Blue Banisters - Post-Release Discussion Thread + Poll

[Vertimus 9,673]

6 minutes ago, wilting daisy said:

i genuinely like bb and think its a great album. not her best, but also not her worst. all the songs are enjoyable and while its not sonically cohesive at times, it sticks to a clear theme and flows nicely. i feel like most people don't like it bc its probably her most stripped back and unpolished record plus people don't seem to like that she used leaked songs untouched (altho people would be angry if she reworked them too so theres no winning!) overall it kind of reminds me of carly simon's boys in the trees album. i think in a few years the fans will come around to this one just like they do for every other record of hers.

That’s well said. 

[Dark Angel 203,562]

31 minutes ago, taco truck said:

I’m an American Woman and BBS is my least favorite song by her and I think the concept is dumb, anytime Lana tries to prove she “doesn’t care about the critics” by writing a song about it I just roll my eyes lmao that’s why I can’t enjoy grandfather fully either

 

grandfather is nice sonically but the meaning of the song doesn't really make much sense... is it about missing a dead loved one and your relationship with said dead loved one and god? or is it a vague statement about proving the haters wrong?

 

it will be interesting to see how people talk about ocean boulevard after a while once the album has settled in or after a couple of other albums/releases, i think it's a major improvement from blue banisters but it's definitely not my favorite, it has some really strong points, candy necklace is already in my all-time top ten, but some of the songs were honest-to-god bad to me (fishtails...peppers...taco truck... when will people be over them? i am a hater!)

[TerrenceOnKilos 579]

3 minutes ago, margaret soty said:

even Lana herself doesn't like/care about Blue Banisters.  

taylor swift - evermore effect 

[Eugene 26,672]

1 minute ago, TerrenceOnKilos said:

taylor swift - evermore effect 

I'm not a Taylor Swift fan, but evermore is a masterpiece in her discography. Sorry, nothing to do with BB. 

[SoftwareUpgrade 19,357]

Just now, taco truck said:

I’m an American Woman and BBS is my least favorite song by her and I think the concept is dumb, anytime Lana tries to prove she “doesn’t care about the critics” by writing a song about it I just roll my eyes lmao that’s why I can’t enjoy grandfather fully either

 

I haven't streamed OB yet, but I'll have to keep that in mind for when I eventually do . I think she has some artistic insecurities, unsure why she felt the need to "clear the air" for questionable publications like "The Guardian", when it was clear the media had fun jumping on her, with the internet mob. Not that I dont think certain things she does are the best choices, but a lot of people (Twitter & IG Mobs) came to "school" Lana (virtually), didn't seem to be active fans. Then again, public actions and opinions are for anybody to blabber about when it's posted online . She could've taken the opportunity to make a "This is me" tracklist that was more catered to fans who happened to listen, reworking older pieces correctly. Then again, she states this was "for her", but fans usually don't like selfish artistic choices, especially if executed poorly/in a sloppy fashion. I enjoy COTCC as a "just doing me" album better.

[ivory almond 16,400]

46 minutes ago, taco truck said:

Please I will never understand this argument and it’s literally the only defense half of you have for this album sure maybe the topics are more interesting to people who care about lana’s life but the lyricism itself is really not that great? there are some cute moments but there are so many clunky lyrics and one’s that are just cheesy and bad (looking at you beautiful)… the best lyrics are the ones on the previous unreleased songs

 

also im not trying to mean to u @ivory almond you are allowed to love the album I just needed to speak my truth

no no, ik ur not being mean, but come on, just read these...
 

And then there was the issue of her
I didn't even like myself, or love the life I had
And there you were with shinin' stars standin' blue with open arms
You touched the detriment most of the friends I knew already had
 

People say we're too much alike
But maybe, finally, that'll make it right in the end
Of all these sleepless nights
Other men I met felt right
Would smile at you and stick a knife in your back
Finally, I met you, so I'm not wonderin' why

 

She said, "You can't be a muse and be happy, too
You can't blacken the pages with Russian poetry and be happy"
And that scared me
'Cause I met a man who
Said he'd come back every May
Just to help me if I'd paint
My banisters blue

 

There's a hole that's in my heart all my women try and heal
They're doin' a good job convincin' me that it's not real
It's heat lightning
'Cause there's a man that's in my past, there's a man that's still right here
He's real enough to touch and in my darkest nights
He's shinin'

 

In Arcadia, Arcadia
All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries
That get the blood flowing straight to the heart of me
America, I need a miracle
I can't sleep at home tonight, send me a Hilton Hotel
Or a cross on the hill, I'm a lost little girl
Findin' my way to ya

 

'Cause my body is my temple, my heart is one too
The only thing that still fits me is this black bathing suit
You don't know me any better than they do, baby
My time is run over, so the only time you'll ever see me
Is in your dreams in my black bathing suit

literally the entirety of thunder and violets for roses are lyrical masterpieces, can't argue, so i wont even bother pasting the lyrics

 

You say there's gaps to fill in, so here
Here's the deal
My father never stepped in
When his wife would rage at me
So I ended up awkward but sweet
Later than hospitals and still on my feet
Comfortably numb but with lithium came poetry
And baby I, I've been running on star drip
IV's for so long
I wouldn't know how cruel the world was

 

Pink slippers all on the floor and woven nets over the door
It's as close as we'll get to the dream that they had
In the one night sixties, and
Jason is out in the lawn
And he power-washes every time things go wrong
If you're stressed out, just know you can dance to your song
'Cause we got you
If you get the blues, baby blues
Just know this is your song
It'll live on and on way past me and you
If you get the blues, baby blues
You've got us, we've got you
So there's nothing to lose and we love you
So don't write me a letter, I'll always be right here
Closer to you than your next breath, my dear

and this is all from the new songs, not the youtube rips

the good outweighs the bad BY A TON

[taco truck 33,437]

2 minutes ago, Surf Noir said:

 

grandfather is nice sonically but the meaning of the song doesn't really make much sense... is it about missing a dead loved one and your relationship with said dead loved one and god? or is it a vague statement about proving the haters wrong?

 

it will be interesting to see how people talk about ocean boulevard after a while once the album has settled in or after a couple of other albums/releases, i think it's a major improvement from blue banisters but it's definitely not my favorite, it has some really strong points, candy necklace is already in my all-time top ten, but some of the songs were honest-to-god bad to me (fishtails...peppers...taco truck... when will people be over them, i am a hater!)

It’s both and that’s why it makes no sense also I agree I like ob a lot but it doesn’t come near my top 3 for me… like even if it was # 4 it would be like 

 

nfr>btd>honeymoon>>>>>ob

[mlittle11 12,234]

ive never seen an artist obsessively speak out against critics in their albums quite like lana does. she really does care even if shes trying to make it look like she doesnt. a lot of the time it looks cringey

[taco truck 33,437]

3 minutes ago, ivory almond said:

no no, ik ur not being mean, but come on, just read these...
 

And then there was the issue of her
I didn't even like myself, or love the life I had
And there you were with shinin' stars standin' blue with open arms
You touched the detriment most of the friends I knew already had
 

People say we're too much alike
But maybe, finally, that'll make it right in the end
Of all these sleepless nights
Other men I met felt right
Would smile at you and stick a knife in your back
Finally, I met you, so I'm not wonderin' why

 

She said, "You can't be a muse and be happy, too
You can't blacken the pages with Russian poetry and be happy"
And that scared me
'Cause I met a man who
Said he'd come back every May
Just to help me if I'd paint
My banisters blue

 

There's a hole that's in my heart all my women try and heal
They're doin' a good job convincin' me that it's not real
It's heat lightning
'Cause there's a man that's in my past, there's a man that's still right here
He's real enough to touch and in my darkest nights
He's shinin'

 

In Arcadia, Arcadia
All roads that lead to you as integral to me as arteries
That get the blood flowing straight to the heart of me
America, I need a miracle
I can't sleep at home tonight, send me a Hilton Hotel
Or a cross on the hill, I'm a lost little girl
Findin' my way to ya

 

'Cause my body is my temple, my heart is one too
The only thing that still fits me is this black bathing suit
You don't know me any better than they do, baby
My time is run over, so the only time you'll ever see me
Is in your dreams in my black bathing suit

literally the entirety of thunder and violets for roses are lyrical masterpieces, can't argue, so i wont even bother pasting the lyrics

 

You say there's gaps to fill in, so here
Here's the deal
My father never stepped in
When his wife would rage at me
So I ended up awkward but sweet
Later than hospitals and still on my feet
Comfortably numb but with lithium came poetry
And baby I, I've been running on star drip
IV's for so long
I wouldn't know how cruel the world was

 

Pink slippers all on the floor and woven nets over the door
It's as close as we'll get to the dream that they had
In the one night sixties, and
Jason is out in the lawn
And he power-washes every time things go wrong
If you're stressed out, just know you can dance to your song
'Cause we got you
If you get the blues, baby blues
Just know this is your song
It'll live on and on way past me and you
If you get the blues, baby blues
You've got us, we've got you
So there's nothing to lose and we love you
So don't write me a letter, I'll always be right here
Closer to you than your next breath, my dear

and this is all from the new songs, not the youtube rips

the good outweighs the bad BY A TON

The ones I bolded I think are like meh… and the other ones are good… like idk these are cute but don’t come close to 90% of the lyrics on nfr/btd/hm/uv

[That Venice Bitch 28,511]

I try not to hold back 

[SoftwareUpgrade 19,357]

1 minute ago, mlittle11 said:

ive never seen an artist obsessively speak out against critics in their albums quite like lana does. she really does care even if shes trying to make it look like she doesnt. a lot of the time it looks cringey

 

Guess thats just Lana, somebody sensitive towards their art, it can be a blessing and a curse in some instances with her, because when she's good, she's really good imo. (With certain producers to help along the way, obviously)

[wilting daisy 3,395]

9 minutes ago, mlittle11 said:

what do you think her worst is?

i don't personally think she has any bad albums but i might ranklust for life at the bottom bc some of the sentiments feel kind of forced like she was trying to force personal growth for the public's sake or maybe even (don't hate me) born to die bc the production is a little too much at times and kind of repetitive but i love both those albums still, but i do like blue banisters better than those two. but then blue banisters also has a sort of sisterhood/motherhood theme that i connect to very deeply so i realize i might be biased in how much i love this album.

[Mer 62,555]

I’m not a BB hater, but I rarely come back to the songs beyond Thunder and WFWF. And, no, it doesn’t have to do with the production—I just find the subject matter un-relatable to me, as a 20 something man. Which I found unusual for her, because she is so good at tapping into more “universal truths” and themes in her music, and has done so again on Ocean Blvd. I do understand its space in her discography and the importance it has, along with all others, in her journey as an artist. 
 

I’m not shitting on it because “omg she stopped making music for the gays”, she’s allowed to speak her truth in her music, I just don’t really have it on replay either. 

[longtimeman 9,013]

It's always interesting to revisit these threads and be reminded of how little I have in common with most fans.

[taco truck 33,437]

1 minute ago, wilting daisy said:

i don't personally think she has any bad albums but i might ranklust for life at the bottom bc some of the sentiments feel kind of forced like she was trying to force personal growth for the public's sake or maybe even (don't hate me) born to die bc the production is a little too much at times and kind of repetitive but i love both those albums still, but i do like blue banisters better than those two. but then blue banisters also has a sort of sisterhood/motherhood theme that i connect to very deeply so i realize i might be biased in how much i love this album.

Exactly what she did on Chemtrails/bb lol

[wilting daisy 3,395]

Just now, taco truck said:

Exactly what she did on Chemtrails/bb lol

i feel like neither of these albums are about personal growth but i guess its all in the eye of the beholder. i feel like both cotcc and bb are a lot more existential and are rooted much more in acceptance of self than trying to better herself.

[SoftwareUpgrade 19,357]

2 minutes ago, longtimeman said:

It's always interesting to revisit these threads and be reminded of how little I have in common with most fans.

 

What are your thoughts on this record? 

[Eugene 26,672]

My girl Chemtrails does not sit next to Blue Banisters, keep her out of this topic. 

[Dark Angel 203,562]

8 minutes ago, wilting daisy said:

i don't personally think she has any bad albums but i might ranklust for life at the bottom bc some of the sentiments feel kind of forced like she was trying to force personal growth for the public's sake or maybe even (don't hate me) born to die bc the production is a little too much at times and kind of repetitive but i love both those albums still, but i do like blue banisters better than those two. but then blue banisters also has a sort of sisterhood/motherhood theme that i connect to very deeply so i realize i might be biased in how much i love this album.

 

oh, no, she was definitely trying to do this, it's a shame that we're in a culture that seems to only focus on the perspective of a woman who is portrayed to be strong, independent, etc. and for many years a lot of people felt that lana was anti-feminist for expressing her experiences which didn't align with that image, she talked about her feelings and experiences artistically and evocatively, i'm glad that nowadays, she feels more comfortable with talking about dark subjects, troublesome emotions, and the feelings and experiences who made her who she is as a person, i just wish people would realize that a woman feeling a certain way about relationships or what it means for them to be a woman doesn't mean that they're acting in a way that is somehow anti-feminist or is detrimental

[TerrenceOnKilos 579]

some of the lyrics on this album are even better than some on Ocean Blvd. Some of the lines on Ocean Blvd feel like they were put in randomly¿. Like that white woman lyric in grandfather... and in other songs it also feels like a lot of her lines are randomly placed and Lana is just waiting for the audience to give it a great meaning. Ocean Blvd is a nice improvement from Blue banisters but I wish the lyrics would go back to being as deep (in the sense of analysis) as they used to be on the previous albums that NFR! I used to spend hours analysing UV and Honeymoon, now I just have to listen to the song to know what it's about....