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Album: Blue Banisters
Artist: Lana Del Rey
Genre: #Alternative
Label: Universal Music
Non-Airable Tracks: Black Bathing Suit, Dealer, Thunder, Nectar of the Gods, Sweet Carolina
Description: Lana Del Rey's last 2021 album, Chemtrails Over the Country Club, left longtime fans like me slightly unimpressed. After working with producer Jack Antonoff on Norman F****** Rockwell and Chemtrails, Blue Banisters was a much-needed break from that producer who ruins everything he touches, in my opinion. I enjoy NFR a lot, even after the rush of its release wore off. I cannot say the same thing for Chemtrails, though I enjoy a few of the tracks. I was nervous that Blue Banisters would suffer the same fate. I did not care for the singles that much, but once the full album was released, my expecations were blown out of the water. It makes me wonder why she chose the singles she chose, because I think they misrepresent the majority of the album. This album is the opposite of most Lana albums, in respect to the way the album develops as it goes. Most Lana albums hold the best songs in the first half and the lesser-than songs in the last half. Blue Banisters, however, shocks attentive listeners and fans like me, in respect to starting with the lesser-than songs and getting increasingly better as the album goes. In my opinion, "Dealer" is the turning point of the album. This is the moment Lana returns to her old self lyrically and vocally. She shows us that she's still got it. From this point on, the tracks only get better. I think one stand-out track before "Dealer" is "If You Lie Down With Me," but that is really the only one in the first half that amazes me as much as the last half. I love how Lana utilizes her wide vocal range on this album. With her previous two albums, she had flattened out vocally (which I blame on Jack Antonoff being the most boring person ever). With this album and a new producer, she is able to shine like she used to, but in a more mature and developed way. I love how she includes some of her unreleased tracks on this album, such as "Nectar of the Gods," but makes them feel mature and fresh. Overall, I rate this album very high in comparison to everything since 2017's Lust For Life, which I don't even want to talk about. Compared to everything before LFL, I think Blue Banisters is a nice mix of the Lana I know and love.
Sounds Like:
Sharon Van Etten
Cat Power
Marina and the Diamonds
Recommended Tracks:
Dealer
Nectar of the Gods
If You Lie Down With Me
Living Legend
Wildflower Wildfire
Reviewer’s Name: Carly Markovich
Date of Review: December 2, 2021
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