(The song that basically made Lana famous)
This album starts out with “Love”, and overall this is just such a great sound for Lana. The soft atmosphere, the very smokey vocals, it’s something that has always worked well for her. On the other hand, I also really like the very innocent and sweet atmosphere of this. It’s just so much easier to swallow than her fake tough girl persona from a few years ago. Now, let’s talk about these instrumentals. To be honest, some of these crescendos are absolutely gigantic, making for some seriously chilling moments when Lana does it all right. Overall, “Love” rules. I feel like Lana has come such a long way, she even sounds more mature and level headed on tracks like this. I’m so glad this one started off this album. Now, going into this album, I had such huge hopes for the title track, “Lust For Life”. Instrumentally, this one takes a lot of the same dreamy, Baroque Pop elements that have treated Lana so well over the years. However, the instrumental like this album’s intro continues to be so big and epic. Now, “Lust For Life” features guest vocals by The Weeknd, and I’ve always in a really weird way felt like he and Lana are meant for each other. As far as The Weeknd goes, he sounds actually really fantastic amongst this atmosphere. There’s a sort of vintage feel to this as well which is something Lana has worked with seemingly forever. Not so shockingly, it works out great for her once again. Another returning element to “Lust For Life” is just this huge tragic element that Lana has worked with since day 1. It’s that “Born To Die” attitude that she just can’t seem to get away from time and time again. However, it ends up working really well for her. The very lavish and instrumentally grand sound to all of this continues onto “13 Beaches”. The instrumentals on this one actually come off seriously classy, with some fantastic little details here and there. Now, Lana’s music has always been very hit and miss with people. And while I’m totally digging all of this, I know PLENTY of people who are not going to be into her usual very breathy, monotonous singing. But for me, tracks like this have such an atmosphere to them. She keeps going for these very epic, slow burning songs on this album. But to be honest, since Lana’s music isn’t usually too upbeat, it adds a certain punch that’s always been missing from Lana’s music. Then we have the chorus on “13 Beaches”, which actually comes off as some of her strongest singing I’ve probably heard ever. The mellow mood on this one and the very dreary atmosphere just work so well. So far, Lana, you’ve outdone yourself. The very dreamy and somber mood continues onto “Cherry”, and by this point, that atmosphere isn’t going to change. I continue to love so many of the little details on these tracks. For example, the “Yup’s” in the background on this one giving it a slight Hip-Hop edge (which we should have sort of seen coming), as well as some of the seriously suffocating production. It’s all done at such a slow pace though that you’re just dying to hear what happens next. I actually REALLY love just how bluesy and seriously tortured this one comes off as. Like, in the past I always sort of felt like Lana didn’t have much to be “tortured” over. But this track seriously makes you feel for her, and I’m glad I can say that. It’s one of the more powerful tunes I’ve heard from her in ages.
“White Mustang” up next is a serious blast from the past for Lana. To be honest, though, I really don’t mean that in the best way. I feel like it’s tracks like this that really turn off people from enjoying Lana’s music in general. That whole “Woe is me” attitude is back, and here it comes off as just a little too much. The beat is alright, and when it comes in I feel like it certainly mixes things up a big at least. But overall I just feel like Lana’s songwriting couldn't be more off on this track. Some of the early tracks here showed maturation while sticking with her usual formula. This on the other hand, seems like such a backtrack. Also, at under 3 minutes, this easily could have been left out. Then we have a track that has me all over the place with so many mixed feelings thrown in. That’s right boys and girls, “Summer Bummer” featuring A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti. Now, Lana actually sounds totally fine here, and her hook is actually really great on this one. As a a matter of fact, A$AP Rocky and her actually has a whole lot of really great chemistry with Lana’s very dreary tone. But the beat here, quite frankly is really underwhelming. Then, we have Playboi Carti and his seriously asinine Ad-Libs which are completely a waste of time. So yea, this one certainly does NOT work for me. But man, with a more interesting beat and if Playboi Carti wen away, this could have been a seriously great tune. Also, I do really like when the beat gets a little more intense and Lana breaks away around the 3 minute mark. Now, up next is “Groupie Love” once again featuring A$AP Rocky. At the very least, this track has Lana sounding so much more at home. Once again, I actually feel like Lana and Rocky have a TON of chemistry. She’s always worked with this sort of dreary hip hop sound, which is usually what Rocky works with, so they come together really nicely. The beat here is so much more dreamy and hazy that I can’t get enough of it. Now as far as lyrics go, this one is certainly a little more trashy, to be honest. It’s the reason that a lot of people didn’t like the “Born To Die” era of Lana’s music. But to be honest, it’s not the worst thing I’ve heard from her. I do like the very big hook as well as the continued epic feel to this as well, so I’m totally down with “Groupie Love”. “In My Feelings” is up next, and I continue to love just how beefy and strong the production has been coming out. Lana once again is going for that “Bad Girl” route. But to be honest, I feel like amongst this atmosphere it comes off as sort of sexy. It’s a little cheesy, and if you didn’t like the “Born To Die” era, you’re not going to dig this, period. But I think “In My Feelings” adds a little bite and sharpness to this fairly grand album so far. But at the same time, Lana seems to at the very least care about the guys she's singing about, so that’s a plus.
The very intoxicating atmosphere continues with “Coachella-Woodstock In My Mind”. I do have to say that Lana really did bring in the feel of festivals like Coachella into this one nicely. Now, I feel like people are certainly right in saying this track is just a little bloated and full of itself. And to an extent, I do feel like this one is just a little bit of a stretch for Lana, especially with the feel of the rest of the album. However, the beat is solid, and as far as the beat goes Lana sounds fine among this very hip atmosphere. It’s a fine tune, even though it lacks the sort of epic and grand feel as the rest of the tracks here. But ohhhhhhh BOY. On the other hand, “God Bless America - And all the Beautiful Women In It”, is pretty damn terrible sadly. This track is so folky and light, I feel like Lana shouldn’t be anywhere near this atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, there really isn’t much of one on here at all, at least it’s not nearly as intoxicating. Now, I don’t know about you, but if the last track was sort of full of itself, this track is incredibly full of itself. Not to mention, Lana’s vocals are just so uninspired and bored sounding here. If she’s going to tackle such a big tune like this, she really has to back it up better. To be honest, this sadly is probably the most skip-worthy track here. Lana up next goes for another sort of Folk jam, “When The World Was at War We Kept Dancing”. Thankfully though, this one is much more dark, and incorporates the sort of Desert Rock we heard on “Ultraviolence”. In general, this atmosphere is just so thick and dreary, I honestly love it. The very off kilter beat that pops in does take some time to get used to. But Lana’s very haunting vocal performance that comes with it makes it much easier to swallow. I actually end up really loving the acoustic strumming, which let’s be honest could have been laughably cheesy. For a more intricate track, "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing” works really nicely. Up next is "Beautiful People Beautiful Problems” featuring Stevie Nicks. Now, being a gigantic fan of Stevie I was really interested in hearing this. Sadly though I’m once again not really feeling this at all. A lot of these “ballads” as a matter have face have been so hit or miss with Lana to be honest. But I just can’t shake the feeling that once again, this one’s a little full of itself. I really thought Lana was beyond tracks like this. However, Stevie sounds seriously really good. To be honest, I feel like her verse actually redeems this one quite a bit. So overall, it’s not too bad
Then we have “Tomorrow Never Came” featuring Sean Ono Lennon. Lana continues to be going so hard with this sort of Folky Ballad sound. But to be honest, this one actually comes off really well. I do like Lana’s more haunting vocals on this one that give this almost a Freak Folk sound. It’s a very dreamy sound, with a very different sort of vintage sound than we’re used to hearing from Lana. To an extent, t his comes off like a decent nod to the Sunshine Pop of the early 70’s. Now, there are some awfully cheesy lyrics occasionally, and a few cringe-worthy nods to Classic Rock. Plus, that line about singing with Sean Lennon was ridiculously bad. But outside of that, Lana and Sean actually have some seriously nice chemistry together. Lana, when she tries, can actually pull this “sunshine” California Folk sound off really nicely. Not to mention, some of the harmonies between these two are surprisingly really good. Not bad at all Lana. Now, “Heroin” doesn’t really have the same sound as the rest of the album at all. To be honest, this is the barest sounding Lana Del Rey track we’ve heard in quite some time. It actually gives us a real chance to focus on Lana, something we haven’t gotten in a few tracks. But this one just comes off so seriously dismal and depressing. Lana literally sounds completely empty and hurt here. “Heroin” does end up really sticking with you though, just because of how haunting and powerful it is. This one does take a little while to get going, but the results are seriously worth it. It’s quiet yes, but for a slow burner, it’s one of the best executed on the entire album. And I just can’t help but to bring it up again; I can’t remember the last time I heard such a heavy sadness to Lana, and she’s made a career out of this sound. Then we have “Charge” with Lana once again sticking with these much softer, ballad like tracks. Now, I really REALLY want to like this track overall But the instrumental here is just so flat, and there’s no atmosphere to be found. Not to mention, Lana just seems so worn out here, and I feel like we’ve got this track about 5 other times on this album. However, there is a silver lining here. I do enjoy a lot of the hopeful lyrics, which is actually a really nice change of pace for Lana. I just wish instrumentally this was grander like some of the earlier material here. Because lyrically, “Change” is incredible. I would even say that it’s a track that’s seriously necessary for this album. Lana however, saves one of the album’s finest for last. “Get Free” is refreshing right from its opening mysterious guitar tones and smokey vocals. This one on so many levels is just so well done. I like the sort of dark, tropical feel to this one, and the backing, layered vocals are really sweet as well. Her vocals are catchy, and as far as a hook goes, it’s the most infectious thing we’ve heard in a while. I feel like this is the sound she was working with for “Ultraviolence” but updated. The result is seriously compelling and lovable, and a wonderful finale.
Rating: 8.3/10
Give A Listen To: “Love”, “Lust For Life”, “Cherry”, “In My Feelings”
Overall Thoughts: Lana tries a lot of new things on this album. From the very grand and epic Baroque Pop tunes to more hazy Hip-Hop inspired tunes, to a lot of hit or miss ballads. The result is her most varied, yet seemingly true-to-self release from Lana yet. There are certainly some awkward, self absorbed moments. But for the most part, this is an album that you're going to want to hear if you're a Lana Del Rey fan of any level.
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