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For me, TJF just sounds a bit more like her earlier work. It was a bit of a step back after NFR. I always adored that title tho.

Ahaha, true. Mostly, for me, I think it'd be something new for her. And I like how it works within the context of Frank Ocean, Beyonce, and others. I'm not sure if it would be the right fit for Lasso though - especially since it might come across as copying Bey.

I love how the lead single has the second least votes out of all the cuts on this record. Lana, you better choose your first Lasso single wisely!

I'm not necessarily a fan of those types of interludes. It does work well on Cowboy Carter, though. That being said, I think Lana could do wonders with that. Vintage sounds, radio announcements, small bits of poetry, a cappella... It's also something she hasn't done before. If this album had a few fast-paced songs, some cool interludes like that, and a few fire collabs, +Henry, Prettiest Girl etc, we'd be fed, and we'd be fed well.

It's a song that sounds like a draft. There's no chord progression, the second verse sounds like the first, there's no bridge (from what I remember). Basically, it's the same chords and same melodies over and over, replete with mid production, and then the song ends. It's a filler track. That and "For Free'. And the album is already pretty darn short, so there shouldn't be any fillers. And that's why Chemtrails is a 7.5, for me. Pitchfork got it right. I still ADORE the trio of Wild at Heart, White Dress an Chemtrails tho.OB - as much as I love it - doesn't have a trio of songs that sound that cohesive sonically. Let alone BB. I will ignore your Summer Bummer slander. It's the last purely FUN original track Lana has produced. Just fucking around in the studio. To be honest, I miss this side of her. Peppers came close but it's nowhere near as good.

I wasn't a fan of Niki. She sounded like a cheap version of Miley for me (and I don't even like Miley). Plus, Breaking Up Slowly is one of Lana's most "meh" songs. But then I heard The Prettiest Girl in Country Music, and did a full 180. I need that song on 'Lasso', even if it has small, minimalist production. It's glorious.

For me, I don't mind the slow. But it was just a bit slight. When you remove the cover (For Free), which is just Lana trying to fill up the tracklist again with her god-damn covers, and you take out Breaking Up Slowly that's such thinly sketched, throway track, you're left with 9 songs only. I also do agree with Lana when she said that it needed another big song. As big as White Dress, Chemtrails or Wild at Heart, if not bigger. It needed a Ride imo.

I mean..... They would obviously come up with a song for it every few months. Some with Jack (Hey Baby Blue, etc), some with Niki (Prettiest Girl in Country Music), some with that country producer (Henry, Come on). That doesn't meant that they were working continuously on the record. Especially not when BB and OB and Chemtrails were also recorded. How I see it is: they were coming up with these random country songs, and realized they have enough for a full album sometime last year after OB was released. Then they started pulling it all together. They're aiming for September, but it's not really going to happen.

"if anything, production should share similar styles with her cover of take me home country roads" You lost me there. The production on Country Roads couldn't have been more mid if it tried. And god knows lana has hundreds of unreleased songs, at least 30 of which which definitely deserve to get a proper release. Idk, Terrence Loves You is, like, the definition of languid for me. But to each their own.

Beyonce's gone all out on the country symbolism and metaphor. From whiskey to horses to John Wayne and tumbling weed, she's covered literally everything. I feel like she and her team had a list of words that need to be integrated. Sometimes it feels like crossing things off. Also, if we'll have a "candle in the wind" or "let the light in" repetitive moment. For beyonce, it's "shotgun". She has the word quite a few times, and in the best cuts on the album. I wonder what of that iconography will Lana lean to that Beyonce already hasn't, and if she will find some new angles.

Ok. I am OBSESSED with this album. Waking up to a beautiful sunny morning and listening to gentle, beautiful music like 'Protector' is almost a spiritual experience. I'm so so glad she chose country - it fits her like a fucking glove, and I've never been a bigger fan. You can also hear how all the instruments are natural, and not overproduced like most music nowadays. Almost feels like her and a couple of musicians in a good studio, jamming. That's my fav part. Real music, by a real artist. God damn, it's good!

Ahhaha. Sofia Coppola stan, I take it? What's your fav movie of hers? Huuuuge fan here. Huge.

Well, I for one want zero covers. I think it's such a cop-out, generally, and it rarely works for Lana. Country Roads is super mid, for example. In fact, the only covers I ever really liked are Doin' Time, Goodbye Kiss, and the Maleficent song. These are the ones she's made her own through and through. You Must Love Me, Summer Wine, The Other Woman etc. all sound like they've been borrowed.

Huh? Terrence loves you, god knows I tried, religion, honeymoon, swan song, don't let me be misunderstood, burnt norton.. .it doesn't get more languid than that. With the exception of High by the Beach, Freak, Music to Watch Boys to and Art Deco. But those are hardly bops (beach aside).

Yeah. I don't think Lana is going back to rock. She always tries to do something different. I hope after Lasso, she tries something like trap, disco or electronica. She should leave her piano ballads for when she's in her 40s and 50s. Looking at you, Blue Banisters.

Like, have 9 slow songs for sure. Hell, have 12. But give us 4 to shake our booty too.

I prefer CC and her self-titled album, but you definitely should listen to ACT 1!

Yeah. She's done Chemtrails, she's done BB, she's done Honeymoon.. We don't need another languid, slow-paced sad record. Like, don't go country if you're gonna be sad and think small.

Me too! And levise jeans, blackbird, II most wanted, ya ya, the opening track. WHAT AN ALBUM.

Great thread! Born to Die - Brian De Palma or Harmony Korine Paradise - David Lynch Ultraviolence - Quentin Tarantino Honeymoon - Sofia Coppola Lust for Life - Spike Lee NFR - Alexandre Payne or Greta Gerwig Chemtrails - Wim Wenders Ocean Boulevard - Robert Altman or Noah Baumbach Since I'm not a fan of BB, i'll skip that one.

Yes, I'm ready for blonde Lana too. I wonder if the new blonde hair is indeed signifying a new era.

THAT BASS YESSS! I almost fainted first time I heard that. And the guitar on that track! Kevin Parker vibes. And I totally agree with you - massive push for Beyonce, even more than Renaissance. This is an artist who could play it safe or even just rest on her laurels. But to put out a TRILOGY this late in her career, with each record better than the last - is just incredible.

Glad you love it too. I'm just shacking my booty to YA YA as we speak. You need to be in the mood for the song, that's for sure. Agree with all your choices btw. Except Spaghetti, doesn't click for me at all.

I think it's quite cool that Lana's releasing a country record in the same year Beyonce and others are. Great to compare all of their inputs, different perspectives on the genre. That said, Cowboy is going to be the benchmark for all others to aspire to.

Is the rock direction confirmed or pure speculation? I kinda think Rock would be absolute cosplay for Beyonce, while I feel like country, for some reason, fits her like a glove. HUGE FAN of Cowboy Carter here. Huge. I think it's my favorite record of hers after "Beyonce". I wasn't a massive fan of Lemonade, or her earlier work. And Renaissance I liked but got over it a few weeks later. This, I feel, I will listen to for at least a few months. The production is out-of-this-world good. That said, it does sog in the second half, and I'm not a fan of Spaghetti and a few other tracks, woulda cut them out.