“And we won't say when, we won't ask why
We won't stop dancin' till we die
We'll keep walkin' on the sunny side
And we won't stop dancin' till we die”
that really hits me. There’s such a richness in her voice with those low tones - it’s soulful. Hands down my favourite song on the record. It’s hopeful in a quiet way. I cannot get over it
Well, we’ve made it to the post-release! This record is absolutely amazing and she’s truly done it once again. It feels fresh but so familiar at the same time and every song blew me away. Wow.
Here are my thoughts on each individual track:
White Dress
What a stunning opener. The vocals on the chorus are an artistic risk for Lana, but the desperation in their delivery are perfect for the song. A song like this demands to have a more experimental creative output and I love that she does just that while still retaining her signature melodic style. The production during the outro of the song reminds me of the ending of the audio for Patent Leather Do-Over. Lyrically, it’s also very evocative and I was reminded of Venice Bitch actually. Beautiful track!
Chemtrails Over the Country Club
This song goes so well after White Dress. The way White Dress trails off, only to immediately jump into the beautiful opening couplets of the song with their pulsing mid tempo rhythm. Gorgeous. Loved this track from the start and it sounds even more beautiful (if that was even possible) within the album!
Tulsa Jesus Freak
Wow..this song totally did not go where I thought it would based on the snippet. I absolutely love it. It’s sultry, it’s pensive, it’s a little bit serious and thoughtful, but it’s still fun at the same time! Also - the mixing on this is GORGEOUS. I think this is one of the smoothest songs I’ve ever heard - it flows together so seamlessly and truly swells. I love how the smoothness of the beat is juxtaposed with the harsh vocals of the “we’ll be white hot forever and ever and ever” motif. Stunning track - we finally got it!
Let Me Love You Like a Woman
I was always a huge fan of this song, and I love it within this album. I think it’s the most earnest sounding on the album with its very determined piano chord progression (being F-C-G) and its vocal treatment being very 80s heartland rock. I definitely feel like this is the heart of the record.
Wild at Heart
The vocals on this damn song. I love that Lana is flexing her range so much more on this record! The lyrics are very cute while still being so meaningful, which I absolutely love. The message is really important and I can tell that this is a special song to Lana as well. The chorus is one of my favourite moments on this record and I like that she sampled the bridge from How to Disappear! It works so well in this song and really is a standout for me. Love it!
Dark But Just a Game
The intro to this song is so smooth and bluesy...I love it so much. I definitely hear the Portishead comparisons from MOJO in full effect here during the verses, but the pre-chorus was very Beatles-esque, with those beautiful layered vocals and major-key harmonies. I also like that she interpolated the original melody from the Bird World demo she sang on IG live on September 4, 2019! I also think the lyrics are really cool and do an amazing job of switching between this cool, flippant attitude and this reflective, self-preserving affirmation. Beautiful song!
Not All Who Wander Are Lost
This song is beautiful. The vocals during the chorus are beautifully layered and I love how anecdotal it feels with her talking about being in Nebraska and wearing the same clothes for three days. It’s really earnest and stripped down, which truly conveys the mood perfectly. I was reminded of Pawn Shop Blues upon my first listen, so I feel like this song is definitely one of the moments on the album where Lana is reconnecting with her folky sensibility the most!
Yosemite
Well, we finally got it! What can I say, other than what a beautiful track. The guitar is very bittersweet sounding, it almost weeps with hope as Lana delivers a very vulnerable set of lyrics in her head voice before coming down for the chorus. I love it so much, it reminds me of Change, in that it feels anticipatory for something, and I think Lana probably felt that way too upon putting it onto this record. Definitely a beautiful song, long-awaited for and it does not disappoint at all!
Breaking Up Slowly
This song is beautiful. The guitar is almost sexier sounding than what I thought, but it’s perfect - it’s bluesy, meditative, a little bit gritty. So good! Nikki’s voice goes so well next to Lana’s - they both harmonize perfectly and I love the flutter of Lana’s voice when she sings “flowers”. I love this song so much!
Dance Till We Die
I think this song might be my favourite from the whole album. It feels like a career song, in that she weaves so many important people and aspects of her life to reflect on her loneliness in the past and makes this affirmation to never stop dancing till she dies, walk on the sunnier side, etc. It’s hopeful but also contains this sense of impending “something.” I don’t know what quite yet, but it feels very important. And that bridge! Oh my god. I loved that. Beautiful lyrics, imagery, vocal delivery, production, all that. Just wow.
For Free
Such a beautiful way to end the record. All the girls’ voices sound so clear and beautiful here. The harmonies when they all sing together are beautiful and I love that Jack added a little bit of extra production just to distinguish from Joni’s original and the live version Lana sang on tour, without making a parody of sorts of the song (not that would Lana would EVER do that - she always nails it, no matter what). I love this interpretation, I’ve loved both Lana and Joni Mitchell for a long time so this feels very cool to me. I also like how this track thematically connects to White Dress (basically every song on this record could be connected in some way and I love the cohesion and the narrative that is present).
I think this may end up becoming my favourite album EVER, even upon first listen. It’s purely who Lana is but invites us to take an even closer look at her life, her love, and her thoughts. I love everything about this project and I can say with sincerity that without even knowing it, this is the record I’ve been waiting for her to make, and I’m sure it’s the one she’s been waiting to make her entire life as well.
Ugh, yes! I firmly believe it’s rooted in misogyny, even though in the past I know Lana has said she believes it’s not, noting that women have discredited her too, but I think those women also have internalized misogyny. I have never seen a male artist’s authenticity questioned. Period. People get too wrapped up in the looks of things and never want to look any further than what strikes them instinctually. And sometimes that comes in handy in situations of danger, but in this case it does not. I am beyond happy that Chemtrails is being met with positive reviews, but it’s so easy to see through them. They love her, and then they hate her/hate on previous endeavours of her. Luckily she sees through it all, though!
Is anyone else slightly put-off by the nature of these reviews? Like yes, it’s amazing that Chemtrails is meeting such critical acclaim, but I really dislike how all these major publications feel the need to discredit her past albums in order to make the case for this one. Good journalism doesn’t need to bash something else in order to make the argument for whatever it is that is being written about. Appreciating Lana’s growth is one thing, but dismissing past albums as “confused” seems like a cop-out.
Justice for @Poor Stacy! They have never been anything but respectful, kind, good-intentioned and they acted quickly to rectify a mistake that was unbeknownst to them
Honestly, if there’s anything that’s really held true from seeing people’s opinions online, it’s this line from My Bedroom is a Sacred Place Now....
But what I love about Lana is that she doesn’t really care about serving anything or anyone except for the structure of the song that she sees hanging in the balances! I’m glad that the “fans” who are wanting her to be artistically stuck in an incredibly exaggerated version of a period she’s moved on from aren’t necessarily having their “expectations” met by her.
Shared by @/lizzyology on Instagram - I guess Lana posted the uncropped/unfiltered version of the iconic “Makeup for Hiking” selfie from August to her personal Facebook! She looks stunning
Theomo liked a post in a topic by IanadeIrey in Chemtrails Over the Country Club - Post-Release Discussion Thread + Poll
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