#104. Marina & The Diamonds - Electra Heart
(3 of 4)
9.9 Points - @Reboot (5) + @tylerc904 (4)
Marina & The Diamonds // 3rd Album :: FROOT (4) - The Family Jewels (6)
Year: 2012
Country: Wales
Genre: Electropop
Label: 679/Atlantic
Producers: Rick Nowels, Dr. Luke, Greg Kurstin, Cirkut, Devrim Karaoğlu, Liam Howe
Main Writers: Marina Diamandis, Rick Nowels, Henry Walter, Lukasz Gottwald, Greg Kurstin, Devrim Karaoğlu
Tracklist
1. Bubblegum Bitch
2. Primadonna
3. Lies
4. Homewrekcer
5. Starring Role
6. The State of Dreaming
7. Power & Control
8. Living Dead
9. Teen Idle
10. Valley of the Dolls
11. Hypocrates
12. Fear and Loathing
(Deluxe edition)
13. Radioactive
14. Sex Yeah
15. Lonely Hearts Club
16. Buy the Stars
(iTunes store)
17. How to Be a Heartbreaker
Singles Run
1. Primadonna
2. Power & Control
3. How to Be a Heartbreaker
Best Chart Position
#1 (Ireland, Scotland, United Kingdom) #31 (United States)
Sales
258,000
From Our Voters
@Reboot
Favourite song: Fear & Loathing
Underrated song: Valley of The Dolls
Recommended song: Primadonna
Just perfect. I listened to the album quite a bit in 2012, when – big surprise – things weren’t going so well in life, and in its songs I discovered a perfect representation of myself. Again, here’s an album that fits me like a glove; especially Teen Idle, The State Of Dreaming and Fear & Loathing describe me perfectly – but then again I’ve always thought Marina was a bit like me anyway.
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@tylerc904
After loving The Family Jewels, I was perched for a new Marina album to begin with. Then she teams up with (a pre-Kesha/pre-me knowing he was a scumbag) Dr. Luke and releases the unbelievable banger Primadonna. I had already loved Radioactive and Homewrecker, but nothing prepared me for that level of BOP. I love the catchy pop hooks paired with Marina's biting lyrics, as well as the album's imagery. I do have to say I'm not crazy about Buy the Stars and consider Living Dead, Fear and Loathing, and Sex Yeah to be a smidgen below the level of the other cuts.
Favorite: Primadonna
Recommend: Power & Control
Underrated: Lonely Hearts Club
Hazey Adds
Favorite: Primadonna - An obvious choice is an obvious choice, but I have to be honest, though it's literally centimeters above "Bubblegum Bitch". I was already a fan of her music from some select favorites on
The Family Jewels, but hearing "Primadonna" once had me on the floor, by being overpowered by what I was hearing. I literally could not believe my ears. It's similar to what happened when I first heard "I'm a Ruin" so having two of those moments confirms that she really has become an all-time favorite artist of mine.
Recommendation: Assuming you know the singles, I'd point someone to "Starring Role" because its fresh-sounding metaphors and how they can be applied to very real scenarios in a love life.
Underrated: I never hear enough about "Bubblegum Bitch" but if I was making an all-time Top 100 list it'd would likely be there with "Primadonna" for me. You've heard the term catchy, but never has been so applicable than it is here. I never thought I'd here Marina doing this kind of in-your-face electro-charged bop, but here it is. I heard people say it was about Katy Perry or Britney Spears and poking fun at that kind of pop culture. Marina really stands out above other pop artists because of the way she creates this form of 'tongue in cheek' writing.
This album was Marina's foray into electropop bangers but shouldn't be discounted for its thought-provoking lyrics and themes because they're still here in spades. Songs like "Valley of the Dolls" and "Teen Idle" really hit someone like me where it counts, like they have for countless others.
