Songs for the future, songs from the past: Lana Del Rey and Riflemen

I’ve had a fascination with the artist Lana Del Rey in the past week.  Not only is her video for “Video Games” one of the most haunting music videos I have seen in a while, but she is gaining attention for her look, her name change, and her style trying to appear “too authentic.”  Lana Del Rey’s real name is Lizzy Grant and accompanying her previous attempt at indie fame were thinner lips and a more Americana look.  Indie music blogs are not sure what to say about her, not wanting to fully give credit where it’s due nor wanting to bash an aspiring singer for having been through a cycle or two through the record label machine. 

Indie Music Video Trends From Shirley Braha of MTV Hive’s Weird Vibes

Last night I attended The L Magazine’s Music Now Summit at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn.  Before the panel featuring Ted Leo and some writers from Pitchfork, Shirley Braha of MTV Hive’s Weird Vibes Show talked about the emerging trends of indie music videos.  As she sees it, there are trends in imagery and style in indie music videos that change year after year based on how folks experience music.