Silent year of Lana Del Rey.
THE SILENT YEAR OF LANA DEL REY.
When we think back to 2020 it was a time where Lana was originally coming down from her peak success of 2019’s Norman Rockwell. An album that received such praise and attention. Not an easy album to follow up. Since then Lana has remained a figure in the eye of the public but not for positive reasons. Last year she posted “question for the culture” a statement that leaves fans of lana now in shambles. Truly 2020 was what can be deemed as the year of cancel culture prime. That single post when thought of or revisited feels traumatic. As a massive and longtime fan of Del Rey myself I can agree and attest to this feeling. For awhile last year if I wanted to listen,
I could not comfortably support this woman. But this blog isn’t about Lanas cancelled culture. It has to be acknowledged however. Upfront there are things she said that can’t be taken back and there’s a continued silence of acknowledgement needed on her behalf that would calmly settle this unease feeling.
Her first album of 2021 was fresh in mid March. An album with a cover that was easily mockable with the current theme of Lana being a racist and republican no less. Even throughout pop culture lana has showed her progressive support. This Midwest energy that’s been implemented in both of her recent albums has felt a bit challenging to swallow amidst all the chaos. It feels un-defendable. However, this particular writing isn’t about these issues. They do need to be talked about and understood as a perspective for any reader that I yes still love Lana through all of this.
Chemtrails over the Country Club was released fairly shortly after Norman Rockwell with a little over a year to live. It was always going to be a hard album to be just as, if not, equally impressive. Rey has always been good about releasing an initial single very soft and vulnerable since hope is a dangerous thing. So let me love you like a woman was no surprise it was the continued use of Easy photos as covers that really felt it began this feeling of disappointment. Especially for creators who work so hard for little to nothing to produce content.
However we ended up receiving the lead single the title track of the album which was completely astounding. The song itself, a journey, and the video to it a work of art. One of Lanas best music videos to date reveals her inner animal, ultimate desire of constant freedom and visuals to die for that roam on nostalgia for fans.
It highlighted the album and gave it hope. Just for her next video to be easy and have commercial like overlays on the day she broke her wrist. Would be better to reconceptualize and simplify in an alternative way. Especially for an extremely personal song like white dress another Chemtrails standout. The disorganized and lazy release of Chemtrail was a major part of this eras falling out. The record itself is enjoyable and carries a slight amount of gems but nothing that would resemble a sister like album the way Honeymoon was too UltraViolence. No, we see that comparison more so now with the magnificent Blue Banisters.
Blue banisters isn’t a slap in the face magnificent album either. It’s rich in vocals, lyricism and here and there production. There’s one prominent element that makes it difficult to swallow in the first initial listen. The record is more Midwestern than the word midwestern itself, this does not ick the impressiveness of Rey however.
After Chemtrails she allowed the album to live freely for one day before announcing her next project. Rock Candy Sweet, a holding title for what was to be this new record full of revenge. She would fully discuss, be honest and rage on it seemed. Chemtrails is fully adored by fans who are here for Lana the same fans who truly appreciate honeymoon. To y’all I salute you and I’m here with you. We then began receiving no context drops instead of a lead single we got three promotional singles. A few tracks that seemed incomplete upon first listen and all a bit different in their ways that gave us an idea of what was to come, something that didn’t feel like rage.
Along with the deactivation, constant references of wanting to live LA and move and have seclusion. It happened. Lana wants peace, she wants quite and she wants room for her art to speak for itself without any influence other than where it can be controlled. As much as I personally miss her very much, I'm beyond happy with this decision. I hope she is able to reflect heal and answer any longing questions she may not have been able to find in this new solace. I assume she will make a return in a few years but for now I hope that silence helps.
As for blue banisters it isn’t an immediate banger of an album and it’s hard to see why it would stand and compare so closely to one of her other best records. But let’s talk about it. The album consists of a few tracks that never made an initial cut. Each song has similar feelings from previous albums. EVERYTHING that lana has ever done is in this album and slightly enhanced in places. Black bathing suit is easily a mashup between Born to Die and UltraViolence if you ever needed a song with that energy. There’s cinematic moments Del Rey is known for in other areas that mirror paradise or honeymoon tracks, a few that could have been with UV and Thunder samples a sound used both in NFR and Chemtrails. The album is rich, it sounds like you’ve heard it before. But it is brand new it is meant for us and for fans now. I truly don’t believe this is a record for the public. I think it’s an album for her fans.
Rockwell’s current Lana Album Rankings.
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| Norman F***ing Rockwell Top 3 The Greatest Happiness Is a Butterfly Hope is a Dangerous thing for a Woman like me to Have but I Have it. HM: Does not receive bc it's the entire album. Blue Banisters. Top 3 Thunder Dealer Arcadia Honorable Mention: Living Legend.  Honeymoon. Top 3 Honeymoon Religion Dont let me be Misunderstood. Honorable Mention: Salvatore, god knows i tried |
Chemtrails Over the Country Club.
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