Lust for Life-- Backstory Discussion

[Stargirl 13,348]

So, Lana's era is obviously structured in some sort of story or theme. It's a little messy, though. Sometimes she's on the moon, sometimes she's living in an apartment in the hollywood sign, sometimes she's a farmers daughter excited to drop her first Nashville-produced country album, sometimes she's in Yosemite. We will never know... or, at least, we'll know once the album drops or Lana releases more information. 

 

But.... what do you guys think the backstory is behind this album. Even if it turns out there isn't one, be creative. How do all these events and aesthetics link together? 

[LittleFool 1,912]

She's an omnipresent witch. Done.

[NamiraWilhelm 5,032]

Despite the impression we'd get from her discography she's a pretty happy person, I think this album will show more of Lana's contented happy side, as previously shown through songs like (aka version) Yayo, American, Lucky Ones etc. 

 

At least that's the feel I've had so far from Love and LFL, but 'tomorrow never came' sounds pretty dreary... I think she's pretty crap at sticking to her own themes, though. But for me, contented with life is the original thought.

[pawn shop blues 2,345]

This is something that is kind of concerning to me. Based on everything that's been released, it feels like we're getting something that is: 

 

-a socially conscious album that addresses some of the current concerns ("Love", Lana's own words about the album)

-an album that's a return to at least some of the BTD signature sound, but that also has an acoustic side (Lana's own words)

-a song with Stevie Nicks, which--since she enlisted Stevie specifically, will probably have some rock-ish vibes to it 

-at least one song that seems to be about viewing the past in a nostalgic, personal way (Tomorrow Never Came)

-elements of sci-fi (the Love MV and album trailer) 

-something that's both dark and kind of playful and hopeful (the album trailer, Lana's monologue)

-at least one song about having a wonderment for living (LFL) but that also features some (possible) darker elements and could potentially be viewed as the retelling of a famous suicide 

-something "fresh" (Lana's manager) 

-something that suggests a country/folk/70s songwriter throwback (the LFL album cover)

-an examination of inner clarity (Lana's own words, though admittedly from a long time ago and possibly no longer relevant) 

 

Combine all this together and it is a little hard to see where she is going with this. It feels like it would be very easy to start going off track. I'm not saying that can't, or hasn't, fused different styles together successfully (BTD is iconic in part for mixing different sounds in a way that felt fresh and modern), but doing that does run the risk of creating an album that isn't sure what it is trying to say. 

 

My two thoughts on this are that it might either be, as others have suggested here, a greatest hits type of album, sampling the sounds that are fan favorites from her discography (which I really hope isn't the case) and/or a loose concept album that goes in a similiar pattern as Tropico, starting with darker songs like BAR and moving on to concerns beyond fame and/or relationships, finding the light and lust in life, etc. 

 

I'm intrigued, but nervous about how it's going to come out.