delreyfreak

Well I'm hoping it's out here in Aus in a couple of minutes. Weird its not out in NZ yet!

Wow I'm so excited, the snippet sounds good, the cover art is POPPING, Marina looks great and the lyrical content sounds better this time around. I'm not expecting it to top her masterpieces on TFJ, EH and FROOT but it definitely sounds like an improvement from L+F!

Ummm noah fence, but this is NOT the right opinion.

wait what do you mean by messy NFR cover? Like is it a different version or something? I dont see what's wrong with it lol

Does anyone think the actual music sounds any different? Like it's supposed to be remastered which means they've like edited the sounds and stuff? It sounds kinda the same to me but I do feel like the strings are kinda louder in "Born to Die" but I could just be imagining this?

How does this snippet and title already sound better than EVERYTHING on L+F? No joke. I have a feeling this next album might be her best. I think she saw the criticism from L+F and will learn from it. Plus she has a constant habit of flip-flopping between basic pop and doing more alternative, self-written stuff (TFJ to EH, EH to Froot, Froot to L+F anyone??) Anyway wow I'm just in love with this snippet!!

Check her Instagram story out - she's in the studio making music...

Froot > The Family Jewels > Electra Heart > Love and Fear > this trashy song

Let's just hope M5 delivers. The imagery from that post at least looks a little FROOT-esque, which gives me hope!

Can't believe the title of the record has an exclamation mark, "Norman Fucking Rockwell!" Was kinda annoyed at first because it's sorta tacky, but now I think it actually fits. Oh yeah, and this is my first post here in like.... half a year or so? So hi again. Glad Lana is finally releasing this. Best album incoming! Lust For Life who??

I don't mean to be rude, but you are honestly the rudest person I've seen on this site. I swear I've never seen you write a nice comment. Why are you always so bitter and hateful? Lmao

I must say, I'm really liking this album. The Latin American pop, the Spanish, the political messages and the interesting production... we stan.

we get it, you hate this album, you hate your life and you hate everyone on this thread. Get over yourself. Enjoy your life hun.

maybe the only reasonable post on this thread for like the last 20 pages. agree!!

So hard to rate, but I'm going to give it a go: Handmade Heaven - 9.5/10 (Overall a great message and nice production but a tad repetitive by the end) Superstar - 7.5/10 (Beautiful lyrics & a nice love song, but is too generic & a bit overproduced) Orange Trees - 9/10 (I really like this song despite others saying it is generic; I like the odes to Greek culture & nature) Baby - 8/10 (This one really is a bop but it does feel a little out of place on the record as a whole) Enjoy Your Life - 9/10 (Another bop with a nice, simple message to enjoy your life & acknowledge that your problems will pass) True - 9.5/10 (This one has the most replay value for me, and it has a nice message of confidence, but lyrics are a bit lazy) To Be Human - 10/10 (Best and most meaningful lyrics on the album, gives me TFJ vibes) End of the Earth - 10/10 (Fantastic production, this is the grown-up sis of Immortal!) So, I suppose my overall order going off these scores would be: To Be Human 10/10 End of the Earth 10/10 Handmade Heaven 9.5/10 True 9.5/10 Enjoy Your Life 9/10 Orange Trees 9/10 Baby 8/10 Superstar 7.5/10

My initial thoughts: Production - BOPS! Very modern and pop-oriented but surprisingly I actually love it! Y'all complaining about the pop production make me laugh - Marina has always had pop production in her songs. Were y'all not around for EH???? Lyrics - Definitely some of her most simple lyrics (see "True" and "Enjoy Your Life") but honestly, there's nothing wrong with simple lyrics. I don't think Marina has tried to sell this album as being super deep or philosophical or anything so I'm totally fine with a bunch of happy, simple pop songs! But the lyrics on To Be Human and End of the Earth are incredibly full of meaning in my view. Vocals - She's definitely singing in her higher register a lot more on this album than her past albums. I love her higher register so I don't mind, but I do miss her deeper, raspier vocals a little. Perhaps we'll see her darker, deeper vocals on FEAR? That would make sense - airy, high vocals on LOVE and deeper, darker vocals on FEAR. Themes/messages - I know the themes are quite simple but I actually appreciate this simplicity. There is beauty in simplicity. I sense a theme of universality in these songs which is a little different to her past releases where the lyrics were more centred around her life. Here, we see Marina's lyrics becoming more inclusive and universal, centring around love: Love for nature - Handmade Heaven Love for your home & origins - Orange Trees Love for humankind - To Be Human Love for a partner/lover - End of the Earth, Superstar, Baby Love for yourself & your body - True Love for life itself - Enjoy Your Life Overall I am very happy! It's an incredibly life-affirming album. Sure, the lyrics are a little underwhelming on most songs, I will admit, but the production/vocals/themes are brilliant, so I can't complain! Plus, we haven't even heard FEAR yet, so it's still too early to properly judge!

Here are my two cents on the era so far (since everyone else is sharing their thoughts)... Baby - This song is a BOP. Yes, it's a little more "basic" compared to what she usually releases but I think her voice sounds amazing and the melodies are very catchy. Handmade Heaven - I loved this song from the first play. I felt that the lyrics in the chorus were a tad repetitive but it's continued to grow on me and I can say it is overall a really beautiful song with a great message. The music video, although simple, is beautiful. I think it was a great way to officially start the era. Superstar - I can't say I absolutely love this song, but I also can't say I hate it. Overall it's a really good song, however, compared to Marina's usual standard I can't help but feel the production is a little cheap and, while the lyrics are sweet, they lack the emotional depth I usually expect to see from Marina. Overall I still like the song though. Orange Trees - I really love this one! I will admit the lyricism is a little weaker in this one too - there is no profound statement, no social comment and nothing deeply interesting about the lyrics. However, I'm enjoying seeing this lighter side to Marina. The song is fun, lighthearted and brings a smile to my face. The bridge is fantastic - the melodies and production at that point within the context of the song really stand out to me. Sure, the song is more "generic" compared to what Marina usually creates but I still sense the quirky and eccentric Marina we've always known and loved in the "oo-oo-oo-orange" parts of the song. Also, the music video is FUCKING GORGEOUS. Y'all should repent for saying the music video is ugly. These are her most stunning aesthetics. My overall thoughts - I like the thematics of this album so far. The aesthetics and the messages of Handmade Heaven and Orange Trees seem to be quite nature-centric which I absolutely love, especially at a time of great environmental destruction. I think Marina has been influenced by the political context surrounding climate change and intentionally wanted to reconnect with nature in her music, and using that as an avenue to "return to her roots", so to speak. The LOVE side of the record so far feels very fresh, light and nature-centric. I'm guessing some of her darker and more intellectual songs will be saved for the release of the full album. Songs with titles like To Be Human, Soft to Be Strong and End of the Earth sound like typical "Marina"-esque titles that will explore heavier topics. Am I a little disappointed by what I've heard so far? Yes. Because I miss the emotional depth and social critiques offered by Marina on most of her other tracks. However, I recognise these are just the first few songs of the album, and I'm sure there is still a lot more to expect, especially as we've heard nothing of the FEAR side of the album.

Y'all out here bitching and complaining and whining, meanwhile I'm here enjoying this majestic heavenly song

There's nothing toxic about having rights nor is there anything toxic about true feminism. However, toxic feminism is extreme feminism, where people denigrate men (for simply existing) and women who may take up a more traditionally feminine role (e.g. cooking in the kitchen for their husbands). Feminism is wonderful in advocating for equality of all genders, but the very small and vocal minority of 'feminists' (I loathe even calling them 'feminists' because of their inconsistent views) take things way too far and preach female superiority at the expense of all others (including all men, quiet/submissive/traditional women, other genders). True feminism is supposed to be about equality for everyone and removing all forms of gendered oppression and marginalisation. I think what Marina is trying to say in Can't Pin Me Down is that these so-called 'feminists' do not preach equality between men and women, but rather force women to take control (often against their will) and disrespect their male partners. Marina is saying that she can be both a feminist and a woman who cares for her (hypothetical) husband and does nice things for him. But of course, this is only because the (hypothetical) husband respects her too. So true feminism is about all people regardless of gender having the CHOICE to behave in the way they want and it is based on a sense of mutuality and respect. Toxic feminism goes against these very basic principles by forcing overpowering roles on women and treating men like the scum of the earth. Sure, some men really are the scum of the earth but true feminism distinguishes between men of power who enforce patriarchal and oppressive systems and the rest of the male population (majority of men) who have nothing to do with these systems and actually are often oppressed by them themselves too. Marina is a true feminist and CPMD ended toxic feminism. ANyway, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk on feminism

Ok, WOW I LOVE THIS!! It's like pop mixed with magic and nature and love and happiness - it's such a great combination! I agree some of the lyrics are simple but I think that's what Marina's going for this era: removing all the embellishments. And there's nothing wrong with simple either - sometimes simple is best! I love the picture she paints with the lyrics, I'd imagine it as a song sung by a fairy in a forest or something like that, haha.

Ugh I'm so excited but my internet has randomly decided to fucking load my spotify so slowlyyyy of course!

Shades of Cool says hi dad

delete

delete

last.fm better fix this mess because now there's a page for both "Marina and the Diamonds" and "Marina" and now that Spotify has changed her name officially my current Marina scrobbles are going to a new page. I don't want 2 fucking pages for Marina on my top artists Hope this name change doesn't kill her career