Norman Fucking Rockwell - Post-Release Discussion Thread + Poll

[drowning mermaid 1,706]

hey were u guys aware that changing your style of lyricism and story-telling has actually nothing to do with your artistic vision and your experiences changing who you are and what you wanna communicate to people and everything to do with appeasing the left and wanting to become a woke PC clone??? the more u know huh

 

(sometimes being raw and honest and daring to be vulnerable can be revolutionary. i agree that lana was mesmerizing when she was a marble statue towering over us but now she is softer and sweeter and made of flesh like you and me, and her problems echo ours and maybe that’s why some people find it more painful to listen to her. it’s not escapism anymore, and if you liked to sink into her made up worlds to escape from your grey life, then yeah, you might be disappointed)

[slang 1,509]

Some specific comparisons of "better production" (or is it style?) than NFR that I saw:

@Vertimus
REM "Suspicion"? Great song, reminds me of Bryan Ferry quite a bit. While I would agree LDR would nail a Bryan-Ferry-esque style/production, she just wasn't shooting for that. NFR doesn't bank on suave and cool like Bryan Ferry does, but more on aching and vulnerability, imo. I've described NFR as ethereal/schmaltzy/NewOrleans/dirge. It's not "folk", but I would also describe NFR as "not not folk", in the sense that there are artist like Dylan and Cohen that are clearly aligned to folk but slip genres quite a bit.

 

@MXDH
VB doesn't remind me of Pink Floyd (Shine on you crazy ...) that much. It reminds me of Simon and Garfunkal sort of taking a detour through The Doors, specifically this Doors:

 

Having listened to VB off and on over a year and post release, the instrumental part strikes me as pretty well composed, as in a set of micro variations on themes from the song-part of the song. Maybe Jack deserves the lion's share of the credit, idk, but I think LDR's vocal additions (interesting to compare to Jim's) also have a lot to do with it.  I also think VB compares decently or interestingly to other long tracks of comparable artists (e.g. Cat Power's got a long track on Sun, Nothing but Time; Paul McCartney's got a long track on Driving Rain, Rinse the raindrops; and the Doors track as I suggested).

[Vertimus 8,911]

Nothing wrong with negative opinions about the album, but they do get a little grating when they have a "this is fact" attitude about them. The album is clearly loved by the majority.

I never claim any opinion of mine is fact. Not everyone here understands what a fact is anyway.

 

Obviously, ‘LDR worked with Jack Antonoff on NFR” is a fact, ‘Cinnamon Girl is the best song ever written’ is not.

[DCooper 34,463]

 

So it's basic, unless it's not? Not sure I follow you here.

 

 

The context of something can change it's meaning. The word "lit" thrown around casually by people talking about how drunk they are may be basic, but when used in a song comparing a bygone era with a modern culture that's burning itself to the ground, it takes a smarter and funnier meaning.

[FallingCherry 7,731]

Is it just me or is this post release so much dryer and dead than lust for lifes? i remember this place was still pretty buzzing after and we had a lot to talk about, with this era there isnt much to say; only that jacks production lacks bass...

It's dry because the only posts are the same people saying the same things over and over and over even though they've said them many times before and yeah, it only became a thread to criticise Jack and his production and how Lana isn't the same as 2012 anymore. It's a thread full of useless negativity because the dots have already been put on the I. No wonder why nobody wants to post.

Sure, every opinion is valid. But what's the point in keeping the thread alive with negativity that have been spread already? We're seeing the same shit since September. Time to move on.

[SparkleJumpropeNoose 8,748]

 also agree that LDR is moving away from everything that made her interesting, original, and visionary. What happened to the humor, satire and genuinely clever social commentary and asides? It’s as if she’s been replaced by a Pod Lana, a Woke PC Clone who wants to appease those on the Left who criticized her so harshly over the last five years. She’s been tamed or has self-tamed.

JDKGHSKJDGH IN WHAT WORLD IS SHE ""PC"".... she literally went from a vegetarian leftist queen to a genocide supporting fur-wearing cop fucker

[daphnedinkley 12,391]

so... which songs have aged the best and worst for you?? which songs do you guys feel differently about now???

 

for me personally, cinnamon girl aged terribly. looking at the above poll i can't believe i voted it as one of my NFR favs   now i usually forget it exists. i think once the initial gut-punch of those lyrics (which personally i relate to so deeply) and the surprise of the outro has worn off, it's very very very forgettable and just repeats itself. needed something a little more to it to give it longevity.

 

the greatest has aged like fine wine, i can't get bored of it. bartender has really grown on me too, because the initial jarringness of "bar-t-t-tender" isn't as bad for me anymore.

 

fuck it i love you i still really like but i find the chorus really annoying lmao her vocals and lack of enunciation really bug me 

[Ivory Cricket 353]

bartender has really grown on me too, because the initial jarringness of "bar-t-t-tender" isn't as bad for me anymore.

Are you me? When I initially heard it, I thought it was terribly cringy yet now it's probably one of my most played chill out and drive somewhere songs.

 

I think the worst aged song for me is TNBAR. I initially liked it for sounding different than her normal style but over time it just feels flat to me.

[Vertimus 8,911]

 

Some specific comparisons of "better production" (or is it style?) than NFR that I saw:

 

@Vertimus

REM "Suspicion"? Great song, reminds me of Bryan Ferry quite a bit. While I would agree LDR would nail a Bryan-Ferry-esque style/production, she just wasn't shooting for that. NFR doesn't bank on suave and cool like Bryan Ferry does, but more on aching and vulnerability, imo. I've described NFR as ethereal/schmaltzy/NewOrleans/dirge. It's not "folk", but I would also describe NFR as "not not folk", in the sense that there are artist like Dylan and Cohen that are clearly aligned to folk but slipS genres quite a bit

The way I see it, LDR seems to have thought that there is something powerful, interesting, dramatic and moody about the NFR title song, when for me, it’ comes off as little more than a trifle. I feel that LDR perceives it as having the depth and mystique of something like ‘Suspicion,’ when in fact it hardly goes anywhere, is unremarkable, and is over before it even seems to get started.

 

The same with CG and several of the others. To me, most come across as demos of half-written songs.

[Vertimus 8,911]

Exactly. I mean, if someone wants to discuss some other aspect of the album, then I'm sure the rest of us will join in. However, shit like, "Oh my Goddddddd I just realised how AMAZING Fuck It I Love You is. She really did THAT. I listened to it whilst hanging upside down in the rafters in my grandmother's BARN in Wisconsin and OH MY GOD" doesn't exactly stimulate the conversation. I'm not saying that people can't, or shouldn't, make such comments, but ... I don't get why people are trying to shut down a discussion in this thread while simultaneously not contributing anything to it?

Because for some, anything analytical, critical in the original sense of the word, or well-reasoned is perceived as ‘negative’ and clearly ‘triggers’ them and makes them ‘feel bad.’ So they want to shut down thought and speech they don’t like.

 

Which is absurd. If you read a sentence of a new post and don’t like its character or content, just SKIP IT, the same way many of us skip the ‘what color vinyl do you think LDR9 will be in 2023, chartreuse, cerise, or taupe?’ posts, or the ‘What season is UV to you?’ posts.

[West Coast 44,779]

Because for some, anything analytical, critical in the original sense of the word, or well-reasoned is perceived as ‘negative’ and clearly ‘triggers’ them and makes them ‘feel bad.’ So they want to shut down thought and speech they don’t like.

 

Which is absurd. If you read a sentence of a new post and don’t like its character or content, just SKIP IT, the same way many of us skip the ‘what color vinyl do you think LDR9 will be in 2023, chartreuse, cerise, or taupe?’ posts, or the ‘What season is UV to you?’ posts.

 

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. 

JDKGHSKJDGH IN WHAT WORLD IS SHE ""PC"".... she literally went from a vegetarian leftist queen to a genocide supporting fur-wearing cop fucker

 

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".

[Vertimus 8,911]

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 don’t feel we can trust ANYTHING LDR says about her political affiliations, at any time. Songs like ‘American’ certainly don’t seem to celebrate the Democratic-Liberal POV, so initially I considered her to be conservative or a Republican, even if only vaguely so, as if politics were no a big concern or interest for her.

 

Subsequently, after a good deal of attacks from the Left, she’s come out as a Democrat and also as something of a liberal, insofar as she’s expressed unwavering support for several liberal causes as well as her great dislike for Trump. However, lately she’s redefined herself yet again, as “a moderate.”

 

So who the hell knows what her genuine political ideology is, if any?? I feel she just kisses whatever ass she feels pressured to kiss at a given time or moment. I don’t think she’s in any way politically astute, or even knowledgeable.

 

There’s the cop, there’s that church she’s affiliated with, there’s her witchcraft spell against Trump, and so on.

 

Let’s not forget she once described herself as a ‘chameleon soul.’

[Vertimus 8,911]

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.

 

Ignore those posters who bully and intimidate others here. They’re legion. There’s about three dozen who feel they essentially own this site and endlessly harass those they dislike. Block them.

 

There should be free expression here and no bullying or harassment. If someone doesn’t like or agree with something, ignore it.

[Trash Magic 26,718]

Regardless of how standard the setlist is this tour has just proven Lana's total love for the music. While some other sell outs release make up lines, throw out singles every 2 weeks and chase trends, Lana's love for the music is just so clear particularly with this album. From specifically choosing to tour the smaller cities to bringing out more indie artists to open for and sing with her to meeting fans in the snow. There are no other artists of her size that are this genuine.

[daphnedinkley 12,391]

Are you me? When I initially heard it, I thought it was terribly cringy yet now it's probably one of my most played chill out and drive somewhere songs.

 

I think the worst aged song for me is TNBAR. I initially liked it for sounding different than her normal style but over time it just feels flat to me.

 

it's a gorgeous song!! agreed on TNBAR, very shallow song

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. 

 

[insert "why not both?" gif here]

i'm with you! if people are enjoying the discussion then who cares. it's what the thread is for, surely?

[paradisetropico 7,379]

anyone know why she continues to trash her own fukin lyrics on stage... like last night in Kansas City she was like “exactly fuck that” when singing NFR.... like does she not like the song ? i’m ... confused... then i saw a fan video in barricade asking her to sing Terrance Loves You and she rolled her eyes?

[13bitches 6,174]

anyone know why she continues to trash her own fukin lyrics on stage... like last night in Kansas City she was like “exactly fuck that” when singing NFR.... like does she not like the song ? i’m ... confused... then i saw a fan video in barricade asking her to sing Terrance Loves You and she rolled her eyes?

Yikes. She really seems dead set on not changing her setlists. If this is a regular response from her she really needs to get her act together.

[Vertimus 8,911]

anyone know why she continues to trash her own fukin lyrics on stage... like last night in Kansas City she was like “exactly fuck that” when singing NFR.... like does she not like the song ? i’m ... confused... then i saw a fan video in barricade asking her to sing Terrance Loves You and she rolled her eyes?

When HM came out, she claimed TLY was her favorite track on the album, so it would be a mystery as to why she would dislike it now.

[daphnedinkley 12,391]

anyone know why she continues to trash her own fukin lyrics on stage... like last night in Kansas City she was like “exactly fuck that” when singing NFR.... like does she not like the song ? i’m ... confused... then i saw a fan video in barricade asking her to sing Terrance Loves You and she rolled her eyes?

 

 

this is such a tough one. not saying our feelings are lana's responsibility bc, of course, they're not!! but even if she feels differently now to how she felt when she wrote and recorded those songs, a lot of us love those songs so much because we connect to them on a deep, personal and emotional level. even if we no longer feel how we did when we first connected to them in the same way lana probably doesn't (i mean many of us were just babiesssss when born to die was released!) it's still cathartic to relive or even bury those emotions thru the music. that's why live shows are so awesome when you have a deep connection to the artist. i can sing "I HAVE NOOOOTTTHHHIIIIIINNNGGGG WITHOUT YOUUUUU" while actually laughing at the fact that i once felt that way towards someone, now that my mentality's changed. lana clearly has a very different mindset. she seems SO determined to distance herself HARD from her past work, as if she's embarrassed she ever felt or wrote those things. i get it, in a way, but i also find it to be such a shame. we love the music, we connect to it, why won't she embrace that? let us have our melodramatic i looooooost myself when iiiii loooost yooooooou moment while singing along to TLY lana, dammit!!

[Veinsineon 70,274]

so... which songs have aged the best and worst for you?? which songs do you guys feel differently about now???

 

The Greatest, Venice Bitch, NFR, and Love Song have all aged sooooo well for me.

Classic Lana *chefs kiss*

 

I never listen to Doin Time, Hope, or How To Disappear. Her vocals in HTD are so badly mixed. This album mixing is just weird in general, not bad, just weird.

It's also hard for me to see her as the same artist these days, like someone a page ago said, it feels like she has completely moved away from what actually makes LDR, LDR.

 

It feels like I'm listening to Elizabeth Grant

When HM came out, she claimed TLY was her favorite track on the album, so it would be a mystery as to why she would dislike it now.

and she literally used it in the trailer for the LATTMT as if she was going to sing it