Blue Banisters - Post-Release Discussion Thread + Poll

[Vertimus 9,681]

I think we experience more of the genuine Lana on BB, the album, than on any other, with COCC being a close second. I believe it's this genuine Lana we'll continue to see on albums of original work, until she either feels she's exhausted it or until she feels like stepping into personas and roles again. 

[bluechemtrails 27,366]

On 12/22/2021 at 3:14 PM, scarlettohara said:

i know this is kinda meta of me but i realized the outfit lana wears on the alt cover is very scarlett o'hara. the off-the-shoulder dress, the 3-part necklace, the hair half tied up. i wonder if it was intentional..

here's 2 scarlett looks that are kinda similar

I think she wanted to look traditional like a country girl. I have also the first video snippet with the cowboy in my mind. It's not a country album, but the music also seems to be very traditionally oriented: piano ballads, mainly vocals, some guitar, trumpets and strings, not much beats. It's a rejection of modern music as currently found in the charts, an escape into the past.

[alittleparty 2,282]

Did I hallucinate a giant auditorium full of people singing along to Dealer at the top of their lungs or did that really happen?? 

[baddisease 17,955]

anyone who slanders Dealer needs to be banned.

[sjatib 5,175]

4 hours ago, alittleparty said:

Did I hallucinate a giant auditorium full of people singing along to Dealer at the top of their lungs or did that really happen?? 

There was a video going around, never knew where or when it was from though

[paradisetropico 7,984]

5 hours ago, alittleparty said:

Did I hallucinate a giant auditorium full of people singing along to Dealer at the top of their lungs or did that really happen?? 

it really happened, in Los Angeles, club90s/1720 does themed music club nights for different artists, they even gave out free light up flower crowns to the first 200 people for lana night. 

they do Britney nights, lana, gaga, dua, Beyonce, panic at the disco, all artists you could imagine 

[Alison by Slowdive 26,156]

On 12/23/2021 at 11:32 PM, Vertimus said:

I think we experience more of the genuine Lana on BB, the album, than on any other, with COCC being a close second. I believe it's this genuine Lana we'll continue to see on albums of original work, until she either feels she's exhausted it or until she feels like stepping into personas and roles again. 

not to get into the whole authenticity thing but stylised *personas* can be genuine as well

[paradisetropico 7,984]

I like to see her stream numbers on desktop Spotify for BB, it seems all the songs that she previously held back-are doing the best.... (DEALER, Living Legend, If You Lie Down With Me) black bathing suit the exception, & now sweet Carolina is adding steam due to tiktok and the iPhone 11 fuck you Kevin part , but I do wonder if it annoys her that the current songs (BB, Textbook, Arcadia) aren't doin as well.. (I love wildfire wildflower, its my favorite out of the current songs she did)

[Sugar Venom 9,658]

1 hour ago, paradisetropico said:

I like to see her stream numbers on desktop Spotify for BB, it seems all the songs that she previously held back-are doing the best.... (DEALER, Living Legend, If You Lie Down With Me) black bathing suit the exception, & now sweet Carolina is adding steam due to tiktok and the iPhone 11 fuck you Kevin part , but I do wonder if it annoys her that the current songs (BB, Textbook, Arcadia) aren't doin as well.. (I love wildfire wildflower, its my favorite out of the current songs she did)

I always wonder if she looks at which songs get the most streams/which ones have a cultural impact, and how it affects her?? Especially the ones she “waited” to release, like you said.. It must feel nice to be validated by them doing well, but I wonder how much it influences her next project, if it does at all. It’s not like she’s the type to try and keep up a trend if it brings her success, but I wonder if it encourages her to include a song that maybe she wasn’t too sure about. I didn’t even think that it might be frustrating to see your newer songs not faring as well.. I hope someone asks her about this subject in the future, it would be interesting to know how she feels 

[Vertimus 9,681]

14 hours ago, Alison by Slowdive said:

 

14 hours ago, Alison by Slowdive said:

not to get into the whole authenticity thing but stylised *personas* can be genuine as well

I agree, and it's a very difficult subject to put into words, especially with an artist like Lana, who has adopted so many personas and nom de plumes.

 

A "stylized persona" is like a mask the singer adopts for a specific song or album, or even for an entire career. There's also the matter of "speaking directly from the heart," as opposed to somewhat distancing one's self from a song's content via a persona. Lastly, I think there's the 'genuinely inspired song" as opposed to the song "concocted via the songwriting craft," though of course a song can be a mixture of the two. "Concocted songs" can be great. 

 

A good 'classic rock' example would be Stevie Nicks and her early songs with Fleetwood Mac, especially 'Landslide.' Her four early songs with FM (or five, if you count 'Silver Springs,' which was cut from 'Rumours' but appeared as a literal b-side) seemed to come straight from her heart, pure and raw, but as the years passed, her songs, both with FM and in her solo career, quickly became 'concoctions' until she became something of a parody of herself, and, to some in the press, a laughing stock. 

 

I see songs like 'Sweet Carolina,' the COCC title track, 'Yosemite,' and 'Violets For Roses,' among others, as coming straight and pure from Lana's heart and soul, with as little distancing as possible. I consider what the 'Lust For Life' title track ended up becoming a "concoction," and 'Groupie Love" as well.  

 

[lustforlife 19,008]

sweet caroline is starting to go viral on tiktok 

[Lovelana28 153]

On 11/23/2021 at 9:33 AM, Vertimus said:

 

Are you referring to the 'slowed with reverb' version? 

I think so. 

I'm surprised by how many different versions of her songs are out there. 

[Lavender Sunshine 4,250]

I can't believe Violets for roses is a real song. It's just so so good 

[Super Movie 51,874]

Listening to this album on vinyl makes it a million times better. It's so stunning and the transitions are so seamless and beautiful. The transition from Text Book to Blue Banisters was so perfect I didn't even notice it at first. From the horns on Arcadia and IYLDWM, to the yell-singing on BBS (don't even get me started on how perfect BBS is on vinyl) and Dealer, to the rich piano on Violets For Roses and Sweet Carolina - all of it is just pretty. Hearing Thunder, Living Legend, Nectar, and Cherry Blossom on vinyl was a pretty surreal experience as well

[Elle 123,009]

Another billboard ad spotted in Tulsa

[Dark Angel 203,680]

1 minute ago, Elle said:

Another billboard ad spotted in Tulsa

 

queen of oklahoma  

[the ocean 67,601]

i've been to oklahoma and i think this is a great addition to the landscape cause there's really nothing else going for it besides this billboard and whataburger

i'd love for her to film a video there though lmao

[Skuj 226]

On 12/19/2021 at 9:58 AM, lanasbottom said:

just read half a page in here and god pls some of y’all, ask santa for some taste and a hearing aid this christmas cause… 

 

This.

[Skuj 226]

On 12/21/2021 at 4:43 AM, moebius said:

2 months later I can confirm that this is a 6.5/10 - 7/10. Chemtrails outsold with consistency and lyrics but BB does have some interesting ventures sonically that I'd like her to explore more.
 

I want her Joni Mitchell era to finally arrive, and Chemtrails was the closest to that. But I also want something lush and melodic like NFR and UV ugh I can't wait for the next album.

 

Interesting. Because I believe I have mentioned that Joni Mitchell must be weeping to BB. 

[Skuj 226]

On 12/22/2021 at 5:35 AM, Vertimus said:

 

I consider it something of a novelty track, but at least it seems humorous, as DC Cooper pointed out here, and I miss Lana's early humor and light touch. I skip it a lot too. 

 

Fascinating. I think Dealer is depressing as fuck. (In a good way.)