretty When You Cry' is another big moment, her voice gravely and unstable as she pines for her man. Breathy "ah-ha-ahs" mimicking the dejectedness she feels. And finally, that lonesome Lana reaches her peak during the Born to Die-reminiscent 'Old Money'. With its blossoming strings and piano melody that samples the Romeo & Juliet track 'What Is the Youth?', this is the closest we get to the Lana that we originally fell in love with. Even in her most lonely state we still feel a closeness to her and a sense of joy from the gorgeous track.

Of all the bonus tracks, nothing can compare to 'Black Beauty'. I'm really not sure why it didn't make the standard edition cut. It's one of those rare Lana epics that is unparalleled. Like 'Ride' it's a massive track that is grandiose with its electric guitars and Lana's voice rising up to the heavens. What more can you ask for from this siren?

While Ultraviolence surely won't be everyone's cup of tea, for true connoisseurs of music it is an epic. Lana Del Rey has taken her pop stardom and is turning it on its head, bashing the critics, flipping off her contemporaries and giving us a look into her raddled head. It's dark, it's uplifting, it's insane. But it's an ultraviolence that I can't bear to part with.

Tracks to Check Out: 'Ultraviolence', 'Money Power Glory', Fucked My Way Up to the Top', 'Black Beauty'

Overall Rating: 10/10