ByDayAnother

The sermon itself is arguably controversial from a Christian standpoint, which Judah Smith addresses openly, he says “you may not like this”.

 

He’s talking about the creative aspect of the Christian God, wondering at how the same God who made the infinitely complex Unvierse in all its beauty could be concerned with a creation as dysfunctional as human beings. A God who specifically spoke the world into existence - “and God said ‘“let there be light’” - and we, “made in His image,” create in turn, especially in speech. Spoken/lexical and image-based Language as a whole is arguably a distinct if not indicative characteristic of being human. It’s even reflected in some post-modern thought in terms of social constructs, in that we confer power through speech and image and behave accordingly.

 

Anyway, Smith speaks from this point of view that, as a preacher, his art is the art of rhetoric, of talking, of spreading the Good News of Christ (Evangelism). Typically, power and significance are historically given to patriarchal figures and structures in the form of preachers at the helm of their respective churches, the idea being the preacher is the authority (specifically a moral authority) of God among people, a community pillar of sorts. Smith seems to invert this, saying that in fact (and in quite a solipsistic way: the idea that one is trapped in one’s own experience and can never really fully “reach” another’s), he is not an authority to anyone but himself. That his preacherhood is in fact this public self-dialogue. Self-talk. This taps into the idea that healthy self-love is what gives way to healthily loving others, which of course is arguably the so-called Golden Rule of most major religions. It also illustrates the paradoxical dynamic of the archetypal (she loves Jung) role of the Fool - those vulgar or crazy enough to openly demonstrate their self-talk as manifest in the public humiliation of performance. This is conceivably controversial to a lot of 20th century Christian philosophy because it arguably centres the narcissistic potential of self-love, a heresy of placing the individual over the collective that is the Church, but such interpretations wouldn’t be reading between the lines.

 

Lana obviously relates with this, because whilst she reaches people with her work, her art, her God-given creative role, she is ultimately in communion with herself through these artistic endeavours. We’re just along for the ride, just as she is just another witness to Smith’s own self-talk. We are all witnessing each other talk to ourselves not simply in how we speak, but how we act and do. This sense of self-responsibility characterises the healing, the work, the “hard stuff” she is working through via her art.

 

god bless you if you made it through that lol

Judah Smith Interlude

 

I come from a fundamentalist religious background but am also queer and a working artist. I find her paradoxical faith inspiring. I find this particular message, that of worship as a form of self-talk and making art as a creative act of worship reflecting the creator aspect of God, quite affirming, even in its bittersweet ways.

That the album’s back end had something tonally akin to “The Greatest” - that is, big sounding but hopeful however wistful. The title track fulfils that for me, but it’s at the start of the record. Either move it to the end or just one more moment like it (hell, even The Grants) would have sealed the deal for me. Obviously the last three tracks “pick up” in pace, but they aren’t tonally big and climactic (though I still think it’s a great middle finger to end the album with a prowling, menacing note as on TTxVB).

 

I think that’s still my main critique in general, the order of the tracklist - all the moods are generally grouped together instead of mixed up. it’s weird to say that one of my favourite Lana albums is in here, just in a weird order!

Kintsugi is the song I always wanted her to write.

Kintsugi I have cried to (possibly my favourite of the album), Margaret too. There are numerous emotional moments throughout though!

For me Margaret is the true closing track. The following three are an unhinged epilogue - a mechanical tail and stinger at the end of a gorgeous organic animal.

1. The Grants

2. DYKTTATUOB

3. Sweet

4. A&W

5. Peppers

6. Judah Smith Interlude

7. Candy Necklace

8. Jon Batiste Interlude

9. Fishtail

11. Fingertips

11. Kintsugi

12. Paris, Texas

13. Grandfather

14. Let the Light In

15. Margaret

16. Taco Truck (I go back and forth on this)

 

Love this record, but the tracklisting order is, for me, the weakest aspect.

 

I do wonder if she should experiment more with shortening records a la COCC. She has the amount of material for them to save and collage into future records.

 

The nonsensical singing Jack does, I think it was recorded as a filler, as in sometimes the lyrics don’t come to mind immediately, but you have to keep going singing the melody as it comes you. But knowing the intentional sketchiness of the production throughout, Lana obviously said “no, let’s use that, the raw melody coming out” - the automatic singing.

 

lowkey could also be the final track in another life

Yes, I would say so. Kintsugi is more classically structured with a coherent chorus (and beautiful melody to boot) but retains the run-on-ness that bleeds over totally into Fingertips, which is her just singing whatever was on her mind and heart at time of recording. Fingertips sort of functions as an interlude I’d argue.