Lana Del Rey: 'Paradise' - EP review

"Springsteen is the king, don't you think?" Lana Del Rey coos nonchalantly on 'American', before answering her own question with a "hell yeah". His influence can be felt throughout 'Paradise', which serves as an eight-track extension of her debut album Born To Die - an album that, for an artist many wrote off as a two-hit wonder, has proved her staying power with sales thus far of two million worldwide. Current single 'Ride' finds her wearing The Boss's influence on her sleeve most plainly with its galloping verses and sweeping melody, albeit delivered with Lana's '50s-styled Hollywood demeanour.

Elsewhere, there's more talk of bad boys, cherry pie and other old fashioned glamourisms much like its parent album, but there's still progression to be found. The multiple hooks in 'Cola' feel polished without compromising her rebellious nature (she opens it with the line: "My p***y tastes like Pepsi-Cola"), while the booming 'Body Electric' sees her revisiting her Marilyn Monroe persona with more believable results than previous attempts. She treads close to being kooky for the sake of kooky on 'Yayo', but when she gets it right in the case of 'Bel Air' - a snowy, Tim Burton-inspired ballad - Lana proves there's plenty more to be excited for on album two.

Tracks to download: 'Ride', 'American', 'Body Electric', 'Bel Air'
If you like this, you'll like: Marina and the Diamonds, Sky Ferreira, Ellie Goulding

Listen to 'Paradise' below: