Vertimus

I think this is absolutely true. The media, which is dominated by the Left in America and most of Europe, didn't like the "feminism just isn't an interesting concept' remark, her Old School 50s look and debutante gowns, and her songs about feeling passionate for men, which the media interpreted as submissive, or as 'female submission.' This was Kim Gordan's direct charge against LDR, and Gordan, though Gordan's era has passed, is still Alternative/Indie/Post-Punk royalty. Gordan's opinion carries definite weight in certain industry quarters. You might as well be criticized by Bob Dylan. So LDR wrote 'God Bless America,' 'Change,' and 'When The World Was At War' and other political songs she didn't include on the album, publicly came out against Trump, publicly announced she was putting a witch's curse on him, commented positively on the Women's March in D.C., etc. I think she did all of that to appease the forces on the Left that were railing against her for several years, though she was raised as a Democrat, as most of New York State is. She sort of buckled under and compromised or worse. That's where the early fire went, to my way of thinking. She put it out herself. And that's why I'm wary of the PC-ism that has crept into her lyrics and interviews. She's apparently become 'Woke LDR.'

I agree. She seemed more 'real' and authentic then. I've never felt or believed she is or was manufactured or the product of her father's or anyone else's money. She was more creative then too, with 'Meet Me in the Pale Moonlight,' 'Hollywood's Dead,' 'Live or Die'...the diversity and the attitude..'Last Girl on Earth.' 'Go Go Dancer.' So funny, lever and free to say, do and sing what she wanted to. Now there's the relative withdrawal of celebrity, the moody silences, and also the PC tip-toeing so 'names' like Kim Gordan, Eminem and Lorde don't come after her again. Personally, I think it's fair to speculate about her mental health on the basis of 'Hope,' and the influence of drugs cannot be ruled out, since she's sang about them, and even celebrated them, so much. Whatever it is, I would like Madeline back, the LDR of BTD/P, not the 'pod people' LDR. The quality of everything she's released has slipped and we've just accepted it because we love the powerful LDR of yore. I knew hard times were ahead when I saw the LFL cover, with the obviously fake, evenly-spaced daisies in her hair, the rote 'hippie lace dress,' and the smile, to say nothing of the interior photos, which, for me, were third-rate and half-assed.

That's right. There's definitely a comfortable, easy middle ground. Elizabeth Taylor is a perfect example--and LDR is only 30 or so! It still takes work, but hopefully most of us put something like that amount of effort into our own daily appearance, insofar as we're out in public, or for our spouse, partners, children and other relatives. Out of self-respect and respect for others.

In the distant past, relatively speaking, artists like Carly Simon sailed into their 30s and 40s looking as beautiful and striking as ever--and also mature and womanly, stylish and attractive, if not overtly sexual. And continued to be successful in the pop market. Debbie Harry of Blondie did the same thing--she was born the same year as Simon, and greatly reduced the more obviously sexual aspects of her persona as she aged. More recently, Tori Amos has struggled to find the right pop persona after 35 years of age, but has done a reasonably good job of it. There's no reason at all that LDR can't present herself as a beautiful, classy, sophisticated woman in her 30s or 40s, as Simon did, or as Julie Christie and Lauren Hutton appeared to the world in their 40s. 'Attractive' when applied to a woman doesn't have to mean 'cheap' or 'obvious' or 'overtly sexual.'

And let’s not forget that “next year” can turn into “I am going to release it in 2021” or beyond. She might as well just start recording a new album with newer songs and forget NFR. And let’s not forget that “next year” can turn into “I am going to release it in 2021” or beyond. She might as well just start recording a new album with newer songs and forget NFR.

Also well said. We were seduced by Madeline a la Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo.’

Well said. It seems at least several of us feel this way.

Then she should have either made a definite statement about the album’s release—“it won’t be out for a full year”—or not mentioned it at all.

For me, poetry is a very definite thing, it’s structured and powerful, like a spell or incantation, in the tradition of the British Romantic poets, from William Blake on. LDR seems to instead be following the tradition that stems from Walt Whitman—her Daddy—which is often very loose and formless, or almost formless. That style became dominant in the 1950s, and remains so, because ‘anyone can do it.’ Today, virtually anything called “poetry” by the author, any author, is deemed to be so, and it’s considered an outrage to say it is not.

Then we’re pretty much in agreement. I also think she doesn’t want much of a celebrity life anymore and has slowly but surely been dismantling her past image and presenting us instead with a “this is just me, flawed and human like you” sort of thing. Sadly, however, at least for me, her music hasn’t gotten significantly better. The BTD title track, VG, ‘Blue Jeans,’ ‘Radio,’ ‘National Anthem,’ ‘Summertime Sadness,’ ‘Ride,’ ‘Cola,’ ‘American,’ Yayo,’ ‘Bel Air’ and Gods & Monsters’ remain among her best and most accomplished and definitive songs in my opinion. For me, compared to those tracks, much of UV and HM are ho-hum. I am interested to see where she’s going with the new record, but again, rhe PC-ism concerns me, and the mawkish sentimentalism of HTD too.

her image and sound are much more mature and grounded now, so is her brand What “brand”? She doesn’t have a brand at present and hasn’t for years. She’s just sort of there, an uneasy public figure who often looks awkward in the spotlight. Unlike the LDR of 2012, who appeared like a master of reality, like a truly poised, seductive, sophisticated woman of international scope and style, a sort of sleek, superior and commanding goddess.

I agree 100%. When was the last time the hipster DJ in-crowd was very enthusiastic about her music, took it and remixed it en masse? 2012. She hasn’t been considered ‘hip’ to that varied crowd since ‘Paradise,’ at the outside. She briefly and successfully presented herself to the world as an international style icon and influencer, which impressed millions, but then abruptly pulled the plug on that. Since then, her public image has been erratic, inconsistent and poorly-defined. To me, for all intents and purposes, she hasn’t really been Lana Del Rey since ‘Paradise.’ She was someone else in the last three albums, perhaps ‘’Elizabeth.’ Either way, she is not ‘hip’ now, not ‘cool,’ not ‘in.’ At the upscale Manhattan salon where I get my hair cut, they have a great LDR mix tape, but everything on it is from BTD/P. I say, “Have you heard the music she’s released since?” and the answer is typically something like, “Does she HAVE other albums??” or “I didn’t know she’s released anything else.” To me, that’s telling. Does it tell the whole story? No. I accept what she is now, but that’s not the same thing as liking it. I like MAC and VB, but I am wary of her increasing PC-ism in both her life and her music. I don’t like to see her constrained by it or advocating it.

. This is another important juncture where we should be being officially told that NFR is indeed still the new album’s name. The Vogue article should mention it, obviously, at least in passing. An album title change is not really such a big deal as far as the media and publicity is concerned, if it does come to that. There’s already a precedent with Honeymoon, which was initially announced as Music to Watch Boys To.

It's a stab at looking sophisticated again in a European way, but it doesn't have the easy, international glamour style of her initial LDR period, which looked so effortless and seemed genuine and convincing, as if she was living that life and lifestyle. In the third one, where she's standing with her hands against the glass, all she would need is graduation cap and she'd look like she was ready for Commencement.

Much of her 2012-forward fame was predicated on her appearance, which she exploited hand-over-fist, and fans and the media ate it up. So many, including me, are just continuing to follow that aspect of her career, since it was critical to her appeal and something she willed into existence or at least agreed to. Since she's taken a radical left turn in that regard, as an aspect of her career, it's a worthy topic. 'Image' has played a huge part in popular music, from Sinatra, Elvis, Little Richard, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Supremes, Dylan, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, the Eagles, Led Zeppelin, James Taylor, Springsteen and Donna Summer to the Police, Duran Duran, Prince, Michael Jackson, the 80s big hair metal bands and Nirvana all the way to Ice Cube, L.L. Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Lady Gaga, Nick Jonas, Beyonce and Justin Bieber. It may not be an angle of popular culture that interests you, but it is a big slice of the pie, just as 'rock star dress and fashion' is, and has become the topic of traveling shows to the Metropolitan Museum in NYC and elsewhere.

Hilarious. Jocelyn Wildernstein indeed. That's going to be a shock for those who don't know who she is and go seeking photos of her. I know weight is a sensitive issue, but LDR looks like she's gained a good deal of weight, and that's what's altered her facial appearance so much (in addition to whatever work she might have had done). Look at the new photo of her with her boyfriend and other friends, and the woman on the cover of UV. I agree she can gain weight and age (as she must, as we all must) and still look healthy, attractive, tasteful, gracious, lovely. She doesn't have to be glamorous per se.

She now looks more like LDR’s cousin or half-sister. I barely recognize her; the change is significant. She may be completely to blame, regardless of who is doing the actual work. For me, she looks so much better with a gaunt face, which shows off her cheekbones, rather than with large round cheeks.

But what about most of UV? Wasn’t it largely produced by others before Dan Auerbach got involved, and then significantly reworked by the two of them together? Also, though I no longer remember the source where I saw it, wasn’t ‘Ride’ a reworking of a much earlier acoustic track, very similar lyrically to the Paradise version?

I really liked the vocal arrangements on MAC, and VB is certainly unprecedented in her oeuvre. I still miss her BTD/P voice and vocals, and the trip hop production.

It’s interesting how everyone has their favorite LDR producers. I personally favor Rick Rubin, who did such a great job on ‘Ride,’ and Emile Haynie. For me, the jury is still out on Jack Antonoff, since we haven’t heard the new release yet.

As far as NFR spelled out being the actual title that will still be used, we’ll know that for certain when it’s posted on the Interscope site. LDR and Interscope may still plan to use the NFR title IF it hasn't been successfully legally challenged; I can’t say: I don’t know the facts, and that’s all that matters. The facts. Just because a law is on the books doesn't mean the government necessarily begins to apply it when they see it violated; with issues like trademark infringement, someone with a legal interest has to come forward and file an injunction or a lawsuit, or threaten their intention, and that gets the ball rolling. And we do not know whether or not that has happened. And since LDR has not proven to be a reliable source of information lately, we have to count on Interscope.

No. I was not swearing that. I was not saying, and never have said, I have or had ‘inside information.’ I am a certified paralegal and know something about trademark law in the abstract, and how it can be generally applied, and was arguing from that POV as the most likely reason for the album’s delay. That’s much different than being some anonymous nobody whose only claim is that “I have a inside contact at Interscope who told me ___________.” Or someone who claims to have contacted the Rockwell estate. Or “I have a friend whose barber’s mother’s gardener met Lana on the beach and was told the album would be out in August.’ Raising possibilities and probabilities based on American law and legal precedents is much different than stating any of those have come into play and produced facts, such as "Due to legal action by the Rockwell trustees, the album title will be changed forcibly, though no new title has yet been announced by the artist or Interscope, and no release date has been set." Nor is simply applying American trademark law ‘conspiracy mongering.’

Yes, taking the word of ‘mysterious insiders’ is a huge mistake. Don’t be fooled. Those are the same people who create and post fake track listings and fake cover art. Even with the March release date, endless ‘professional’ websites simply reposted the March 29th date without verifying it or attempting to learn whether it originally came from a credible source. And they’re supposed to be journalists of some kind! That’s why I repeat that only the Interscope website or a new official press release from Interscope means anything. Something from LDR herself might be honestly intended but also half true or half accurate, and likely still subject to change, and thus unreliable.