CatchTheBreeze

So NFR! is album of the week over at German site Plattentests.de (for the 2nd time in her career they gave her 8/10; first one was HM): https://www.plattentests.de/rezi.php?show=16304 The review is very very positive, almost euphoric (so I don't quite get why they didn't give her at least a 9...)

I hear what you're saying but actually I don't listen to an album because it has a great metascore or a grammy nomination - but because it emotionally touches me. And with NFR, that's not the case (or at least only with a few songs). I like the album and I like the maturity but I'd prefer a much darker, brooding, less sparse sound. So it's no surprise that the songs I like most on this album are (with the exception of VB) those Jack hasn't that much credit for (California, TNBAR, Bartender). Don't come for me, that's just my opinion but I'd be happy if Lana will work with different people on her next album. But of course we can't do anything about it, Lana will do whatever she wants to do anyway.

So this is my ranking (according to the NFR song sorter). I'm a bit surprised that NFR is at the end of the list... 1 Venice Bitch 2 California 3 The Next Best American Record 4 Bartender 5 How To Disappear 6 Mariners Apartment Complex 7 Love Song 8 Hope Is A Dangerous Thing For A Woman Like Me To Have - But I Have It 9 The Greatest 10 Doin' Time 11 Fuck It I Love You 12 Happiness Is A Butterfly 13 Cinnamon Girl 14 Norman Fucking Rockwell

This is my list – Lana holds of course several spots in my top 10: 1. Lana – Paradise 2. Lana – Honeymoon 3. Ride – Going Blank Again 4. Mylène Farmer – Innamoramento 5. Lana – Lust For Life 6. Kent – Du & Jag Döden 7. Marina – Family Jewels 8. The Smiths – Strangeways, here we come 9. Slowdive – Just for a day 10. Mew – Frengers Wow, Mazzy Star, Cocteau Twins, cool!

In Germany Lana debuted at no. 3 - I think that's pretty good for her since her last few albums weren't charting extremely well over here. (But I can't remember the highest positions of LFL, HM and UV.)

Him giving Tool a 4 and Lana an 8 is really something nobody would've guessed a few months ago.

The User Score has climbed back to 9.2 now – if I'm not mistaken at least 100 negative ratings have been deleted?

And meanwhile, "Lover" is down to a 79.

This is the complete stream:

The Guardian and The Telegraph should really be ashamed of themselves for their ridiculous score. They look like a fool at the end of that list...

Wow, the Pitchfork article really made me emotional. Lana finally entered the well guarded sacred music critics territory.

Unfortunately not, according to the list https://www.metacritic.com/browse/albums/publication/name/c

It seems like NFR! is debuting at No. 1 in the UK! https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/lana-del-rey-heading-for-number-1-on-the-uk-s-official-albums-chart-with-norman-fstarstarking-rockwell__27182/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=02-09-2019+The+Official+Word&utm_content=02-09-2019+The+Official+Word+CID_8326b90fa1d5c68fa58d1f803e97f3f1&utm_source=CampaignMonitor&utm_term=Lana+Del+Rey+heading+for+fourth+UK+Number+1+album

As long as the whole Churchome crap stays out of her music and her lyrics I'll be happy ...

I've listened to the album only 3 times up to now so my ratings may be a bit premature. Anyway, here we go: 1. NFR 7 2. MAC 8 3. VB 11 4. FIILY 7 5. DT 6 6. LS 8 7. CG 6 8. HTD 8 9. California 10 10. TNBAR 10 11. TG 7 12. Bartender 10 13. HIAB 6 14. Hope 6

Who in his right mind would give "Lover" a 100 anyway?

Since all of her albums were quite different from each other I suspect that the new one once again will take another direction. I really HOPE it's not a NFR 2, because like some other users here I prefer Lana's dark, brooding sound to the more folk orientated stuff she's done now.

It truly depends on their selection of magazines that go into the score. If you read some of the reviews, Stereogum f.ex., they are full of praise for NFR: https://www.stereogum.com/2056565/lana-del-rey-norman-fucking-rockwell-review/franchises/premature-evaluation/

This is insane.

I have to get some sleep now - when I wake up tomorrow this thread will be locked and dead, sigh...

Just listening to HTD again and wow, this really hits me hard this time. And I LOVE the guitars in the 2nd half of the song.

"Norman Fucking Rockwell is yoga music for the apocalypse." I like this Stereogum description a lot

Hm, so many of Lana's highlights (Flipside, Big Eyes, Is This Happiness, ...) on the bottom positions. At least "Ride" is in their top 5 – and most of the article is truly great (apart from some of the questionable ranking)!

Probably something like that. But she HAS to play California live or I'll sue!