Artist: Marina And The Diamonds | Album: Electra Heart | Released: 2012 | Label: Warner Music/Elektra | Catalog #: 531129-2 | Genre: Synth Pop, New Wave

The second studio album from Marina Lambrini Diamandis finds the mercurial Welsh singer/songwriter assuming the role of diva in waiting, trading in the ballsy, quirky retro-pop of her 2010 debut, Family Jewels, for the glitzy (and still relatively ballsy) electro-thump pomp of Ke$ha and Lady Gaga. Produced by Dr. Luke (Katy Perry), Liam Howe (Sneaker Pimps), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen), and Rick Nowels (Madonna), Electra Heart is a brooding, sexy, desperate, overwrought, and infectious record that’s both aware and unashamed of its contrivance. In short, Diamandis is trying to expose the artifice of big-box pop music by using its own voice, and despite the obvious trappings of the concept, she does a fairly respectable job. Her resonant operatic voice is expressive enough to make a lyric like “Candy bear, sweetie pie, I wanna be adored/I’m the girl you’d die for,” from the capricious opener “Bubblegum Bitch,” feel less like a floozy come-on and more like a malicious schoolyard taunt. When she sticks to that persona, as she does on standout cuts like the Lykke Li meets “Viva la Vida”-era Coldplay-influenced single “Primadonna” and the saucy, Lana Del Ray-inspired “Teen Idle,” Electra Heart beats with the feral blood of an army of disenfranchised high-school loners coming into their own, but deeper, more depressive cuts like “The State of Dreaming,” “Living Dead,” and the grim, dancefloor-ready downer “Homewrecker,” despite their catchy melodies, clever wordplay, and meticulous, radio-savvy production, reveal the lonely rebel, defiantly eating lunch alone, secretly wishing for acceptance.

Tracklisting:

01. Bubblegum Bitch [0:02:32.50]
02. Primadonna [0:03:40.67]
03. Lies [0:03:46.15]
04. Home – wrecker [0:03:22.52]
05. Starring Role [0:03:26.74]
06. The State Of Dreaming [0:03:36.55]
07. Power & Control [0:03:47.62]
08. Sex Yeah [0:03:45.39]
09. Teen Idle [0:04:14.31]
10. Valley Of The Dolls [0:04:13.59]
11. Hypocrates [0:04:03.28]
12. How To Be A Heartbreaker [0:03:42.58]
13. Radioactive [0:03:46.70]
14. Fear & Loathing [0:06:07.09]

Single download
Marina And The Diamonds – Bubblegum Bitch 0:02:32.50
Marina And The Diamonds – Primadonna 0:03:40.67
Marina And The Diamonds – Lies 0:03:46.15
Marina And The Diamonds – Home – wrecker 0:03:22.52
Marina And The Diamonds – Starring Role 0:03:26.74
Marina And The Diamonds – The State Of Dreaming 0:03:36.55
Marina And The Diamonds – Power & Control 0:03:47.62
Marina And The Diamonds – Sex Yeah 0:03:45.39
Marina And The Diamonds – Teen Idle 0:04:14.31
Marina And The Diamonds – Valley Of The Dolls 0:04:13.59
Marina And The Diamonds – Hypocrates 0:04:03.28
Marina And The Diamonds – How To Be A Heartbreaker 0:03:42.58
Marina And The Diamonds – Radioactive 0:03:46.70
Marina And The Diamonds – Fear & Loathing 0:06:07.09

Category:Synth Pop
Main catalog

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