By Kathryn Burress ’16, Contributor
You probably know her as the artist who sang “Young and Beautiful” in the 2013 version of The Greaty Gatsby, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t know any other song by her. Lana Del Rey released her fourth album Honeymoon on September 18th, 2015. The album features exotic sounds and talented vocals. There’s really no way to describe Lana’s style, so I’ll just break it down track by track.
The album opens with the title track, “Honeymoon”. Opening with strings, the song instantly transports you into an old film. Lana sings to her lover, hinting, not for the first time in her music, that he may be violent. The chorus is dream-like, repetitive and features layered vocals. From light high notes to the hum of low notes, Lana’s voice can sing it all and she shows it in this song. Towards the end of the song, she scats a bit, and the sound gets a bit jazzy. This is a beautiful song, drawing the listener into the album.
Favorite Lyric: “There are violets in your eyes/ There are guns that blaze around you.”
Next up, “Music to Watch Boys To”. This track has a more upbeat chorus. Lana’s exotic sound first appears in this song. This song brings out the flirtatious and boy-crazy side of Lana. Typical of Lana, there’s a touch of desperation in her words, as in “what would even be the point of loving someone if you could survive without them?” This track is a Lana cliché; the album would not be complete without it.
Favorite Lyric: “Nothing gold can stay/ Like love or lemonade/ Or sun or summer days/ It’s all a game to me anyway.”
“Terrence Loves You” is a slow-paced song, where Lana sings of losing a lover. Backed by mainly piano and strings, the focus is again on Lana’s voice. The opening sounds like it might just be an adoring tribute, but by the chorus the drama of not being able to survive without a lover is back, revealing the vulnerable side of Lana as she copes with the change of a breakup. It is, again, very Lana.
Favorite Lyric: “I lost myself and I lost you too/ And I still get trashed, baby, when I hear your tunes.”
One of my favorites from the album is “God Knows I Tried”. This song is perfect to throw on in the car and sway back and forth to. It is Lana reflecting on her past, in a sort of “who cares” kind of way.
Favorite Lyric: “On Monday they destroyed me/ But by Friday I’m revived.”
Accompanied by a music video, one of the singles from the album is “High By The Beach”. Marked as explicit, the lyrics to this song leave nothing to the imagination, in Lana’s usual blunt manner. The chorus is backed by an electronic beat, reminiscent of a rap album. This is another good one to jam out to.
Favorite Lyric: “Loving you is hard, being here is harder.”
The next song, “Freak” is a seductive invitation from Lana. The song parallels “Gods and Monsters”, from Lana’s Paradise album, with an intense, bass heavy chorus, and suggestive lyrics. There is no question what Lana wants in this song.
Favorite Lyric: “Baby, if you wanna leave/ Come to California/ Be a freak like me, too.”
Once again utilizing electronic sounds, “Art Deco” is another song about a love interest. The lyrics hint at the glamorous, party-filled life of Hollywood. There is admiration in Lana’s repetitive words, and even though the song is relatively slow, the march-like drums keep the song interesting.
Favorite Lyric: “We were born to be free.”
In between “Art Deco” and “Religion” is the interlude “Burnt Norton”, where Lana reads the T.S. Eliot poem layered over some music. I really have no clue what she’s talking about, but it sounds cool. It’s very Lana, the metaphysics student.
Favorite “Lyric”: “All time is unredeemable.”
“Religion” brings out the true obsessive side of Lana in love. It is the happy counterpart to “Terrence Loves You”, either showing the before or after of the breakup when Lana is head over heels and in love.
Favorite: “For you, there’s only love.”
Opening with an exotic instrumental, I would compare “Salvatore” to “Florida Kilos” because of the somewhat mindless chorus. The lyrics are happy, singing of a paradise and a lover. It feels somewhat dreamy, like you’re floating a bit.
Favorite Lyric: “Summer’s hot but I’ve been cold without you.”
With the next track, “The Blackest Day”, Lana goes back to being sad over a love lost. Once again, Lana seems unable to carry on. This track is much more drum heavy than “Terrence Loves You”, and has a quicker pace in the chorus. It feels more intense, exploring a different range of emotions.
Favorite Lyric: “Carry me home, don’t wanna talk about the things to come.”
“24” is a song about mistrust and betrayal. Lana sings about how her lover lies to her, yet shows no interest of leaving him. I guess if you’re Lana you can love people so intensely you can overlook their flaws enough to stay with them, but continue to write a song and complain about it.
Favorite Lyric: “If you lie down with dogs, then you’ll get fleas/ Be careful of the company you keep.”
In “Swan Song”, Lana sings about freedom. In many interviews, in her songs, and even at her concerts, Lana hints that she may be overwhelmed by the fame that accompanied her success. This track suggests that Lana would be okay ending her career and just living with her love, but it is unclear if that will be after this album or not.
Favorite Lyric: “Let’s just get lost, that’s what we want.”
It wouldn’t be a Lana album without a cover, this time it’s “Don’t Let Me be Misunderstood”, originally by Nina Simone. I can never tell which song is Lana’s cover until I look up the album, because she picks songs with lyrics that are so “her.” It sounds like she actually wrote them. This song is no exception, singing about the multiple layers of her personality. I’m biased, but I think Lana’s voice and the instrumental backing make for a good cover.
Favorite Lyric: “And then sometimes, again, it seems that all I have is worry/ And then you’re bound to see my other side.”
Overall, I would give this album a 7.5/10. I think the album could have used a little more variety in tempo, but Lana does what she wants. It’s not my favorite of hers, but the songs are still stuck in my head all the time. Next time you’re in the mood for something a little tamer than Fetty Wap, I suggest giving Honeymoon a listen. It is artistic and unique, which has come to be the expectation of Lana.
