If this era has cemented anything for Lana, it’s that she’s unequivocally one of the best lyricist in the history of music, ever. Her narrative has evolved from woe is me to woe is world peace, but retaining the essence and references that first made her iconic; and actually sharing them with this new era – dedicated to poets including Plath, Rockwell, Aarons.
Today she released “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but i have it”, a totally uncomplicated title full of fact, sass and unapologetic nature, produced by Jack Antonoff. Lyrics, I am personally grateful from “hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but i have it” are “I’ve been tearing around in my fucking nightgown, 24/7 Sylvia Plath” reminiscent of Lana’s video for High By The Beach where she’s literally tearing around in one of her maxi dresses / night gown. I also love “Hello, it’s the most famous woman you know on the iPad”, I mean we know Lana has been working with Apple lately, so this fits in really nicely and I hope she’s getting paid for it. The lyric “Shaking my ass is the only thing that’s, got this black narcissist off my back” generated some controversy this week as she referred to Kanye as a narcissist during their recent social media altercation, but hey, as long as it got the streams. Intent was unlikely to be anything malicious but this is also real AF and how pop sells now. My favourite, however, is ‘There’s a new revolution, a loud evolution that I saw. Born of confusion and quiet collusion of which mostly I’ve known”, woke activist Lana to the front please.
What I appreciate the most about “hope” and everything we have experienced from the Norman Fucking Rockwell era so far is how stripped back it all is. Piano and Lana, guitar and Lana. That’s all that’s needed and that’s why I think she’s cementing the iconography of her voice with this era. It’s working. Grateful.
Bring on the full album.
Norman Fucking Rockwell is the sixth studio album and fifth major-label studio album by Lana Del Rey, set for release on March 29th, 2019.