Chemtrails Over the Country Club

I really love Lana Del Rey's earlier albums, so it's such a shame not to have the chance to properly review them as part of this process. Her debut album in particular is superb, including the EP that goes along with it. There's so many big songs in there, and lots of different producers bringing different vibes to the table, while still keeping it a consistent whole. I started to fall out of love a little bit after so many albums, as they veered away from what I thought was more varied, interesting music, into more one-note 'sad jazz singer' territory only. Whenever I see a new LDR track drop, I strongly suspect it to be along those lines, and it almost always is, much to my disappointment.

Which brings us to this album..

Right off the bat with the first tracks it's clear that the above holds. It feels way more one-note, with her floaty, whispery vocals not really changing all that much, or the feeling of the songs really changing that much at all. I still like her vibe, and if I didn't have this comparison I'm sure I would be way more up on this. There's definitely moments where the music is quite affecting and her talent shines through. Despite what I said, I do like the sad singer vibe, it's just that I feel like so much of this has been well-trodden by her before, and too much of the album passes by without grabbing the attention as much as it should.

Parts of it are very good, and there ARE some different sounding tracks in there, but overall I have to mark it down. We're talking 3.5 rounded down, so still a recommendation overall I guess. But it's not an album I'll revisit very often, if at all.

The best thing about this was having the opportunity here to say that I think Born to Die and Ultraviolence are both stunning, 5 star records.

This is the first Lana Del Rey album I have listened to, fitting before her headline performance at Coachella this weekend. On the surface, this is weirdly new to appear on this “1001 albums to listen to” list given that it's barely three years old. Then you look around and find that it was added to the 2021 edition of the list within months of release. All this to say that it might have been a presumptuous addition because this sounds to me like it does not need to be listened to before you die.

Sure, there is some merit here with it being a baroque pop album that sounds aesthetically pleasing; a song like "Dark But Just a Game" is a good example of this style. But this album rarely leaves much of an impression, as Lana's wistful cooing and lyrical clunkiness don't work well, combined with Jack Antonoff's sheen pop production that does not mesh well here.

There are times when the lyrical themes conflict with each other. I can't imagine Lana is "Wild at Heart" and wanderlust while embracing traditional ideals like standing by your man on "Let Me Love You Like a Woman".

What surprised me was that this album ends with a cover of Joni Mitchell's "For Free" where Weyes Blood takes the final verse. Given her rich vocal timbre, it's as if she steals the show from Lana right at the end, which was probably not intended. Perhaps it could have been a ceremonial passing of the torch, but that wouldn't work because Lana followed up with another album the same year this dropped.

I have to assume there's a better Lana album out there because this was not a good first impression. It's certainly not a must-hear.

lana is the modern standard bearer of what i often refer to, somewhar derisively, as "weepy music." like, it's fine, but it is extremely not for me, and i have a hard time imagining anybody not critically depressed wanting to listen to this front to back on any kind of regular basis

also tolkien should get a songwriting credit on "not all who wander are lost"

I don't get the Lana Del Rey vibe, naver have. This is just a whine/drone/white noise generator for people who think they like the 1950s style idea of America that never was. Anthems for day wine drinking bored housewives who can't manage the cadence for the anti-melodic lyrics like "Down at the Men in Music Business Conference"

I only mention it 'cause it was such a scene.

For whatever reason I’ve never really dove into the world of Lana Del Rey until this forced me to do it. Did I have a premonition that it was boring? Was the hype too much? I don’t actually know.

The fact is I finally listened to Chemtrails Over the Country Club now. And if you have an appointment with me in the next week I would like to apologize in advance, as I am busying digging through the rest of her discography.

What an absolutely stunning record. I already had goosebumps from her vocal performance on “White Dress” and it just never let go from there.

Also; Jack Antonoff is a huge part of this so of course it was foolish of me to doubt it all.

I feel very stupid now. But also glad.
Thank you, Lana.

This album is good background music, but nothing spectacular. Very minimilist musical accompaniment.

Favourite songs: Breaking Up Slowly, Tulsa Jesus Freak, Let Me Love You Like a Woman, Wild at Heart, Not All Who Wander are Lost

Least favourite songs: White Dress, Yosemite

3/5

Like being haunted by a low energy ghost.

Picked up a lot more on this listen than before - NFR is still her best but this is fantastic. We'll look back in 20 years at LDR's body of work and feel lucky we had her

I listen to this album day it came out, hadn’t felt the need to listen to it again until now, it’s not a bad album but LDR has better, don’t think this one should be on the list.

So Lana Del Rey is actually pretty good now?

(Precursor, Jan 11) I've enjoyed Ultraviolence & Lust for Life enough to call myself a Lana Del Rey fan, but I haven't really touched this one. Will listen tomorrow, but not before putting on some Norman Fucking Rockwell

HL: "White Dress", "Wild at Heart", "Not All Those Who Wander", "Yosemite", "For Free"

Okay, well the parallels to how recent albums Folklore & Evermore (Swift), and Solar Power (Lorde) sound are there, thanks to Bleachers Antonoff. I think the folksy, organic sound suits Del Rey just fine, though it is a little funny the editors included this along with Evermore instead of Rockwell & Folklore.
It doesn't sprawl in length like her past releases Rockwell & Lust for Life. It's got an unexpected Weyes Blood at the end (I just listened to And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow two days ago). The title track is her throwing a bone to those preferring her earlier music, even though Chemtrails isn't so much a radical redesign as a palette swap.
Trying to assess this album in a vacuum, ignoring her other releases, it's a pretty strong, piano-driven pop record, & the dips into Laurel Canyon folk are welcome.
There's a moment in Dance Till We Die that reminds me of maybe the best Antonoff collab album, "Daddy's Home" by St. Vincent. But she's already in the book, and I'm glad Lana Del Rey has some representation at least.

Los Angeles Through The Looking Glass

I casually enjoy LDR but hadn't listened to this one yet. It's pretty solid. I still think that adding an album to this list a year after release is ridiculous though. It's simply too soon to call it an album you MUST hear before you die. Viewing it through that lens is less favorable unfortunately.