When Lana Del Rey broke out as a mainstream star, she was one of the most controversial and mysterious figures in the music industry. Unlike most artists of the 2010s, who posted their every thought across social media, Del Rey was this enigmatic figure who blended fiction with reality, glamour with tragedy, and sincerity with satire. Her performances deviated from the pop star productions of the era. She would decorate her beehive hairdos with flowers, wear vintage babydoll dresses, and puff Pall Mall cigarettes. Without backup dancers, she would sway in the spotlight with tears in her eyes while a large screen projected clips of movie stars and 1960s Americana imagery. Over the last decade, Del Rey has slowly been chipping away at this image, becoming more authentic with each body of work. On Blue Banisters, Del Rey’s eighth studio album and second release of the year, Del Rey shares pieces of herself like never before. She’s a little less Lana Del Rey and a little more Lizzie Grant.
In May, Del Rey dropped a trio of singles from Blue Banisters. Though not the strongest songs on the record, they offer some background on Del Rey’s family life and troubled youth. In “Wildflower Wildfire,” she admits, “My father never stepped in when his wife would rage at me.” In “Text Book,” she sings of staying with a romantic partner to fill the absence of her father, saying, “I was lookin’ for the father I wanted back.” With this context, earlier themes of Del Rey’s work become clarified. There is a basis for the tales of affairs with older men, toxic relationships, struggles with addiction, and obsession with beauty and worthiness. Though this startling vulnerability does not make up the entirety of Blue Banisters, other themes are explored as Del Rey slips between this newfound openness and the enigma of her past work. What made Del Rey such a fascinating artist in the earlier stages of her career was her ability to entice listeners into her world with alluring lyrics of controversial subjects. Now, this slow and subtle introduction of Del Rey’s family dynamics has added more complexity to her work.
Along with being her most open record, Blue Banisters is Del Rey’s most experimental. She plays with vocals and instrumentation in an innovative way. Del Rey’s vocals at the end of “Black Bathing Suit” are raw and layered on top of each other, calling back to pre-Born to Die work like “Smarty.” In “Dealer,” Del Rey unleashes close to a scream on the chorus, diverging from the smooth and deep croons that she made her name with. On “Living Legend,” Del Rey contorts her voice to sound like an electric guitar to repeatedly wail, “Why?” This variety in vocal modulations elevates Del Rey’s songwriting to deeper and more personal pieces of work, as they add layers of emotion to the lyrics and themes of her songs.
Interesting instrumentals of the album also showcase the lovable weirdness of Del Rey’s art. She samples Ennio Morricone’s spaghetti western score from The Good, The Bad & The Ugly and adds a trap beat on the epic “Interlude – The Trio.” Muted horns take over the outro of “If You Lie Down With Me,” incorporating a vintage sound while somehow still feeling modern. Del Rey also leans into moments of humor in her lyricism. Bound to be an iconic line of her career, she sings, “‘Crypto forever,’ screams your stupid boyfriend / F— you Kevin,” on “Sweet Carolina.” What has made Lana Del Rey stand out as a talented songwriter — her strangeness, her references, her innovation — is as present as ever in her work. Not only that, she shows growth and evolution with every release.
The second half of the album contains a stretch of songs that have been in existence since Del Rey’s early career. “Thunder,” “Nectar of the Gods,” “Living Legend” and “Cherry Blossom” have long been a part of Lana Del Rey lore for hard-core fans, especially after they were leaked online. Despite fans already knowing and loving these songs, Del Rey still decided to include them on Blue Banisters, and the album is stronger for it. While each song is from a noticeably different era of Del Rey’s career, this section of the album feels like a highlight reel of Del Rey’s best songwriting. It’s as if she’s been holding on to these songs until the time felt right, and is finally letting them be heard on her own terms.
Blue Banisters is yet another strong addition to Lana Del Rey’s discography. With every album she releases, her writing becomes more refined and her artistic vision becomes more captivating. With every body of work, Lana Del Rey solidifies herself as one of the most impactful modern day musicians.
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