Reviews (page 8 of 9)
First listen
I love Lana Del Rey. I question why this album was chosen for the list and not one of her earlier albums, but I'm not complaining - it's a great album. I feel like Lana is really channeling Joni Mitchell throughout this this one and this is of course signaled by the Joni cover at the end - the sadness, the folksiness, the songwriting style, the alternating sweetness and grittiness. She edges more into folk with this album. I know she's not for everyone but I think she's a massive talent and this is a very solid album. 4/5
Not as terrible as I expected but still somewhat of a drag - aside from some fun guest spots, there’s little to distinguish one track from another instrumentally, melodically, or vocally. Some of Rey’s vocal inflections and rhythms here are annoying as hell, but these grating bits are usually scattered enough to make her singing tolerable and at times even interesting. Wish we could get some 2020s-era LPs representative of the decade’s explosion in genre-bending and other creativity, though, rather than the albums that sold the most because they made the best tiktok tracks or had the largest cult of personality surrounding them.
Technically good, but it was not for me. Overall, the album sounded mournful
Jamie Loftus is an LA-based comedian and audio producer. A while ago, she did an epic audio series exploring Lolita – the book, and how its complex legacy has evolved (and has been contested) over the last half century or so. It's a complex, nuanced and fascinating listen. (It's also 11 hours long.) It also reserves a special place in hell for two people, Adrian Lyne and ... Lana Del Rey. The first is understandable, even though I think he ought to be given a right of reply, if not necessarily the benefit of the doubt. You had to be in the 80s to understand the 80s. Not to justify any of the very many excesses of the decade (and his enabling hand in some of them), but at least to see them in context. One of a number of British Ad Men who transitioned to Hollywood filmmaking in the seventies and eighties, Lyne as a creative is (I think) both a prisoner of his time (unreconstructed) and his original profession (borderline unconscionable a lot of the time, even though this is dressed up along the lines of giving the audience what they (don't yet know that they) want.) (Lyne's cinematic output: Foxes, Flashdance, 9 ½ Weeks, Fatal Attraction, Jacob's Ladder, Lolita; Unfaithful; Deep Water. The semi-colons mark lengthy career breaks. I've watched them all. Jacob's Ladder – a fascinating and unhinged film – aside, there is an identifiable motif in his work. First time happenstance, second coincidence. The third time is enemy action etc etc.) There is an element of agency attached to choosing to make flashy erotic dramas – films that sometimes bordered on soft porn and often objectified their female leads. (Karina Longsworth's equally epic mini series about the Erotic 80s, for her film podcast You Must Remember This, explores this complex and beguiling swamp in exhaustive and engaging detail. Recommended.) Anyway, the point is that Lyne's hands aren't clean. His Lolita, in Loftus's eyes, was a crime against literature, filmmaking, and moral sensibilities. It is also worth pointing out that he did nothing illegal, and that he was the public face of the much larger collaborative effort that enabled the film. If anything, I'd argue that his Lolita forced (or at least accelerated) the end of a sometimes discomfiting film genre (one which, in the spirit of full disclosure, I acknowledge actively enjoying as a teenager), by taking it to its logical (and deeply illogical) conclusion. Del Rey? Loftus's ire derived from what, at length and repeatedly, she taxonomised as the commodification of a certain aesthetic, for personal (and commercial) gain and with no interest in the wider consequences. It's a complicated argument. I had had lots of thoughts about Del Rey before listening to The Lolita Podcast, many of them ambivalent. I hadn't thought about her as a spiritual enabler, though. I wonder whether Loftus credits her with more intelligence than she has, or with less intelligence. (Both measures are relative to Loftus's position. I have no claims to any knowledge about Del Rey's intelligence.) Anyway. As a voice and perspective of a generation now some way away from me, Loftus came across as...far removed from the stereotypes appended to "Millennials" (I don't subscribe to the Generation Game, but it is there so I shan't ignore it). The Lolita Podcast (my time suck caveat aside) is worth listening to as a piece of invested literary and social analysis. As for Chemtrails. Like I said, I've thought about Del Rey's output a lot over the years, mainly from the perspective of an enduring paradox: Del Rey as a manufactured product, yet with undeniable talent. Style is a lot to her. But there is a lot of substance. A bit over a year ago, I listened to all her albums in chronological order. (Streaming does have its uses). This, by a margin, was the least engaging. Some framed it as part of her evolution into a grown up entertainer. I found it untethered, a concept without a proper vehicle.
It's OK but not great. Good songwriting but It's all the same song. Joni cover was alright. I agree there should be a 5 year waiting period for new albums to see if they hold up especially since she has better albums! I could be charitable and give a 2 as it's not an abomination, but not list worthy so round down.
Mijn eerste date met Lana doet me denken aan mijn ouwe liefde Tori Amos, wat een stem zeg! Muziek is tof, maar wat te ingetogen, anders was er nog een sterretje extra aan de hemel verschenen.
Ik vind die stem echt geweldig!
Ik vind Lana's muziek prettig om naar te luisteren maar ik had er meer van verwacht. Vooral de tweede helft van dit album is behoorlijk kabbelend en te traag om echt te blijven boeien.
Mooi.
Another superb offering from LDR who really is something special. The opening tracks are mesmerising and the overall style and mood continues to enthral. And this isn’t even her best album.
Subdued, understated and lovely. Thoughtful storytelling with personal lyrics. White dress, told Jesus freak, Dark but just a game
There is a large contingent that loves Lana Del Rey. I am not one of them.
I don't take the right medication for this.
Meh, not a fan of this whispered weird voice
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: White dress, Chemtrails over the country club, Breaking up slowly
the only real thing i knew about this album before listening to it (other than album the album's reception) was the strange instagram post announcing the album cover where she said that she wasn't racist because she "dated rappers". i'm would be glad to say that the album is better than that post but i think that was pretty easy to do. the production is gorgeous—especially on the guitars—and the lyrics are poetic as always but this time, more positive than usual. however, there's a big chunk of songs in the middle of the tracklist that i feel like i could do without but maybe that's just my bias against piano ballads most of the time. but overall, pretty good.
This one finds me in a tough position-- I absolutely love Lana, like I'm the type of fan who will stay up until midnight for new releases and stuff like that. I've been following her trajectory for over 10 years! And I do personally like this album and have probably listened to it hundreds of times at this point, so for that I give it a 5 because I'm a stan. However, I don't really agree with the inclusion of this album on the list. If you're unfamiliar with Lana and this is your first foray into her work, I really recommend checking out more worthy choices for the list, like NFR (her magnum opus), Honeymoon or Ultraviolence. Even her first album, Born to Die, is very flawed but has also had a lot of impact on the last 10 years of pop. I love Chemtrails but I think most fans consider it a valley in her discography-- one that has plenty of worthy peaks for this list.
I'm surprised this album is here. As a Lana fan, this has always been my least favorite project of hers. Sure the album is great lyrically and there are some nice songs, but for the most part, the production takes any fun out of it. Jack Antonoff has a tendency to drain the melodic uniqueness out of artists and this album is just another casualty.
It did get dry after a while I didn’t the lyrics were anything special white dress was very cool
So Lana Del Rey is actually pretty good now?
(Precursor, Jan 11) I've enjoyed Ultraviolence & Lust for Life enough to call myself a Lana Del Rey fan, but I haven't really touched this one. Will listen tomorrow, but not before putting on some Norman Fucking Rockwell HL: "White Dress", "Wild at Heart", "Not All Those Who Wander", "Yosemite", "For Free" Okay, well the parallels to how recent albums Folklore & Evermore (Swift), and Solar Power (Lorde) sound are there, thanks to Bleachers Antonoff. I think the folksy, organic sound suits Del Rey just fine, though it is a little funny the editors included this along with Evermore instead of Rockwell & Folklore. It doesn't sprawl in length like her past releases Rockwell & Lust for Life. It's got an unexpected Weyes Blood at the end (I just listened to And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow two days ago). The title track is her throwing a bone to those preferring her earlier music, even though Chemtrails isn't so much a radical redesign as a palette swap. Trying to assess this album in a vacuum, ignoring her other releases, it's a pretty strong, piano-driven pop record, & the dips into Laurel Canyon folk are welcome. There's a moment in Dance Till We Die that reminds me of maybe the best Antonoff collab album, "Daddy's Home" by St. Vincent. But she's already in the book, and I'm glad Lana Del Rey has some representation at least.
Modern day classic
Well I’ve never listened to a whole Lana album, I kinda like it, she’s like a softer Chan Marshall
Highlights: Chemtrails Over The Country Club, Tulsa Jesus Freak
Yndisleg plata. Mjög mikill kúra í sófanum undir teppi fílingur.
Caught me a little off for a Lana album, but I like it.
This is my first exposure to Lana del Rey and it was an interesting experience. I like Jack Antonoff produced stuff so I didn't hate this album, but still it felt like it was always stuck in 2nd gear. Maybe that's her vibe, but it definitely felt like it was missing something.
I try not to discount these youngsters and engage in their sounds but just sounded like grumpy pop to me
Surprised me, confounded my (rather low) expectations
Mmm
Los Angeles Through The Looking Glass
Vilket sömnpiller.
I find Lana Del Rey to be consistently bland, and this album is totally unoffensive.
Lana's voice is certainly a high point of her music, even if at times the highly stylized production renders it slightly monotonous; her voice is an exceptional vehicle for expression when it's allowed to shine through the textural haze more naturally (Let Me Love You Like a Woman). Her lyrics, often beautifully stark and flowing, are at times marred by awkward structure to my ears. The tracks that lean slightly more aggressively into their arrangement, allowing it cut through more strongly (Dark But Just a Game, Dance Till We Die) stand out to me. Some beautiful textures throughout, but a bit dynamically and sonically stagnant for me; undeniably well executed though, and an artist with a well defined style. Favorite Tracks: Dark but Just a Game Breaking up Slowly Dance Till We Die
I guess I’ll give this a shot Yeah that ain’t it.
Dreamy and wistful, this is a little bit Joni and a little bit Tori but is definitely a lot of poignancy. Here LDR shows off her vocal range as well as her lyrical storytelling . The songs are narratives that draw you in and sound deceptively pretty. The beginning falsetto put me slightly off balance, but once the folksy singer-songwriter vibe set in, I was happy to go along with the ride. A strong 3.5.
Don't enjoy listening to Lana's singing and dislike the overdramatic feel throughout the album.
Good but for a rainy day. Mellow slow soft songs
Overly Breathy soft pop. Not for me
fine. Feels too new to really appreciate on the list? Maybe that's my issue to sort out.
A waste of great Antonoff songs (plus one from Joni Mitchell). Lazy whisper singing on every. damn. song. She's got a great change-up but no fastball. Best track: For Free
Thursday, tech at work, get some stuff done, quesadillas and lana and more sad albums, people over to chill, mr jellybean, back porch, 11:11, awk invited, oh good day: alvvays tixs cheap, boots, invites
Flat, bland, vanilla and a 1 trick pony.
Strange, I enjoyed Lana Del Rey's previous album but this does absolutely nothing for me. I can't knock it as it is not bad but there is nothing good it great either. Middle of the road.
Solid, but I don’t understand how this album made the list over Norman Fucking Rockwell. Her range is wider than this.
Tiring
If "1001 albums" is still being published in 2026, 5 years after this album's release, will it still make the cut? I doubt it. I award this album 1 well watered plant, courtesy of your friendly local music exec. 🪴
Solid sangskrivning og vokal, meget flydende og dejligt, lidt for meget ballade måske
I still love you Lana Del Rey
A very pleasant listen. From memory, on Lana's earlier albums she had a couple of vocal tics or flourishes that rubbed me the wrong way, but there's nothing like that here, which is good. Fave track - "White Dress" is probably the stand out - did it get used in a soundtrack somewhere? I also enjoyed "Not All Who Wander Are Lost"....
Nice voice but a pretty bland pop album
Moody, broody and a little boring. One is made much less breathless by this material than LdR is. One accepts that one may not know the oeuvre well enough to appreciate the intertextual subtleties, but she seems an obvious and oversharing sort of writer – and not nearly as good as one suspects her most devoted followers think she is. There are a few good lines. “It's hard to be lonely, but it's the right thing to do”) but an equal number of clunkers(“I don't wanna live with a life of regret / I don't wanna end up like Tammy Wynette”). It would be too obvious to say she’s Alanis or Fiona A lite or simply an extension thereof, but one finds it hard to avoid thinking it.
I like her voice and her sound. But this was not anything memorable. And once you've listened to 2-3 songs in a row, you realize that she's a one-trick pony. This was a nice listen, but very middle of the road.
i love lana. i have nothing bad to say for this album. i haven’t listened to the full album in so long but i’m glad i got to sit down and go through it again. this is definitely one of my favorites from her
I love female vocalists. I love the minimalist instrumentation. I love the breathy whispering but it should not have a hall reverb or doubled lead vocal. I enjoy Lana's voice when it's not over processed. I hate the canned beats and ambiance pads with an intimate song. The song "Dance Till We Die" is probably my favorite but it doesn't save this collection of tunes. This is a producer failure. Lana should get a do over and let Rick Nowels do the whole thing and keep herself and Jack Antonoff out of it.
Spent last Saturday listening to LDR which was my first extended play and it was pretty chill. I don't like all the L.A. vampy-ness though. Brave introduced me to the title track the same day in the car on the way to Jen's house. Good stuff but I kept thinking Phoebe Bridgers also sings about chemtrails then I just started thinking "what are chemtrails" then I remembered it was like a conspiracy theory about government control through contrails then I thought "what the heck are contrails anyway, maybe there is something to the chemtrails theory because contrails are just as unlikely" then I thought "wait am I becoming a conspiracy theorist" to which I thought "maybe LDR is in on it and this song is a subliminal attempt to get me to question the chemtrail theory" then I thought that sort of fits because I remembered LDR's debut on SNL was a disaster and I thought "oh this person can kiss her career goodbye and tha'ts what should happen because I think she started out as a youtuber" all of which is analogous to the govt's pattern of usually messing things up at first like the obamacare website but now we are all like "oh obamacare its great, lets go on the website and give over all our info to the NSA" but then I thought "why would she have a song and album title that basically gives away the whole scheme" but I thought "maybe LDR is going rogue! and will actually save us all!" but of course I couldnt be the only one who figured that out so then I started worrying about LDR's safety because really have any of us seen LDR in person! If they can fake Melania they can fake LDR who probably got disappeared to guantanamo. Then I snapped out of it because the light was about to turn but I remembered it was a red light camera and I looked toward it shaking my fist and said "Not today Lana Del Ray! Enjoy guantanamo!". But the music is alright.
The album was good and the last two songs were better, especially the Joni Mitchell cover. Her voice goes well with understated arrangements, but when the music opens up it gives it an extra dimension. I think she is probably great live. And I’m glad someone finally wrote a song about chemtrails!
Lana Del Rey was mostly unknown to me, so this was my introduction. She can sing when she chooses to — the barely audible squeaky delivery was not my favorite — and I really liked her harmonies and musical arrangements. The songs tended to dwell on the same parts longer than they needed to — I felt like she beat every good lyric into the ground. I spent the first half of the album waiting for it to kick into gear, until I realized this was the gear, an album of songs to sing while sleeping. OK, not super exciting. With a 2021 release date, for it to have made this list, I was expecting something a little more memorable. But I literally laughed out loud when the album ended. After penning an album chock full of album closers, to end on "For Free," decidedly the least-suited to the task, cracked me up. (That was probably my favorite tune — the melody was very reminiscent of Joni Mitchell.) Maybe that's Del Rey's sense of humor. I get the impression she lives her life faster than she sings her songs.
Huh. After the first two songs, I was feeling pretty down on the album. (My daughter checked out, too, so she blasted Neutral Milk Hotel to cleanse the palette.) But after dropping my daughter off at school, I put the album back on and found that I liked the third song. And then the next one. And the next. And slowly but surely, this album won me over. So much so that I started listening to it all over again, and it's just a solid album through and through. Great lyrics, hooks, harmonies, production. Right on, LDR! Giving it 4 stars now but it could grow into a five. Also, I enjoyed the Joni cover, but damn if that Weyes Blood person doesn't sound EXACTLY like her. I had to look her up to see if I wasn't being trolled, that maybe LDR snuck Joni on there under a pseudonym.
While there are many reasons I miss my friend Keith, today I want to talk about this album with him. I didn’t get her in 2019. Keith loved Lana Del Rey and I can literally see his eyes shining speaking about her. She’s lovely and I just loved listening to this album.
I've never been a fan of Lana Del Rey. Yes, she has a beautiful voice but I've always found her lyrics to be kinda cringey, and trying too hard to be aesthetic. Neverthless, this album was actually quite good, with an amazing instrumentation and vocal performance.
Very low and sad mood. I guess she went through something difficult while she wrote these songs. The basic pattern is redundant, but that’s her style. I hope she finds joy and has fun at one point.
The album drags hard until you hit 'Let Me Love You Like a Woman'. This song hits the velvety regal character that I have come to expect from Lana. It loses momentum again on 'Wild at Heart'. She's a dead ringer for Joni Mitchell on "For Free" which is a neat trick and not easily done. I'm actually a huge fan, so it pains me to rate it this way. What happened here?
Shocked to see a relatively contemporary musician in my feed. I'd heard a lot about LDR, but never got a chance to listen to her. I wouldn't call this album extraordinary, but more like extra ordinary or perhaps extra normal. I suppose if I were to delve into the lyrics there might be something there, but after one listen this wasn't the album for me.
I give 2.5 stars. Rounding up because there were a couple of songs where the pleasantness of the three-part harmony outweighed the obnoxious raspy whispery BS earlier in the album.
I also don't get the hubbub over LDR. Although, maybe the hubbub was brief and fleeting, as it's been 10 years since her breakthrough with "Born to Die" and I had no idea she had come out with 7 more albums over that time. Most of her work in that decade seems to have come out with much less fanfare, though maybe I just don't pay enough attention to pop music. Sorry, "alt-pop." LDR's sultriness just always seemed like an overdone act to me from my limited exposure, and nothing on "Chemtrails" dissuades that take. Case in point, all the breathy whispers on this album are the worst parts. The best parts are just Taylor Swift-lite, and as they've both used Jack Antonoff as producer lately the similarity comes as no surprise. However, Antonoff's reputation for hooks and hits is let down by "Chemtrails."
I dislike when she sings in her high register with that breathy whisper (most heavily featured on White Dress but in other songs too), it is unlistenable. Overall I am not sure what the fuss is about with Lana.
Still don’t get what all the hubbub about her was for a minute.
one of 1011? joking?
sounds very nostalgic, almost dreamy, definitely more a depressing vibe but her lyrics are good
Yndishlustun
Listened Before? N This was my first exposure to Lana Del Ray. I have to say, it was a pleasant surprise! At first, I thought I wasn't going to like it as it felt monotonous and slow... but then I started reading the lyrics along with the music, and WOW. Lyrically this album shines. The themes and stories are amazing. I loved it and will be listening to it again. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana is Lana, geen stemgeluid kan dat evenaren. Ik kende geen enkele liedjes van dit album, maar kon er wel van genieten. Al lijken veel songs op elkaar
Pretty good, but not as good as NFR
• The only Lana Del Rey song I’ve heard before today is Summertime Sadness, which I admittedly don’t mind • The high pitched whisper vocals throughout White Dress are awful and I really hope they aren’t a running theme throughout the album • The whole album is super repetitive • At least Dance Till We Die sounds different to the other tracks • Being an album released in 2021, I feel like every song was written to be radio or TikTok hits, rather than to be listened as an album. I don’t think it should be considered an album you must hear before you die, and I won’t be listening to anything from it again. Favourite song: Dance Till We Die
Shimmery, sparse. Early on into the record, I came to the conclusion that this is music you listen to, wine-drunk, in the bathtub, while slipping under the water. It's depressing, but quietly so. I enjoyed it quite a bit more than I thought I would, but it's not anything I plan to revisit. Call it a 3.5. Favorite tracks: "Tulsa Jesus Freak", "Not All Who Wander Are Lost", "Dark But Just A Game"
I assume this is something of a diversity pick - the curator wanted something from 2021, so they picked something. Now, the obvious solution is - if there aren't any good CDs from 2021, then don't pick any. My personal opinion is that no strong rock CDs have been released since 2019 (I'm writing this in 2022) but I'm not monitoring every genre. Let's start with Lana's voice. It's extremely weak. If you're an apologist you could say breathy, thin, range-bound and timid is the aesthetic she's going for. I'm not - compare her vocals with Grace Potter or (even closer) Emily Haines from Metric. Haines can do Lana's style better than she can but then can also open up and just belt it, and I think she probably has more range on the high end too (low end is a foregone conclusion). I don't know if Lana can't really sing, but the fact of the matter is that on this CD, she doesn't. She starts to open it up a bit on "Let Me Love You Like a Woman" and "Wild at Heart" but doesn't keep it up. Then there's the pace. This CD is extremely slow and down-beat, and never gets above about a 3-out-of-10 on the excitement scale. The easiest way to put together a good pop CD is to have a great lead singer. Failing that, be fast, fun, and loud. If you don't do either of those things, you're in a really tough position - the last recourse is to have genius composition and production. This CD ain't it. It's pretty basic singer-songwriter stuff. Half the songs sound like demos. Easily the most sophisticated composition is the Joni Mitchell cover (also probably the best song overall), and that adds basically nothing on the production side relative to Mitchell's version, it's pretty much a by-the-books cover.
Litt for kjedelig. Kanskje en dag vil eg like den
Rating: 3.0 Best Track: Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Same old, same old from Lana. How long has she been doing this now?
Mundane
An enjoyable listen, but rather one-note in its tone, sound, themes, and production. Reminds me of the result if an artist listened to Tori Amos and decided to make an entire album based on the slow songs from "Boys for Pele".
A very basic Lana album, I’d like her to do something different
Kind of loved this, the right mood for now, but think can be something that could get too much in excess
I've got nothing against sad girl music and I like this album. But I don't really have that many occasions to listen to sad girl music. I'm not a sad girl. I'm not even a sad boy. I did listen to this album at the gym, so it probably didn't really get a fair shake, but I don't think I'd listen to this very carefully in other contexts as more than nice background music. Not a bad album though.
An odd selection unless there are multiple Lana Del Rey selections. I believe Norman Fucking Rockwell!! is a far better release. This is a decidedly smaller album, with a somewhat Americana feel that puts a focus on her formidable singer-songwriter skills. She is all over the place here, meaning she touches upon various parts of the country in pursuing her vision. Her evolution as a songwriter is consistently impressive. In many ways she shares a similar trajectory as Taylor Swift (albeit from different starting points). And, both have Jack Antonoff in their work group, which is an enormous asset.
I did not really know what to make of this. It has some beautiful moments but was overall just a bit too dreary for me. I liked the country-influenced tracks at the end most of all. Not sure why this is here, I'd put different albums from 2021.
Noen melankolske fininger
I can really appreciate LDR, I just can't decide if I like her music. Objectively, she's a great singer/artist with a unique sound. The whole album was interesting to me, and I enjoyed it in that sense. But, I don't know if I "liked" it. I'm in a weird space with this one. Still - high marks as I do believe the album is deserving of being on the list. It's definitely a must-hear.
The first track was beautiful The rest of the album was very quiet and slow, with not much variation
One good song and that was a Joni Mitchell cover with other people singing.
Sad boi music
A significant step down from Norman Fucking Rockwell. Best Track: White dress
Such a disappointment after NFR. All the songs are at the same tempo, and sound like overproduced mush. Unnecessary Joni Mitchell cover only highlights the difference in songwriting quality. Shame, barely scrapes a 3
I casually enjoy LDR but hadn't listened to this one yet. It's pretty solid. I still think that adding an album to this list a year after release is ridiculous though. It's simply too soon to call it an album you MUST hear before you die. Viewing it through that lens is less favorable unfortunately.
-"White Dress," "Chemtrails Over The Country Club," and "Tulsa Jesus Freak" all sound like the bridge, intro, or outro to a song, but for the whole time. Basically I felt like the song needed to transition to something better/different the entire time. Not a good start to the album and especially not a good sign since that was 3/4 of the singles for the album. -"Let Me Love You Like A Woman" and "Wild At Heart" were a bit better with some more harmonies on the singing and more interesting music pieces -Yo "Dance Till We Die" suddenly turns into a blues-y rock-ish song for a second. That part was the best part of the album so far -Yeah overall very slow and generally same-y album. Didn't even have the desire to re-listen to see if I missed anything because I didn't see it being enjoyable
I've only really heard Lana's top songs and I really like them! But though her voice is beautiful, I found this album to be a bit one dimensional.
never listened to a full lana album before. Pretty good
Born to Die should be on the list instead. Lightweight and dreary.
This is generally not my style of music. I can hear jazz and a little bit of country influences. She has a talent for evoking a feeling, like a long distant memory, with words. I might give some of her other work a try. I would recommend this to a friend to give a listen.
Americana. No soy muy fan del tipo de música pero canta tan bien... Un 4.
Bah. Normalito.
Had heard it before and will probably listen again. Need to be in the right mood as it gets a bit monotone
Well, at least no one can accuse Lana Del Rey of being to versatile. I find it hard to distinguish the songs, they all sound the same, not only from a compositional standpoint, but also production-wise. Whoever produced this must have thrown everything he/she knows about producing pop-hits on a wall to see what sticks. And Del Ray's vocal style is disappointingly similar to every other contemporary female pop singer/sonwrighter. This is one of the best albums that 2021 had to offer?!? Oh, come on ... 1.5/5
I thought I liked Lana Del Ray. Apparently, I don't. This album started off terrible. The choice to sing as if you'd lost your list was a poor one and the music went terribly with her voice. It got marginally better through the rest of the songs.. at least the music started to work with her voice. And then it got bad again at the end. Wouldn't recommend.
Really like it
lovely lyrics, soothing rhythms. very enjoyable
Do not like lana's singing style, like every word takes a tremendous effort to pronounce. The whole album is a blur of similar sounding songs. Hard to finish this album.
Decent listen. Default Lana album I guess?
I was prepared to really dislike this album. My expectations were low given it only came out last year and Lana isn’t someone I’ve ever given much attention to. That changed with “Down at the Men in Music Business Conference” in White Dress, a line that’s an unexpected fit for the melody but works beautifully. The whispery vocals feel vulnerable and secretive. It pulled me straight in. The title song, Tulsa Jesus Freak, Yosemite and Dark But Just a Game are all highlights. Reminiscent of Warpaint. The problem with this album is it often feels like listening to one long 45 minute song. I found it more enjoyable listening in 2 halves with a long breather in between. 3/5
Unique sound. I purchased.
As I drift in and out of consciousness, with Lana del Ray's sweet and sultry voice weaving a tapestry of love and regret in my peaceful mind, I find myself wondering, "she doesn't believe in the chemtrails conspiracy, does she?"
Lana makes good music, but man every song sounds the same to me. Not in a bad way. The first song was my least favorite on this one. Cool seeing such a new album on the list.
It's not terrible, but it's Lana Del Rey repeating her schtick. Her affectations are occasionally grating; for example, the breathy voice on 'White Dress'.
Downbeat as expected from Lana's music, but quite enjoyable. Surprised to find two very recent albums on consecutive days.
Easy to listen to. Good for when working or relaxing. Folk, similar to Taylor more folk songs but a little more wordy. Sort airy voice like Billly Elish (a bit like heather nova).
Melancholisch entspannte Musik
I thought at some point she was gonna stop whispering but nah
I had not heard of her or her music, and I like this album. Dreamy and ethereal at times, very well composed and performed, superb singing voice, and I would like to read the lyrics because the pieces I caught were interesting. I love the album name and cover art, too. Seems like an interesting artist so I'll look into her other work, too.
Has the patented Lana Del Rey sleazy hollywood magic along with some seriously strong melody and song writing. A real high point for Lana, though I really enjoyed her earlier albums. The whole album is consistently good but the first five tracks are notably strong.
Slow, indie. Soft vocals. Romantic and melancholic, but with modern influences and themes. Sad but sympathetic. Good production and sound quality. Favourite song: Chemtrails over the Country Club.
Such a unique style, feels like something from the past. Easy to relax to, really have to listen to appreciate - not upbeat.
Folk. Suave y melódico, pero aburrido
1ère moitié solide, 2ème moitié osef Prefs: White Dress, Chemtrails over the Country Club, Tulsa Jesus Freak, Wild at Heart, Dark but Just a Game Moins pref: Breaking Up Slowly
Some gorgeous songs on this album, and some really cool lyrical themes.
Yeah, nope.
Lana is one of the few talented modern artists (great songwriter & singer), but this album was too snoozy & cheesy for my liking. I like her work, but this album just wasn't for me.
Her voice annoys me. I like strong resonant voices, not this whispery weak sounding stuff.
There are some university good songs on here
3.8 - This is a very tastefully produced record, from the cover art and album title, to the spare and subtle sound engineering, to the subdued but effective vocals. I love the way Lana Del Rey evokes deep Americana with references to Louisiana two-step, small towns in Arkansas (pronounced like "Kansas") and church-y truisms like "not all who wander are lost." And I'm just a sucker for her weepy damsel-in-distress persona that she augments with her doe-like eyes and hushed delivery - she reminds me of Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star. Mostly the songs are easily interpreted and float within a somber melancholy. My hunch is that most of this record's charms that seem so compelling on initial listen, will fade upon subsequent returns and that I'll probably find boring what I once found gorgeous.
kjedelig
E9 i at da e kjedelig. Huske eg såg ein video ein gang av at Lana sang For Free, også kjeda ho seg så masse at ho glemte å synga. Så måtte backingdamene poka ho og minna på at ho spilte konsert
A surprisingly good and interesting album. I’d never listened to Lana before this but knew she was popular. I will be listening again!
That was a boring as anything I've heard in a long while.
Great voice, not all the songs are for me, but some are really good.
I kinda grew tired of LDR years ago, but this album had a lot of tracks I enjoyed
My buddies, let's have a look at the state of secretary rock in 2021. For those who don't know, secretary rock is music made for secretaries: tasteful, acoustic, worthy, romantic, unerotic, shallow, dull. My review of Tracy Chapman's Tracy Chapman goes more into the definition, so look that up if you're curious. A glance at the influences section on Lana Del Rey's Wikipedia page should cause a wariness to build. Her stated tastes as all presentable, all predictable, all mainstream, nothing even fleetingly left-field: Billie Holliday, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Britney Spears, Eminem, Amy Winehouse. Only Courtney Love provokes a quizzical huh, and that's scarcely for the audacity of the choice. And that respectability represents one of the main faults of the album: it's scared to draw or even stir blood. At one point she proclaims to be "wild at heart," which leads the listener what her devilish streak is capable of. Making a coffee with milk that's on its use-by date? Writing the word butt in her diary (which definitely has a pony on the cover)? Sleeping until 9 a.m. on a Sunday? Her parents must be so disappointed. Another issue is the uniformity. Almost every song sounds identical, with the same plucked guitar, the same tapped piano, the same overprocessed voice (the vocal affectations may seriously aggravate). This ties in to the album's tastefulness: it refuses to gamble, so every song gravitates to the same humdrum model. Also, it's impossible not to notice how often the lyrics don't scan, with compressed lines and laboured metres. The second half almost redeems the album, where Lana takes a stroll towards Americana, and she finds one or two good songs (or in some cases, snippets of songs). But I can't decipher the grand message of this album. It seems to comprise a series of vignettes which don't convey anything deep and just describe everyday scenes in Lana's life. Is Lana so interesting that her meeting her friends for a beer deserves poetic commemoration? I'd say no.
Prve dvije pjesme su mi 5/5. Ovo ostalo je otislo u zaborav.
Not my cup of tea
I feel like a traitor to my sex because I’ve hated on every female album, but for the most part I was bored. White dress - I did not believe this person ever listened to the white stripes or rocked to kings of Leon. Two decent songs were Wild at Heart and the title track - I enjoyed the piano especially on the latter, but I thought it was funny both feature songs about being wild, sung in a drowsy monotone. Breaking up Slowly actually touched me in a way none of the other album seemed to break through. Dance Till We Die had enough of a beat to wake me up, but didn’t feel fun or different enough to capture my attention.
What a difference a day makes. This album feels like it succeeded where PJ Harvey failed. Songs about sham glamour and how unaware people are to the world around them. IT's a good mix of slow meaningful melody and poignant lyrics. 59/100gecs
Although I quite like a lot of Lana Del Rey's discography Chemtrails Over the Country Club feels too sparse. It feels like the album is picking back up into a what I was used to with Dark But Just A Game but it's back down after that. There are some great vocal bits on Not All Who Wander Are Lost but I don't really like the chorus. Breaking Up Slowly is another standout 63/100 gecs
Meh, didn't love it. I'm not a huge Lana Del Rey fan for starters. Definitely waaay too mellow of an album to start my morning.
It's OK, her voice is only tolerable and her songwriting isn't great
Only made it a few tracks in. Dreamy lofi pop slow songs. Just ok.
silky voice helps me forget that her style isn't quite my taste
Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh
Has a serene sound that you can lose yourself in… also, if we’re doing albums from last year, does that mean that next year I’ll have more than 1001 albums to listen to?
Trååååååååååkigt o va gör det på listan mayne....
An album name like this one makes me like it before I start listening to it. It's a nice piece if American folk sung incredibly well. Was this released after we started the 1001 voyage?
I like the way she switches from an airy voice to a deeper voice. She's written some great songs, with great personal lyrics over the years but an entire album, so sparsely produced, without synth pop hooks is a bit much, but that could be said of many folk artists. It's interesting that her producer and co-writer (of very song) Jack Antonoff, has done the same thing with Taylor Swift, Lorde, Florence and The Machine and others. Between a 3 and a 4 to me.
When I heard Lana's Video Games back in 2012 I was immediately captured by her haunting vocals and lovely arrangements, so I had high hopes for her. Unfortunately after 10 years she is basically putting out the same material and this album really failed to capture my attention as all the songs flowed together into one schmaltzy mass. Its interesting to see the debate about why an album that came out in 2021 shouldn't be on this list. I have no problem with that because brilliant albums are released every year. But based on merit, I was say no to this one. This is slightly better than yesterday's Tori Amos, but only barely.
Ethereal and dark. Classic Lana with poetry and juxtaposition
Would have never listened to this album if it wasn’t recommended. When I saw it was my first album I almost gave up and passed it up. I’m glad I didn’t, this album is amazing! She’s got such a beautiful voice and this record was different than I expected in a refreshing way!
Prachtig wel. Dit ga ik nog wel eens luisteren. Titel van album is ook prachtig. Die juxtapositie is geweldig. Ik zou precies een dissect willen hiervan.
Lana baby...prachtige stem, prachtig album
It's been way too long since I listened to Lana Del Rey, although I really like her and used to listen to her quite a bit. I hadn't heard this album or the previous one yet actually, so I was excited to dive in. It turned out to be the treat I hoped it would be! This album feels musically much more mature than her previous ones which can be both a good thing and a bad thing. Overall, the quality of this album is high throughout. Ethereal, light and beautiful compositions set the background for Lana's iconic as well as laconic voice. On the flip side, there are no immediately catchy potential hits along the lines of Young And Beautiful. This is an album to listen to as an album instead of picking out a couple of greats for playlists and ignoring the chaff. I can't say for sure if I prefer mature or developing Lana Del Rey more. But this was a great listening and I'll go ahead and enjoy her 2019 album next.
Not a fan. Ambien music.
Może 4.5
I've never thought I'm going to not only unironically listen to Lana del Rey, but also praise it and play her on repeat almost every day. Lana del Rey put her vocal skills to the limits. Some of the songs on this record feel almost otherworldly. So delicate, so intimate. Unfortunately, further into the album it gets a bit repetitive. Highlights: White Dress, Chemtrails Over The Country Club, Breaking Up Slowly
Chyba są lepsze albumy, tutaj myślę sobie nowość, zobaczmy co tak zajebistego jest, że dostało się od ręki na listę. No nie powala, wszystko tak samo brzmi.
not her best album but definitely good
I used to think that all Lana del Rey songs in every record sounded exactly the same. That statement is still true to me. However, this particular album has surprised me, maybe because I was expecting more summertime sadness and born-to-die wishes and what I found was a more mature aura surrounding the compositions. I fell in love instantly with the magical whispers of “White Dress” and with the ballad “Let Me Love You Like A Woman”.
Very unique sound and captures the sad mood very well. Not exactly my cup of tea tho
Not really sure how this is one of the best albums of its release date, much less all time. I just found it so boring.
Love Lana! This isn't my favorite of her albums, but I love the Lana vibe it has.
Don't think I've listened to this one of hers before and it's not my favorite. Doesn't have an anchor hit to draw you in. The album starts real rough with some strained whisper singing bet gets better.
It’s not bad. It’s just not my jam.
Why is this on here? Alex jones thinks the chemtrails over the country club are turning the WASPs gay. I kinda like her whisper-singing thing in general, but this is maybe excessive.
Not bad, just incredibly boring.
It was interesting although repetitive.
Dance Till We Die kinda cool
Mir zu seicht für ein Lana del Rey Album, "Dark But Just A Game" habe ich aber gespeichert. Vielleicht muss ich es noch öfter hören.
Have you ever had Pirate's Booty? The little puffed corn snack food? You eat a handful of it, and you start to feel the flavor coming on and then it's gone. Like biting into a Cheetoh only to have it turn into nothing more than air. That's what this album is the equivalent of. It sounds like it's going to be something but then it's just air. Nothing there. Gone. I hated her mumbly, just-ate-a-handful-of-Ambien cover of Doin' Time, but that's the only song of hers I can even point to and identify as a Lana Del Rey song. This album might as well be a green room that Lorde was in the night before after stopping at Taco Bell - the lingering ghost of a thousand farts from someone more memorable.
Never thought sad girl pop would be so good.
A few bangers here and there, but overall a subpar album, everything kinda sounds the same, not much variation.
Beautiful voice, but the album is boring
This album started out as a 4 and then slipped to a 3. While I enjoyed a few of the songs thoroughly - White Dress, Let Me Love You Like a Woman, Dance Till We Die - the rest of the album was a drag. I have a love-hate relationship with LDR. I was one of the impressionable young girls in 2012 that fell in love with her and her music, only to end up feeling a bit robbed of my innocence due to her normalization of weird/disturbing/inappropriate relationship shit. It’s just music, I know, but tell that to a fifteen year old. Thought some of the stuff she promoted was not only acceptable, but kind of cool. Now as an adult I look back on it and cringe. I’ve avoided listening to her newer stuff because I cringe thinking about things from that time in my life. I can’t possibly be accountable so I’ll have to blame LDR. Just kidding, but listening to her I can’t help but feel like she’s always pandering and never authentic. I don’t know just me probably.
Smooth, beautiful, well crafted, but souless. I do like Lena Del Rey, I didn't really find enough in this album to keep me interested - I far prefer Born to Die or NFR. Also, I do think for an album this recent to be in this list it needs to be undisputedly special, which I don't think this is. Maybe time will tell and I'll like it more in 5 years time, but put it in then, once we've had time to prodcess it, not now.
I really like Lana Del Rey but... it was the Born to Die album that I first discovered her and I feel like that sound is more my kind of vibe: dark but bubble gum pop, if that makes any sense. I see that she's continued to deconstruct the American dream with this album but honestly, I wouldn't put this on a 1001 albums list - you'd want to have Born to Die for that. I feel it's a much stronger album all around.
I really liked Lana Del Rey's first album (2012), and I like her second album (2014) even more. However, since then her music regressed to focus more and more on that retro/nostalgic image Del Rey has, by then, established. The problem is that this regression comes at the expense of the music. It's like she fell for her own marketing; the brilliance and originality of Born to Die is gone, and all we have instead is a fake facade. P.S. I totally approve of a 2021 album making it into this list (even if I don't particularly like this particular choice).
Although I generally like the artists (especially earlier albumens) The first song really put me off.
Well that was quite a pleasant surprise. This isn't really the kind of thing I'd usually listen to, and will likely never listen again, but I enjoyed the journey. This is what this project is all about for me, finding things I'd never have heard otherwise, totally different to my usual preferences. This album is full of nice simple love songs, nothing over the top, nothing trying too hard. I don't really understand how an album three years old even gets onto the list, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
4 "Dark But Just A Game" has been a favorite of mine for a long time. But the whole album sure gets a little samey 3
First, very few albums are so iconic in their first year that they become "a must-listen to before you die" status. Second, of those albums that are, they were game changers that spoke to current events (What's Going On), or forever changed the sound of music (Elvis, The Beatles). Lan Del Rey's "Chemtrails Over The Country Club" does neither. Moving on from the worthiness of being on such a list, this album is still meh. The vocals are repetitive and whiny while the music is flat. This is my 254th generated album and it is the first that I've stopped listening to before making it the blissful end. I've grudged through a lot of bad albums, this one takes the cake. Congratulations Lana, my first one star review goes to you.
I like LDR. I bought the Born to Die album back 2012. I feel I was conned though. Lured in by the siren call. Thats probably massively sexist. Is it a bit style over substance? She's got hooks, the production is gorgeous. Its all a bit breathy, sad, 50s pastiche with edgy lyrics. This is similar. (Also, this is 7 (seven) albums in! SEVEN.) Its also probably too soon too soon to claim its one of the top 1000 albums when its only 2 years old. Don't know really. 3.5 Norman Fucking Rockwell is better.
A little too melancholy for me to vibe with overall, but I enjoyed her as an album artist way more than any of the singles I'd previously heard
I'm not exactly sure why this is on the essentials list, not because it's bad, but just because it came out so recently I don't know how it is had nearly enough time to be considered as such. That's really my only complaint though. 3.5/5
We can't see the forest from the trees. Yet. Maybe it'll grow on me. Parts of it feel like they'll age well. But it's a bit of a snooze. And an annoying snooze at that. It felt like a watered down version of Taylor Swift's two Pandemic albums. Actual rating is 2.5.
3, soothing
Jestem zaniepokojony iloscia nowozytnych pickow ostatnio, bo o istnieniu tej plyty nie mialem pojecia przed dniem dzisiejszym, bo nie ma w niej zbyt wielu radiowych czy telewizijnych hitow, albo szczesliwie ich unikalem, bo plyta ma ledwie ponad rok, bo marzec 2k21, ale nie zmienia to faktu, ze juz przed odsluchem mialem wizje katuszy, a 45 minut i 11 trakow pozniej jestem w stanie stwierdzic, ze byly to prorocze wizje, bo pani Lana Del Rey, przez prawie dekade nie zmienila sie nic a nic, nadal tworzy muzyke idealna pod swoja wykreowana persone smutnej kobiety, ktora wypelnila pustke wielu nastoletnich serc wczesnych lat 2k1x, bo kto nie jak pani Lana, czy raczej Elizabeth Woolridge Grant stworzyla kariere na nostalgii polaczonej z motywem slabej i smutnej kobiety, wiec dobre polaczenie dla kupienia serc nastoletnich dziewczyn, ktore podchodzac do swiata w idealistyczny sposob ciagna jak do miodu w historie nieszczescia i samobojczej milosci, ktore nie jestem w sobie wyobrazic jak, ale od 10 lat i 7 albumow potrafi ona nadal sprzedawac, ale z pozytywnych zaskoczen, to mniej tutaj tej szopkowej powagii barokowych kompozycji porzuconych na rzecz bardziej folkowych, czy americanowych brzmien, ktore sa zasluga pana Jacka Antonoffa, ktory wyprodukowal jej trzy ostatnie albumy, a takze udziela sie na nich instrumentalnie, a ja kojarze go z materialu Arizona Baby od pana Abstracta, zmienily sie instrumentale, ale rowniez wokalnie brzmi to jakos mniej forsowanie, nadal czuc wyraznie persone smutnej pani, ale nie juz z takiej wysokosci, co nie boli az tak w uszy jak na kawalkach z ktorych glownie kojarzylem artystke, wiec pierwszy album z jakze bogatej dyskografii wysluchany, zawiera on najlepsze co od niej slyszalem, ale nadal jest to mocne 2/10, co w przeliczeniu na gwiazdki daje jedynke, ale jednak nie tak tragiczna jak pewnie bym dal born to die, dziwne jest to jak artystka potrafi zamknac sie przez prawie dekade w jednej personie i odcinac tylko kupony, bo Lana Del Rey zawsze bedzie dla mnie jedna z najbardziej farbowanych artystek, od ktorej sztucznosc sztuki az bije w oczy, popelnilem kardynalny blad i zguglowalem reddita fangejowatego del rey zeby wybadac jak to wyglada z pisaniem liryki u niej, bo jedynie bylem swiadkiem kamieniowania niewiernego
Not my favorite Lana album
Lana has a great voice. The lyrics kind of remind me of Paul Simon's style of storytelling. Cool album!
I know of Lana Del Rey but never heard any of her songs before. I thought she was pop but the cover is strange. Is this gonna be irony? Ok it's a really soft affair. Seems the main instruments are acoustic guitars, light synth/strings and voice. Wiki lists it as folk and country, but the kazillion-dollar production kinda marks it as something else. Not usual pop though. I guess it sounds like Lorde? Or Taylor Swift now that she's conveniently reinvented herself as a folky hipster? Lots of vocal harmony layers, she can definitely sing but never goes to town - it's very subdued, like Kate Bush without the shrieking. The lyrics seemed a bit dumb when I could hear them: in the first song she mostly mumbles then the words "business trip" really stick out, haha. According to wiki she's built a whole persona around Americana etc, but I couldn't really hear any of that apart from key phrases every now and then, like "making out in a parking lot" would stand out but because the rest is unintelligible there's no real context to it. Overall this was a bit boring and I can't imagine in 10 years' time it'd make the same list again. The author of this book has no real insight when it comes to modern albums from what I've seen - anything after about 2005 is just a lucky dip, as if he closed his eyes and threw a dart at the Billboard Top 100 for the year. 2/5.
It's amazing what a carefully constructed persona and a daddy with a record label can do. I liked the original version of Stoned at the nail salon.
There's a few great moments on this, I do love the title track, good work all round.
Did not listen
She has a beautiful voice. I probably wouldn't listen to it regularly but I enjoyed the album overall. Easy to listen to.
Gran incógnita de inicio que desafortunadamente no soprendió ni gustó. No está mal. Todo el disco tiene un tenor melancólico, no es estruendoso y creo que hasta podría decir minimalista en sus arreglos y melodías. El foco está en la voz y estilo de Lana, aunque para mi, termina por sentirse plano y suena como una gran canción sin fin. Quizá no es tema de ella, sino del género pero salvo un par de canciones el disco en general no me transmite. No creo que sea mala música pero definitivamente no es para mi. Songs: Dark But Just A Game
Pfff este disco me cortó la racha. Es curioso haberlo tenido directamente después de Taylor Swift porque son dos caras distintas de un pop y de una época muy similar. La verdad es que este tiene detalles de producción y arreglos muy muy bonitos, delicados y bien cuidados, tanto que se siente hiperproducido. Como una pintura renacentista. Pero la verdad es que tanto adorno no le quita que se pone aburrido. Siempre nostálgico, lento, doloroso. Lo más explosivo llega a ser un coro de la penúltima canción pero de inmediato se calma. Por otro lado, aunque la voz de Lana es muy muy muy bonita, también cansa el estilo que usa en muchas rolas: casi un suspiro, casi disculpándose por subir el volumen. Bitch please! En fin, por todo eso y más, dos estrellas y a seguir con los discos.
2/5. Pretty-ass ngl. Lana do be toxic and have an annoying musical aesthetic and style doe 🤷♂️
Ok pop album. I can see how people like her music i as it’s melancholy and sometimes soothing. I don’t find the album as a whole that special. It felt like listening to another persons story that is uninteresting. 4.9/10
Sorry Rooker!
não é muito meu estilo mas uma voz muito agradável
Surprised to see such a recent album in the list - and not entirely sure why. Not great, not terrible.
Fine
Ah, Lana. I feel like I should like her. I enjoy a lot of artists that get consistently compared to her, such as Lorde. I go in with an open and hopeful heart every time. And I am disappointed, every time. It’s like she knows how to make a melody anti-catchy. If she wanted an ear worm, it sounds like the early bird already up and got hers. It is so overproduced, glistening until slimy as if it were slathered in Vaseline. For an album that seems to want to craft some sense of intimacy, it does more to distance itself. Her voice always sounds so drab, so bored. I get that’s part of her style, but her flavor of lazy singing and affected style is grating. It’s like an insecure teenager that puts every effort they can into not looking like they put effort into their appearance. I’m not saying every moment here was dreadful. Dark But Just a Game was a consistently okay song, the bridge to Dance Til We Day gave some desperately needed energy to the album, and For Free had some dazzling harmonies. This album did have good moments. But man, I ain’t gonna dig through shit for a couple of corn kernels, you know?
Trophy: Lana Unlocked Lana has always been difficult for me to listen to, but tonight changed everything. I had always heard from her fans that she was such a soulful and melancholy singer, but I always just heard a bored drone. Then it hit me: that is exactly correct. She is droning and she is not energized. But plenty of instruments make that sound. So as I listened to this, I let her fade into the mix like an instrument, and what emerged was a sorrowful and melancholy masterpiece.
This is just a great album title. This is the type of album that you don't even realize you are listening to in a loop.
Is great, very melodramatic
It’s alright
I'm a sucker for some good non-electronic piano in my music, so the first song pulled me in and set the mood for the album. Soft, gentle, sweet, this was a joy to listen to. Perhaps not something that you have to listen to before you die, but something that you won't regret listening to at least once.
Chemtrails over the Country Club by Lana Del Ray (2021) Here we have slow, superlatively feminine pop—reflective, comfortable, swimming in the past, and finding comfort in the present. Lana Del Ray successfully pulls off some very difficult vocal styles. She is able to whisper exceedingly airy tones with excellent pitch and articulation (“White Dress”) and to dub herself in octaves and widely spaced harmonies (“Chemtrails over the Country Club”) with fine choral blend (outros to “Let Me Love You Like a Woman” and “Wild at Heart”) and delicate precision throughout. Truly applaudable. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better example of vocal recording on multiple tracks (yes, including Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”). Now on the last verse of “Dance Till We Die”, her attempt at power blues reveals her vocal limitations, but she doesn’t stay there for long, shifting back to her beautifully soft timbre for the closing chorus. The album is quite well produced, with subtle but warmly wrapped instrumentals and small scale orchestral backgrounds, mixed with a very close sound in the vocal recording. It is as though Lana Del Ray is sitting squarely in front of me, singing right down onto my forehead, so close I can feel her breath. My hair is softly blowing back with each phrase. This is definitely music for headphones. You won’t want ambient noise spoiling the experience. I’m sure this music is very difficult to perform live. There’s an embarrassingly annoying hum in the opening strains of “Dance Till We Die”. Some engineer didn’t get the memo: “We need silence in the background, dammit!” Del Ray’s lyrics are intelligent and well structured, and only occasionally bordering on the trite, but way too self absorbed—not good as art, but excellent as therapeutic role play for the feminine listener, which, I suppose, is the purpose. And the very wild lyrics of “Wild at Heart” are not well suited to the very tame music. The exception to these criticisms here is the closing track “For Free”, which, if you think it sounds like it was written by Joni Mitchell rather than Lana Del Ray, rest assured that it was. I’d recommend this record for my sister, as a pleasing alternative to the likes of an Adele or a Céline Dion, but not to take the place of a Joni Mitchell or a Judy Collins (or a Bonnie Raitt or a Loreena McKennitt or . . . well, you get the point). 3/5
Great sound. Not sure why this is not higher on her popular albums.
dark, night time headphones or rainy sunday album
Not a fan.
Really liked this. Very soothing and melodic. I didn't realize this was such a recent album. I prefer it to her previous album.
Hmmmmm okay? Welp, I’m a douche bag this is actually really good. Lana has an amazing voice, kind already knew that but it’s the first time I actually seriously listened to her, like really listened. She has a lot going on lyrically some of it’s cringe, some of it’s weird, some of it’s really confessional but overall she’s a pretty good songwriter. Musically it’s really sparse and allows her vocals to take over the mix. Surprisingly good one of the better albums of 2021 I must say
I was surprised by this album. Tender, melodic & moody.
Alright. I was totally wrong about Lana Del Ray. This album is great. I look forward to revisiting everything she's ever done. 5 stars for changing my mind about something.
Love the mood of this album. Lana has such a great voice.
I am surprised to see a 2021 album here, especially when I made for the first time my list of favourite albums of the year in 2021 and I didn't listen to this one. Well, I guess you cannot listen to them all. I am not big on Lana Del Rey, but as soon as the piano and her whispered voice comes in I am already bought. I won't have time to listen to it more than once as I fell back in the challenge and have three other albums to catch up with, but my general impression is that this album totally reflects the black and white atmosphere of its cover art. All the songs sound intimate and kind of nostalgic. Actually, you know what? I am adding it to my Discogs wish list as I write. That's how much impressed I was with this album.
I have got into Lana Del Ray recently, she borders on ethereal and some may see her style here as repetitive, but I would argue that the words are the thing here. A searing indictment of the hypocrisy of Americana that I think is in line with David Lynch's world view. Love "Not All Who Wander Are Lost" "Yosemite" The Joni Mitchell Cover "For Free" some interesting other songs here. Glad we are update to this year, as this tome must change regularly! (Does this mean we are now on more than 1001 Albums? I am early in on 157 at the moment! Absolutely love this game!
I am bored by this
Knew nothing about Lana other than her name. A little suspicious of something so new. Super enjoyable listen! I love how low key everything is. The lyrics are allowed to shine. Will definitely listen to again.
I didn't hate it, but why is this on the list? It's not even been a year since this album's released. This is just a regular folk album (my 5th folk album in the past 7 days, please stop giving me folk albums) that will inevitably be forgotten by the test of time. Nothing stood out, everything was very average, almost to the point where it seemed like they were trying to be average.
This (apart from the title track) seemed a lesser effort. But with each play the subtlety of the writing and production stand out more. And on the last track she's trailing a future as the Gen Z Joni Mitchell.
malo previše stressy-depressy za mene, zato je i ne slušan inače jer je to cili njen vibe, al budući da to nisu loše pisme nego ih ja jednostavno ne volin evo jedna 2
i knew lana del ray from earlier work so the style doesnt come as a surprise. you can like it or not. Meanwhile i think the lyrics are very cliche. It feels like with many of the songs they made up an edgy sounding title first and wrote the rest of the lyrics around it. Some of the lyrics almost sound like an AI got a mix of edgy feelings and country fed to come up with them. not really a fan of this album
Got to "Yosemite", and could take no more. Album released mid-March 2021, and it mid-Feb 2022 - how is this on this list? It's lazy. It's breathy. It's boring. Is the website dev a fan? Didn't even think of adding.
This was totally new to me. I liked it a lot. Breathy, high, floaty, but then the odd whiff of Joan Baez.
Lana Del Rubbish!
Really great album for today. Will listen to this again...
😍
lana’s music makes me feel miserable. not terrible but not great
Look, I didn't exactly hate it, but Chemtrails over the Country Club just wasn't for me. There are some good songs, which surprised me as I never really rated Lana Del Rey before. The most notable song being White Dress. Unfortunately the rest of the album mostly sticks to a flat tone which gets boring fast. I guess the monotone, low husky vocals are Lana Del Rey's raison d'etre and she does a great job of it but it isn't for me. I do find Lana Del Rey alarmingly pretentious and this album with the exception of White Dress that is very much on display. Jack Anton as producer off gets a special mention. This album does sound pretty good but I can't work out if he is a genius bringing artists to new heights or a scourge, banding out what could have been fun and interesting. I posit this because in the gaps between Lana's voice I could've been listening to Taylor Swift or Lorde. Whatever works for them, I guess
Überproduziert, zu glatt, unauthentisch, langweilig
Meh. Bit nothingy but inoffensive
All very samey - warbling soulful singing that never real went anywhere. Album felt very long too. Looking at the album cover makes you think you'll get some fun out of this album, but sadly no.
Haunting voice which I love but a whole album gets a bit samey and dull
There were some things I liked but can't put my finger on. There were things I didn't like but can't put my finger on. There's a bit of Taylor Swift syndrome here ... it's like she's singing her blog. Could have used a good editor. Still not terrible. 2.5/5
Overall an easy listen. I’d go 3 stars if “just” and “lost” weren’t sung as “juoist” and “lohiest.” 2.5.
loved it!!!
pretty voice. Soft piano music.
Enjoyed it a lot more than I imagined. A bit samey toward the end though and I think may not age well - the breathy female singer of today
Good, very laid back. Won’t revisit but was a nice peaceful morning soundtrack.
At the end of 2020, I found that I hadn't listened to much new music that was being released. So I made a resolution to myself to listen to one new 2021 album each week during the year. So trust me when I say I purposefully skipped this one to listen to the new ERRA instead. I don't like Lana Del Rey. This album is no exception. I find her voice grating and uninteresting. Sure, Jack Antonoff does good production and arrangement work. I think a lot of Del Rey's charm is in her lyrical work, painting these scenes with a certain feeling or aesthetic in mind. It's a shame those words are accompanied by her voice, which I dislike so much. Any other singer would've done this album good justice. For example, Nikki Lane features on the song "Breaking Up Slowly" and does a wonderful job. That's ultimately where I stand on Del Rey albums.
boring
I enjoyed this album. Really like the drawl and the haunting tones in her singing voice.
3.2 - decent modern folk album with haunting feel. Good vocals. Enjoyed White Dress immensely. Solid album for background listening.
First song thought: Unique voice. Very, very "breathy", is this how she sings all the time? It kinda sounds like she is struggling to him some of the notes with this voice. (Turns out this is not her normal voice on the rest of the record) Second thought: This came out in March 2021? Writing this in March 2022 - crazy it's on the list this soon. While I see it referenced as a "folk" record, it sounds thoroughly modern. For instance the production on Tulsa Jesus Freak is very hip-hop inspired and I think I can hear a little auto-tune too. Definitely a slick, modern sound here. It's fairly well done modern pop music. There are some folk elements but it's dressed up so much in modern sounds that I'd hesitate to call it folk music. The music seems to have some depth to it that is often missing in pop music so that's nice. Didn't really speak to me much but it's nice to hear in modern pop music.
We all yearned for groundbreaking follow ups to her debut, but this is not that. The vocals on the first track are woeful- was it on purpose?
Ennakkoajatuksena oli, että tämä on luultavasti hyvä levy ja olisi varmasti pitänyt kuunnella aiemminkin. Levy lähtikin hittibiiseillä liikkeelle, mutta sitten ekan kolmen biisin jälkeen muuttui tasapaksummaksi. Ja ne ekat biisitkin tuntuivat lähinnä alkulämmittelyltä, että kohta lähtee. Olisin halunnut tykätä enemmän, mutta valitettavasti yli kolmosta ei kehtaa tarjota.
Onpas uusi levy listalla (2021). Mielikuva Lana Del Reysta oli varsin negatiivinen, erityisesti äärimmäisen tylsän Flow-keikan johdosta. Levyn alku oli varsin lupauksia herättävä, mutta nopeastihan se lässähti juuri sellaiseksi eteerisen taiteelliseksi huokailuksi kuin pelkäsinkin. Ehkä levyn kohokohdiksi voisi nostaa kaksi ensimmäistä kappaletta ja Wild at Heartin kertosäkeen. 2,5 joka saa armoa tällä kertaa.
Second listen. I enjoyed the album much more the second time around and it will definitely grow from there. Very smooth, has an old-school sound yet modern, quite beautiful. Glad to see a recent album on here. Fav tracks: White Dress, Chemtrails, Dark, Yosemite
I have heard of Lana Del Ray but knew nothing about her. Her high pitch and airy vocals were mostly pleasing and the music was ok for being folky. I dont see myself listening to more, but it was ok.
I dig it
I really liked this and picked up some mellower Father John Misty vibes.
Just bland. Is this mumblecore? Are all the children of wealthy parents so bored-sounding?
Don't like this much as the other Lana albums. The super high-pitched voice that enters into these songs is grating. I appreciate the range, but it's hard to listen to for an entire album and breaks up what are otherwise quite pleasing songs. All that said, I appreciate the melodic setting of Lana's albums - they are like floating on a cloud. Until you come crashing down because of the high-pitched squeal, of course.
Nobody sounds good for an entire album in head voice. Anyway, this music still has this crazy tendency to make me feel nostalgic even though the lyrics are of a life and a memory relatively foreign to mine. Spooky. Extra points for covering Joni, even though no one could ever outdo the original.
absolutely no. how the fuck is this anywhere near this list? what does it have to offer that is unique, genre defining, innovative or spellbinding? nothing, thats what. if zeros were an option.
This is a complete knee jerk inclusion that does not merit being anywhere near this list.
Bland background music.
She's a favourite artist of my daughter's but I hadn't listened to her before. Beautiful, I enjoyed this (and Norman Fucking Rockwell, which my daughter said was better)
I'm not sure how any album released less than 10 months ago can make it onto any list of albums you must hear before you die. One dimensional and bland
I was ready to give up on this one during the 1st song. Track #1 is horrible. But the rest were pretty okay.
Wasn't expecting to like this very much but it was surprisingly good. Very hypnotic voice. Sort of a one-trick pony, but it's a very good trick. Can't really listen for too long though - doesn't take too long before the trick becomes very repetitive.
Much better than I expected.
Very good album. Probably my favorite of Lana's to date; however I don't think it should be here yet. I think a 5 year wait minimum to see if it passes the test of time. Just my 2 cents.
Even though I typically like slow stuff, I wasn't really a fan of this.
I liked it more than I thought I would. Surprised that a 2021 album is on the list though.
I know it's a total fabrication but I like her 50's LA sad girl charade, probably because I associate Lana with a shortt lived relationship in 2012. Let's call her Lana. Lana introduced me to Lana. The relationship was fun because Lana was slightly too cool for me, so I never got complacent. Now Lana is an entrepreneur and a mom and sings "downatah-menamusic-BIZ-ness conference". The vibe doesn't work as well. This album feels post-coital. I nodded off while driving on I5. C+
I’ve heard Lana Del Ray is good at lyrics, but I’m not generally lyric focused listener. I’m not sure why she gets vaulted over Taylor Swift, who I also think is overrated, was it because she caused Taylor to pivot to more thoughtful Indy inflected pop? To me it sounds pretty standard. There were a few highlights. But nothing spectacular. I was excited when Weyes Blood showed up on the last song, but that only proved to me that it wasn’t top tier when I heard a great voice.
Mediocre folk/americana. Very slow. Bland and overproduced. Favorite Track: None Relisten: No
I'm a casual Lana Del Rey fan, only this year gone through her whole discography. I enjoyed this album, and have gone through it all a couple of times. I feel like there were songs I liked more than others e.g. White Dress, and so I revisit these songs more often. All in all a good album though.
I recognize the name, but I have never heard any of her music before. I love her sound though and I will definitely listen to more of her. This is my first listen. Absolutely love it, but need to hear it more! 3/5 for now.
A quietly beautiful album. Sparse arrangements that showcase her fragile vocal delivery and subtle, distinctive phrasing. Reminds of Cat Power, but lacks the emotional depth and power in her voice. Finally, the pacing of the album is too slow without any variation thus lacking in drama and ultimate tension 3.5 🌟
I'm certainly not the target audience for this, and I'm uncertain why this would be chosen over some of her other albums – albums I have liked, but feel blend into one.
5/10, meh.
Melody is nice, have a good time listening to it, but the harmony is boring.
A bit sleepy and lyric-laden, but stories told are detailed and imaginative
Inoffensive, but unmemorable. I do like the title, though. Fav new track: Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Great voice, doesn't know how to use it.
Not a great singer
Some nice, sparse songwriting.
7/10
So not into this weepy whiny drivel.
Un álbum muy fuera de mi estilo. Tiene sus cosas buenas pero definitivamente no me convence; probablemente no lo escuche de nuevo
Obviously good at what she does; its just not for me!
this was more fun than i'd expected. i wasn't familiar at all, and i was honestly expecting some kinda lame pop-bubblegum whatever, but that's not what this album is.
Damn. Am I a Lana Del Rey fan now?
So I found yesterday that the list has been updated and it actually is a bit longer than 1001, cool, we’ll be here for a bit longer! Now the album: Lana keeps on pushing forward with her music if not her themes, her singing is more variable even if this album in particular is a bit monotonous. It is a beautiful recording although my favorite one by her is the more vivid Lust For Life. Now how can an album that was published only 6 months ago be on the list? Don’t get me wrong I loved the record but it has to make an impact! I could argue that Ultraviolence or NFR! Are better, or even Lust for Life just because it is my favorite. This album is here because the impact of Lana in modern music and could easily leave the list in future editions, I wished the curation of the list would be less reactive and more thoughtful, this is not the (only) Lana album you have to listen before dying. Hope the list now includes albums that have been left out since previous editions and not only new ones from 2018 to now (for example: Like Clokcwork by QotSA)
Lite smörig men jag gillade det
It's obvious that she's a good songwriter, and there's not a bad song here, but literally no one wants to listen to 11 crooning ballads in a row. Just set up some drums and hit the snare on 2 & 4 sometimes!
Almost gave this a higher rating, but some of the lyrics are cheesy af…but maybe that’s part of her appeal?? Idk
Haunting voice.
Buena voz para canciones melancólicas y profundas. Una línea bastante clara en cuanto al contenido. No experimenta. Para descubrir tranquilamente. Me han parecido algunas canciones algo parecidas
Meh