Album Review: Lana Del Rey

On August 30th, Lana Del Rey released her first album since she released Lust for Life in 2017. The album features 14 songs, six of which were independent singles, and is her sixth studio album ever.

Del Rey is known for her slow songs and sadder melodies. This new album is no exception, featuring many low and soft songs like “How to disappear”, “California,” and “The Next Best American Record.” Several of the songs have a faster beat and stronger background music, like “Mariners Apartment Complex” and “Doin’ Time,” but in general the album has a slow-moving feeling to it.

The album title comes from the influence of painter Norman Rockwell, who was known for his small town and pop culture style art. His style fits with the tone of the album, because both have a domestic feeling that makes you feel nostalgic. Del Rey said that her album is partially based on her experiences with people who think highly of themselves, but in reality aren’t as knowledgeable as they think.

One of the most well known singles on that album is “Doin’ Time,” which was a cover of “Doin’ Time” by the band Sublime. Del Rey’s cover of the song slows down the original beat and makes the song sound more melancholy. 

I’ve listened to Lana Del Rey’s music my entire life, but she’s never been one of my favorite artists. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this album, and I think it goes well with her style of music. I don’t usually listen to slow music, so this album isn’t one that I would listen to over and over again, but the album is really well thought out and is really cohesive.