Taco Truck x VB

Here's my full, in-depth Blue Banisters review (I put it in a spoiler tag because it's kind of lengthy). PItchfork has nothing on me 
 

BBS reminds me of Dark But Just a Game, which is amazing, but even better.

I get that everyone was getting tired of the Antonoff sound, but he crafted some gorgeous songs. You're just going to pretend NFR! as an album, White Dress, and Dark But Just A Game don't exist?
 
Lana benefits from working with a lot of different producers. I'm happy she's working with others, but Jack does not deserve the hate he's getting.
 
We can appreciate each producer and what they bring without trashing the others.

i still also am very curious to hear what rock candy sweet sounded like, leakers feel free

i gotta say, this album may have to go in my top 3. i’m an UV lover and i’m still not sure about my placement of nfr but BB has worked its way into my heart. (i’m still not sure how to use gifs) 
unpopular opinion but i wish there were more songs in the vein of TB, BBS, Dealer and Thunder, i hope she goes in that direction for LDR9.  i wouldn’t mind trading cherry blossom for a new song in that vein. but i adore it and happy listening lipsters

Thunder is truly on my top 10 Lana songs so beautiful!

Ageee!!! Jack really did iconic work with her. I don’t get the jack hate however I think what suits Lana best is switching  up producers often, since she is very dynamic.

you’re all really dragging Jack like nfr! wasn’t in your top lana albums
 
(I love Jack, glad he did what he did in nfr! and cotcc. And I’m glad he wasn’t involved in this album. Both opinions can co-exist)

It's not to say that I think a certain someone is the worst producer out there, but I find that on his work with Lana he used piano in such a basic, tinny and understated kinda way that I was just turned off by those piano driven songs. Whereas on 'Blue Banisters' the piano songs they just sound so different, they're rich, lush and intricate. I am really enjoying those piano driven songs in a way I had not on the past two albums. 

this album made me notice something, lana piano songs stopped making me feel sexy in the antonoffian era.. but now they do again

you enjoyed it more than I expected you would then

my ranking
1. Bb suit
2. dealer
3. thunder
4. lay down
5. violets for roses
6. trio
7. beautiful
8. living legend
9. arcadia
the rest i do not care about

Thoughts: 
 
My favorites, equally, are IYLDWM and VFR, easily. Both are so subtly melodic, and their 'hooks' are incredible. 
 
Personally, I liked the original version of 'Thunder' a lot better, though in time, I may come to like it as much as the first version. 
 
BB is one of her best albums, as most here seem to agree. The horns on IYLDWM are my favorite part of the entire project. Brilliant. 
 
I loved COCC, but it was, overall, a little passive. It didn't have a song with an 'edge,' like IYLDWM, though it had (at least) three LDR classics: COCC, 'White Dress' and 'Yosemite.' However, I think VFR, 'Thunder,' and 'Cherry Blossom' would fit perfectly on COCC. 
 
I would like to have seen COCC and BB released as a double album, that is, one album title for both. 
 
I think BB proves that she doesn't need Jack Antonoff; I would have liked to have seen what the BB producers would have done with the COCC material. 
 
I've only read one review, and it was largely political, not musical, in nature, and seemed to want to misread LDR's lyrics, and to cast her as a masochist. What's new? I expect more of this. The critics just don't get LDR and don't want to. BB has some of her most 'human' and vulnerable lyrics, and it's funny how we all understand and relate to her lyrics and songs, but the critics don't at all--I can't imagine what their romantic and inner lives are like. 
 
Lana, great job. Right now, BB is at the top of my list as her best album, even though I don't find the title track very compelling. It's my least favorite. 
 
Enjoy, friends. 

I really love this album, and I really love COCC— but I think it's interesting that they're two separate releases, and in any other normal year (without the pandemic) I think they would've been combined as one with a sliced up tracklist. It's sorta fun to imagine what that would look like, so here's my version of it (which I think the critics would've gone apeshit for tbh):
1. Text Book
2. White Dress
3. Blue Banisters
4. Wild at Heart
5. Arcadia
6. Black Bathing Suit
7. If You Lie Down With Me
8. Violets for Roses
9. Tulsa Jesus Freak
10. Dark But Just A Game
11. Dealer
12. Thunder
13. Wildflower Wildfire
14. Dance til We Die
15. Sweet Carolina

hey guys, i’ve been lurking since cocc leaked (lmao) but i decided to join the day  the chaos begins after the release of blue banisters! glad to be part of the crazy family now!

the mixing on thunder's bridge is shit omg why are her vocals going up and down in volume

The people that have NFR UV AND BB as their holy trinity (and HM their 4rth choice) i love you just a little too much 

After further reflection, this album is actually very good. Took me a while to warm up to it but now I'm all toasty! 
 
Violets for Roses is sublime. The melody/hook is catchy (which is good for commercial appeal - just throwing it out there), and the lyrics have a nice meaning. I knew this would be my fave! The lyrics "Like the Paramount sign sparkling / Sparkling just for me" are so beautiful, and shows off a glamourous picture 
 
Sweet Carolina is gorgeous. Lana's vocals remind me of Yayo Paradise. Angelic and sweet. I ADORE the lyrics "You name your babe Lilac Heaven / after your iPhone 11" idk why lol
 
If You Lie Down With Me WHEW bitch. The big band at the end reminds me of something Frank Sinatra-ish. Very 1950's. Also I love how she threw in the "Spin me like a ballerina" lyrics. It's the Queen of Disaster throwback we needed! Also I just noticed while literally typing, but when she sings "dance me all around the room", it's literally the melody from On Our Way: "Spin me round, kiss me in your Chevrolet" Seriously can anyone else hear this????
 
Black Bathing Suit is a cute girl. I love the crows and music box sounds in the beginning. I wish it followed this sinister-ish vibe but then the piano comes through Nevertheless, the chorus is very good and catchy. Actually the melody is very similar to Bartender: "You don't know me any better than they do, baby" / "Photo-free exits from baby's bedside". One thing I dislike about the song is when they start shouting "No one does it better!" like ugh pls stop. Ruins the overall tone of the song imo.
 
Beautiful Ugh the twinkling piano in the beginning is actually so pretty. It's a simple song but a lot of emotion shines through 
Thunder This may be unpopular but the album version is much better than the demo. The demo was overproduced imo but the album version is nice because the excessive drums and guitar isn't drowning out Lana's voice so you can hear the lyrics with more clarity
 
As for Nectar, Cherry Blossom, Living Legend - I love them. They do kinda feel out of place on this album but hey, at least the non-hardcore Lana stans can enjoy them on streaming platforms now. 
 
WW - Meh. I need to warm up to her a bit
Text Book - I actually love this one. The way the tone switches up from the verse and chorus is interesting and keeps me hooked
BB - She's a cute girl honestly. My favourite part is "Summer comes, winter goes / Spring, I skip, God knows"
 
Hope ya'll enjoyed this review

The way the Dealer Gang won so hard 

hey guys, i’ve been lurking since cocc leaked (lmao) but i decided to join the day  the chaos begins after the release of blue banisters! glad to be part of the crazy family now!

hey guys, i’ve been lurking since cocc leaked (lmao) but i decided to join the day  the chaos begins after the release of blue banisters! glad to be part of the crazy family now!

what did she put in this album? is it crack?
ever since it leaked i couldn’t not listen to it and have had this uncontrollable urge to. is this my dealer era? 

So I never was a Jack Anto*off hater but this album certainly wouldn't be as good as it is if he had been involved. 

I find it interesting how when Dealer originally leaked, quite a few people hated it, and now that it's released officially, it's slowly becoming a fan favorite from what I've been seeing throughout the internet 

I love LFL but how the hell BB and LFL have the same score on Pitchfork