West Coast

Well no. I'm going to discredit this "era" because of its lack of amazing song, horrible production/mastering approach and weak lyrics, as well as Lana's obvious lack of interest in promoting and performing it. I will also continue to point out critics suddenly turning this lackluster album into a sort of Lana Del Rey-circlejerk, praising it non-stop while still disregarding where Lana actually made points musically (AKA her first three albums). The visuals are secondary, but go off "boo".

So this was clearly written by you. I don't think I've ever read something so delusional about this goddamn album:

Does NFR actually count as an era though? I mean do lack of specific visuals (I mean besides the double video) like iPhone videos with a Super 8 filter shot by Chuck and ugly pop art font count as aesthetics? Also, today I learned that Jared writes for Stereogum, wow. Good for you hunny, glad you got a job!

I honestly went from thinking it was one of the few great songs on this album, to think it's one of the most annoying ones. The vocal arrangement/progression is a mess, it sounds hella compressed, but also I hate how she mumbles the lyrics in the two verses (and that "and I'm waaaaaaaaaasted"). The guitar solo/instrumental climax sounds flat too, it lacks bass as well.

Exactly. It's her freaking job to sing. She has looked so out of it for the past two tours that when she actually hits some sort of high note (and in that case it was actually pretty cringy) her fans act like she's the best vocalist that ever was and ever will be. Anyone that has ever been to a Lana concert knows that even if Lana sounds like complete and utter shit crap that when she hits a random high note her fans they got batshit. What is happening seriously...

also on an album that traded bridges for musical outros it weirdly lacks both... choices.

I think she identifies most as "bi-cycle"

Just another day in the nonsensical life of Ashley Frangipane. What a fucking clown, seriously.

oooh that's right, my bad. pleaaase!

I don't see how NFR! is being revered as the most mature and complex album lyrically. To me it's not that much more mature than a lot of her past albums from a lyrical point of view. I see it as being her safest and "tamed" lyrical "effort". In comparison to LFL which was a times very futile and juvenile, NFR! is somewhat of a step up from that, but still a bit futile and hollow to me. Lyrically some songs are just uncooked/unfinished, but also very subpar. Honeymoon remains her most mature and elaborated album both lyrically and instrumentally.

There are countless stories from fans that have encountered him firsthand, as well as his little clique: they are rude, pushy and hella shady.

She did struggle with the belting in Shades of Cool in its last performance (or second to last?) this tour. The thing is Lana has not had stellar performances night after night since The Endless Summer tour, and that is a fact. She's had good performances here and there, but she usually does the bare minimum and it shows (and she sometimes struggles even doing that). She also looks like she couldn't care less to properly hit notes.

Her first three album were even more deserving of that accolade at the time of their release, but they were paid dust. Your point, exactly?

that's just JackJared though, pretty sure he's a troll. Anyway, good for Lana for snatching two nominations, but too little too late Grammys. She's literally being rewarded when she couldn't be more subdued and beige, how sad.

Not that I know of, literally every single award shows are rigged and a popular contest nowadays. Popularity, exposure, reviews and sales seem to be the determining factors in who gets the cake. Except Polar price, but that's out of Lana's league. Although, time will tell.

Nominations, accolades, reviews shmews. They could literally erect a statue on "honor" of that album, for all I care. Norman Fucking Rockwell! remains Norman Fucking Rockwell! despite all of that. Congrats for her two Grammys noms though.

Congratulations Lana! AOTY and SOTY?! Wow. And for Norman Fucking Rockwell!2? Anything is possible. I'm just over here thinking that she should've been nominated and win song of the year in 2015 for West Coast, if there's really a song in her catalog that deserves to be revered as revolutionary and on which she pushed her sound forward, that is West Coast. Anyway, good luck Lana you're up against pretty strong contenders (and I really mean popular) in your categories.

Wow congrats Lana for grabbing two nominations! I hope you win! (Although you're most likely going to be eclipsed, we'll see) I see that Jared (Jack? I'm not even sure at this point... ) woke up from his long winter's nap. To write yet another missive about Lana's alleged I thought you had been banned from writing these things? Yet again bashing people that are far more active than he is on this community and actually try to write interesting think pieces about the state of Lana's music instead of resolving into regurgitating the same two damn words. Anywho. Also another reminder of what? That Lana is literally at her weakest spot artistically, vocally, and she's receiving these accolades left and right when she couldn't be more basic and doesn't try hard to do anything these days? What are you on? The only delusion on this thread is you acting like this lackluster record (which by the way had been buried until the Grammy committee brought it back from beyond the grave. Will it chart again? What position was it yesterday? 193? ) is remotely close to being Lana's best album, because industry people finally gave Lana some sort of recognition after YEARS or relentless criticism and hateful rants. Which by the way makes them look like clowns, now they are sucking up to her. Jackoff getting a nomination for best producer is further proof that the Grammys are a complete and utter joke, the guy doesn't even know how to properly produce and master a record and create interesting instrumentals, high school band muc? Flat Antonoff is as basic as basic gets. I hope your mental breakdown won't be too harsh on January 26th when Lana loses both Grammys over 'artists' that are even more beige and boring than what she has become on this record. Because that's how awards shows actually work. But they don't mention that in Pitchfork articles/reviews, that's why I'm sure you didn't even know. Acting like award shows are actually rewarding talent in the show business industry... wow your mind. If that were the case Lana would've received the recognition she deserved at the time for her first three albums, and that's that on that. Billie Eilish is probably going to eclipsed anyone, just watch this year's Grammys being all about her. Oh well. You would be surprised to realize how rigged and political these so called awards are being given and how many of iconic artists whose work transcend generations have got little to no recognition from their industry counterparts.

I meant "it was right and just that she didn't submit this album for Best Sound Engineering, because it's just not"

Which was right and just.

Lana trashing her own damn lyrics live is getting so old now, what's the matter with her??

It's absolutely absurd to me how some fans here think it's redundant that three months-ish later some of us are still writing comments about how disappointed we are with how the album turned out to be. But at the same time they have no problem coming here and say things like"who else feel like CG grew on them??? It's one of my favourites now! <3" or like you mentioned have these arguments over which season suits the album best, or what astrological sign each songs are associated with. As if that is not any less redundant than us having arguments over technical aspects of this album. True, but at the same time Lust for Life was lyrically incredibly corny and faux-woke with its half assed message of "hope" and subtheme of "PoLiTiCaL cLiMaTe".

I can see where you are coming from with this, believe me I get it. We are very much aware that we are beating a dead horse... I mean it's been what almost three months since the album was released? I know we're talking ill of it, but we're basically keeping this record alive with this thread. I know we're being harsh here, but at the same time if it wasn't for us keeping the discussion alive about this record, I'd personally rather see us discuss the album's production/mastering and lyricism than coming here and seeing comments like "who thinks that Cinnamon Girl is the best song on NFR??!!1!". We can agree to disagree. So it's basic, unless it's not? Not sure I follow you here. By the way, I'm very much aware that what I write here isn't being written matter of factly. I've said it before, I'll say it again. What I write on this thread is my opinion.

I agree with everything that is written here, but especially what I have highlighted. I've been feeling the exact same way about Lana ever since the release of Lust for Life. Lana has definitely been tamed, or self tamed like you said. She no longer writes so called "shocking" lyrics, she was probably tired of having to explain why she went for such or such lyrics after the album was released. It's just kind of sad to me, she used to make something different, but now everything is so... beige? Her lyricism definitely changed trajectory and I'm not sure if I'm here for it. On some of her new songs she couldn't sound more basic if she tried... like seven years ago I would've never even imagined that Lana would once sing "the culture is lit". We're far from the days of her lyrical excellency. I've said it in the unpopular opinion thread, but to me unless she gets out of this faux-woke/basic Valley girl narrative, the Lana that I love peaked at Honeymoon. I believe that one of the reasons why Lana got rave reviews for this record (aside from critics obviously eating shit up for writing such terrible things about her all those years and finally realizing how great she is even at her most tamed and subdued), is how incredibly soft and not-Lana (comparatively to her first three albums) this album is. It's hilarious to me how she would think that she's breaking any rules with this record. It would be a lie to me not saying that part of why I fell for her, was the Del Rey persona aspect of her music. Which couldn't be more erased these days.

I totally get that this is probably a lot of negativity for some fans... but at the same time this is LanaBoards, and we are also on the Norman Fucking Rockwell! Post-Release discussion thread, like we're discussing the album... I don't think I, or other people on here, are spreading negativity. We're merely discussing an album from an artist that we love. It's not all rosy and pink ya know. I get that it's probably annoying for you to come here and see negative comments, or critiques towards an album that, I assume, you probably adore. But, last time I checked this is not the "Norman Fucking Rockwell! Post-Release praising/positive/good vibes" discussion (or something) thread? Well... you go. I'm not going anywhere.