themusicbizisGONEgoingcountry

26 songs within 7 months.  We fucking WON!!! 

I love how classically-arranged this record is.
 
Arcadia and Violets for Roses are so pastoral with their strings and choral soundscapes.
 
The piano on Beautiful and Sweet Carolina is almost impressionistic and reminds me a lot of Debussy. 

There is just so much I love about this album. I need to save my thoughts for some longer posts about the record’s narrative pieced together + the actual musicianship that accompanies that narrative! 
 

 

Well, but BB kinda proves that "stripped back" does not necessarily has to mean flat songs with the depth of a dinner plate. Compare the impact of tracks like Violets For Roses, Wildflower Wildfire or Arcadia to the emptyness of Not All Who Wander Are Lost, Wild At Heat or LMLYLAW.

No hate to Jack. But this is MILES ahead of COCC.
The problem with Jack is not his production..its his equipment and the mixing is horrible ...??? The microphone is shit. It muffles Lana's vocals too much. It is like some angsty poor teen microphone 

I think it's about a guy who's not committing - neither to staying nor leaving.
He "rolls like thunder" when he's around his friends or drunk at parties but privately, he's an indecisive mess. She wants him to get off the fence, so the "it" could either be him leaning into their relationship or packing his stuff and leave.

Pitchfork on that sweet carolina verse:
 
“It’s funny and real, a reminder that the people we love most aren’t just the ones to whom we dedicate our earnest love songs—they’re often the recipients of our dumbest jokes.“
 
I actually really agree with this, one of my favorite verses, I think a lot of people are missing Lana’s sense of humor. and of all publications, PITCHFORK??? Gets it??? for once??

Well, it’s been 3 hours since Blue Banisters came out and I’ve listened to it twice, and all I have to say is…..wow. She really continues to outdo herself.
 
This record is full of lyrical and sonic layers that I know I have yet to unravel — the songwriting is just phenomenal, you listen to it and almost run a visual play in your head of Lana’s life story. The lyrical density of this record has been a long time coming, and I’m so glad she went all the way for it. I see exactly what her vision was for this record and it’s really satisfying to see it fully-realized with older and newer songs that, together, work beautifully to paint a thoughtful self-portrait. 
 
I’m completely floored and overwhelmed in the best way possible and will have more coherent, analytical thoughts after a few more listens. But all I know right now is that I’m so in love with this record and it’s absolutely one of her best 

the way this record actually destroyed my asshole 
 
here’s the deal……
i can’t even talk about it rn. too shook. i’ll rank tomorrow tho 
 

"PiAnO aLBum IS goNnA bE BoReD"
Bitch, u wish

My little thoughts on Blue Banisters - track by track:
 
1. Text Book:
Not Lana's best opening but obviously did a great job in setting up a whole atmospheric aura for the album. The song literally makesme feel like i'm sitting close to her at a bonfire and listening to her stories. 7.5/10
 
2. Blue Banisters:
i have to confess that this one was my least favourite out of the triple release. But not because it was a lack of effort, it was because of her attempt of trying to fit to many words in one line, sonically, it sounds force and lack of smooth cohesion in melody-wise. But that was months ago, now thanks for the m/v, i'm slowy growing fond of this track. Also, i love the spacey atmospheric tone towards the end of the song. 7/10
 
3. Arcadia:
The same issue with Blue Banisters - Lana at some point gets too wordy in her lyrics, too many syllables in just one line sometimes make the song goes forced. Nevertheless, the melody of this song is so well-composed, solid & kind of soul-wrenching (yes, i tear up everytime i hear "they built me up 300 feet tall, just to tear me down" & really just want to give her a hug 🥺). In the other hand, as wordy as the lyrics, this song feels like a poem consists her thoughts about fame struggles, gives me Violet vibes. 8/10
 
4. Interlude - The Trio:
This is like a celebration of whoregasm in a very historical / middle-wild-west/ communist way with a dope ass trap beat style. I wouldnt complain if this album had trap, polished pop sounds driven, but since it didnt, i don't see the point of including this here. The lack of "Lana's sauce" in production-wise as we usually found in trap influenced projects like Honeymoon / L4L sort of broke the album cohesion slightly. But well, I understand why some people might like it.
As stand-alone track: 8.5/10
As an album interlude: 4/10
 
5. Black Bathing Suit:
It's simple - and i said it before imma say it AGAIN: This artpiece is literally A.K.A+ BTD/PE + UV + HM + L4L + NFR! + COCC all in ONE. I still dont know how tf she do this BUT SHE DID IT. And it works so perfectly that i am actually terrified of her craziness (yes, she gets mad towards the end, living for it bitches) 
To those who constantly complain Lana "losing her authenticity" / "i want old Lana back" /"born to die 2.0" and all that type of stuff, shame on you if you decide to shit on Black Bathing Suit. She literally gave you what you asked for! Be grateful for Gods sake. 9.5/10
 
6. If You Lie Down With Me
An adorable sequel to Lizzy's "On Our Way" ♡♡♡ 10/10
 
7. Beautiful
The "raindrop" piano intro is what JACK antonOFF wishes to do. Melody-wise, this song reminds me of Folklore era of Taylor. The lyric really lives up to its own title. 8.5/10
 
8. Violet for Roses
This gave me strange, bittersweet feeling of nostalgia. Reminds me of the first time i heard "Video Games" and discovered Lana on 2011 MTV PUSH (my fifth grade) 😭🙏 . Once again, the piano of this song is a living proof that shows how badly Jack's Piano lacked soul in the last project. 8/10
 
9. Dealer
"I DONT WANNA LIVEEEEEEEEE, I DONT WANNA GIVE YOU GIVE YOU NOTHING"
This song screams camp (literally a SCREAMER,  can't wait to torture my neighbour on drunken depressed karaoke nights in my "party for one" meltdown). 10+++/10 (I've actually grown fond of Miles Kane lately).
 
10. Thunder ⚡
Another bonfire cold night on the beach anthem that i always NEEDED. People been bashing the remake but i LOVEEE the violins (yes, the violins in this song really said "WE ARE GIVING YOU VIOLENCE") - chills & thrills at best. 9.5/10
 
11. Wildflower Wildfire
It's album release date to day. Can we stop the WW unecessary hate for good already? God these people. 9.5/10
 
12. Nectar of the Gods
I don't care what y'all saying about this track. It's my baby child forever and i will protect it at all cost from ur ruthless slanderings (even i wasnt its biological mother but who tf cares) 😡😡😡. Hold you close to my soul since the "leak", keep you in my heart to infinity & beyond. 10/10
 
13. Living Legend
Sweet baby Jane really has her moment to shine. Still a beautiful song tho. Glad that she decided to keep the electronic-distroted "woaow woaow waow grawogggg" towards the end. 8.5/10
 
14. Cherry Blossom
Not her best lullaby & some say it sounds boring because there's just once again, piano for this track. But regardless of the simple production, this song never fails to make me feel like i'm in a ghibli movie scene, taking a nap under a cherty blossom, feeling nutured by mother of nature. 7.5/10
 
15. Sweet Carolina
This song literally shows that Lana herself is full of love running in her veins. 9.5/10
 
Overall — its a 8.4/10 for me. A one heaven of experience, but not just a "Lana experience" - it's the one aspect of Lana that we've never seen before. It was a privilege for me to get to discover & witness her growth as an artist. And I agree with Pitchfork, quoted: "LDR's 2nd album of the year is a sweeping survey of her talent as a songwriter, stripped of the aesthetic borders she often places around her work". 
 
As a die-hard stan since Born to Die. I am so proud of her, like really. 

Okay I'm still trying to recover from my first listen of the album, especially since I was utterly destroyed by the final song, but I just want to say now that this is one of her best records to date. There's not a single song where I felt ehhh about - and while finding an “eh” song is already rare with LDR records for me actually, every song on this record is just otherworldly. I want to give the whole project a few more listens throughout the next day before I come back to share my final thoughts, but wow... she really did that x

this album is so theatrical and playful, almost like regina spektor at times it's just ....wow. I'm not used to hearing her use her voice in so many different ways.

Keep her away from Jack and his cheap piano patches, this is the real deal.

I always think about how Lana has described the closer of the record to be the jumping point for the album to follow. 
 
If Sweet Carolina is any indication of what’s next, I think we’re in for a treat. I can totally hear American Standards & Classics following a similar vein of production; with her recent posts about the covers album, I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being LDR9

I need her not to ever go back to Jack after this. if NFR was a peak in her commercial praise, we need her to keep doing what she did here. even if we had part of the album a year ago tbh, this album was a choice and i'm so fucking glad she made it. this is an absolute peak of Lana's career. i seriously can't get over how many great albums she's actually put out like fuck, what????

also this album reminded she is (was?) a huge david lynch fan. idk why
 

bc we were built for the lawwwng hawwwwuuuul freight train 
 

 
burned buh fiiiya without a trial
 

 
lack a stow away 

 

The new version on Thunder -

 

Okay, completely bawling my eyes out after Sweet Carolina. Seriously, crying like a baby right now, so I'm fighting back tears as I write this.
 
This is probably a bit personal for me to share, but I spoke about it a little bit ago last month when I shared a GoFundMe link for something regarding this.
 
At the beginning of this year in January, one of my best friends announced an unexpected pregnancy with her fiancé. Our friends & I were surprised, but told her we were there to support her through every step.
As a bridesmaid, I watched her walk beautifully down the aisle to marry her husband in June, knowing their baby would be shortly on the way. Was fighting back tears then too. (& didn't do a very good job at it based on the pictures.)
I then got to attend her baby shower in August, reveling in her excitement and nervousness. I even helped her set up the crib afterwards. She was so scared, not feeling completely prepared, but she was so excited for her new child.
She gave birth to her lovely baby boy on August 28th after a 48-hour labour. A perfectly healthy baby. She was so happy and we were all happy for her, and it was the beginning of a new chapter.
I don't even know how to write this next part, again as I'm still crying here, but her son unfortunately passed away just 9 days later in her arms suddenly from SIDS. She had texted me in the middle of the night about it as her son was airlifted to the hospital.. not really having much hope from the doctors.. until he was eventually declared braindead.
It was like the world had completely shattered in front of all of our eyes.
Some friends flew in for the funeral, and seeing her once more walk down an isle.. this time completely heartbroken and empty inside.. I don't think anything has ever broken my heart more.
The first time I saw her since the funeral was two weeks ago when her, her sister, and I went up to the mountains for a little birthday celebration for me. She was laughing and having fun, showing a little of that old side of her joyous self that had been completely wiped away after the tragedy she faced. 
I love her so much, and this song makes me think of her.
 
We love every hair on your head
Love you like God loves you
& you say that you're scared
Might be unprepared for havin' the baby blues
Baby blues
Baby blues
If things ever go wrong
Just know this is your song and we love you
 

I love you, M x
 
 

Lana's sisters flying to her to paint

"It's LA, Hey on Zoom, Target Parking Lot"
I wonder what happened in the Target parking lot tho.

Okay but I cannot believe I’m listening to Living Legend on Spotify rn 

Cherry Blossom.. another song with an incredible timeline! Her singing it on her Instagram page, it leaking in 2019, and then finding its place on an album.. deserved. Such a sweet lullaby.
 
Can't believe I'm already onto my final track of the album now.. I'm not ready 

she truly topped Ultraviolence...... 
 
I AM OBSESSED, its so achingly beautiful and vulnerable and sad and happy and sad at once. fuck 
I can't believe it is real ... I have chills. sweet Carolina sent me into uncontrollable crying 
violets for roses, all of it so witty and sharp. I love her so much. fuck.