If married couple Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez know how to do anything, it is delivering powerful and memorable melodies and lyrics that stick with you and that help their accompanying movies leave a lasting cultural impact. We saw it in 2013 with Frozen (most notably with "Let It Go"), in 2017 with Coco (most notably with "Remember Me"), and now again with Frozen II. The Frozen II soundtrack at its base features seven new songs as well as a reprise of "Reindeer(s) Are Better than People" from the first Frozen movie, and the new music does not disappoint. It is very difficult for me to choose between Frozen and Frozen II because both are so great in different ways, but if I absolutely had to chose between the two, I would probably choose Frozen II, and its songs are a huge part of the reason why. I find Frozen II to be a bit darker and a bit more emotional, and its songs absolutely help convey why I feel that way. Don't get me wrong - nothing on the Frozen II soundtrack really matches the sheer and raw power of "Let It Go," but it definitely does come close, and I love "Let It Go" as much as I do not only because of its powerful melody but also because I strongly relate(d) to its lyrics; I found it so self-empowering especially after my very difficult (even that is putting it mildly) breakup in 2014. The Frozen II soundtrack opens with a hauntingly beautiful lullaby titled "All Is Found" which is sung by Evan Rachel Wood, who lends her voice for the role of Iduna, Elsa's and Anna's mother. In the movie, we see Iduna sing the lullaby to the girls when they are children to help them go to sleep, and the slow and peaceful song features lyrics that are comforting ("sleep, my darling, safe and sound, for in this river, all is found") but also somewhat foreboding ("dive down deep into her sound but not too far or you'll be drowned"). The song is referring to Ahtohallan, the legendary river in the movie that is said to be able to provide answers regarding the past. The song makes for a fitting opening to the movie because it sets the stage; those who have seen Frozen II know that Ahtohallan ends up playing a pretty large role in the plot.
We then almost jarringly get "Some Things Never Change," and I say jarringly because it's so different from "All Is Found" in just about every way. It's light, fun, and upbeat, featuring piano and what sounds like banjo, and it's an ensemble song that sounds a lot like a Broadway number, whereas "All Is Found" sounds like a lullaby. In the movie, the song starts because Olaf (voiced by Jonathan Groff) expresses concern to Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) that too many things are changing around him, so the song is about how seasons may change and time may pass but how their family's feelings for each other won't change. It's one of the catchiest songs on the soundtrack without a doubt, and something that I didn't notice until after seeing the movie twice is that there is a very poignant piece of foreshadowing in the lyrics when Anna sings, "Like an old stone wall that'll never fall, some things are always true." (Those who have seen the movie should know exactly what I mean.) There is also a small part of the melody that reminds me of "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from the first Frozen movie. There is a part in the song's chorus, such as when Anna sings that "some things are always true," that reminds me a lot of a part of "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" such as when young Anna sings that "I wish you would tell me why." The third song on the soundtrack and in the movie is "Into the Unknown." In some ways (perhaps because it seems to be the song that got the most promotion), I think of this as the "Let It Go" of Frozen II, even though there are really two Elsa solos in Frozen II (the second of which I will discuss in a bit). I love the verses of "Into the Unknown" because Elsa (voiced, of course, by the ridiculously talented ̶A̶d̶e̶l̶e̶ ̶D̶a̶z̶e̶e̶m̶ Idina Menzel) is sort of half talking and half singing, and you're really being let inside of her innermost thoughts through the lyrics (which is something that the Lopezes seem to know how to do very well since the first Frozen movie did the same thing especially with "For the First Time in Forever"). The song is accompanied by piano, strings, and the haunting siren call heard throughout the movie (which is sung by Norwegian singer AURORA). This is another earworm. If this chorus doesn't get stuck in your head, then there is something very wrong with you.
"When Am I Older" is Olaf's solo song, and it is sort of the "In Summer" of Frozen II in a lot of ways. It has a similar musical style, sounding a lot like an old Broadway show-tune from the 1950s, and it is also similarly ironic as it showcases Olaf's youthful naivety. In "In Summer," Olaf sings of all of the activities - such as sunbathing - in which he can't wait to partake in the summertime, unaware that, as a snowman, doing such things will lead to him melting. In "When I Am Older," he sings of looking forward to getting older and maturing so that everything will make sense and be simpler, once again unaware that that isn't really how it works. Getting older means gaining wisdom, yes, but it also means trading innocence for that wisdom, so things don't get simpler; they usually become more complicated. Frozen II then gives us a very short reprise (only twenty-six seconds in length) of "Reindeer(s) Are Better than People" from the first Frozen movie, but I honestly think of it as an introduction to "Lost in the Woods," which is without a doubt one of my favorite songs from the movie. Something that I have always appreciated about Frozen (and I think that it's showcased even more in Frozen II) is the Lopezes' ability to mesh so many different styles of music together into one movie and make that work. "All Is Found" sounds like a lullaby; "Some Things Never Change" sounds like a Broadway ensemble in the style of Rent; "When I Am Older" sounds like a show-tune from the '50s. "Lost in the Woods" sounds like an '80s rock ballad (complete with wailing electric guitars), reminding me a great deal of Chicago's hit song "You're the Inspiration." In the movie, Kristoff (voiced by Jonathan Groff) sings it alone in the woods after Anna leaves him so that she can go after Elsa. Feeling forlorn because of failed attempts to propose to Anna, he wonders if she is drifting away from him, and the lyrics and the melody honestly choke me up because of how authentic and raw that the emotion is. I read that Josh Gad regards it as the funniest song that has ever been in a Disney movie, but I don't see it as funny at all. Is it a bit melodramatic? Is Kristoff perhaps overreacting? Perhaps, but that doesn't mean that his emotions aren't real, and it's also refreshing to see a guy pining after a girl in a Disney movie because it's quite often the other way around.
"Show Yourself" is the second aforementioned solo belted out by Elsa, and this one definitely grew on me. I wasn't crazy for it at first because there is a slow buildup (although that slow buildup is accompanied by a beautiful piano melody), but it's 100% worth it once that buildup reaches its climax, bringing Evan Rachel Wood back into the fold with a reprise of "All Is Found," and "Show Yourself" is now possibly my favorite Frozen II song. I don't want to say too much, if anything, about what is happening in the movie as Elsa sings this song or what specific lyrics honestly bring me to tears because I don't want to spoil the movie for those who haven't yet seen it, but what I will say is that we hear this song during a very emotional and impactful moment for Elsa; I would even go as far as to say that this is the climax of the movie. I wish that I could say more, but I don't think that it's fair for a review of the movie's soundtrack to spoil major plot points of the movie, which is also why I unfortunately can't say much about the next and final song, "The Next Right Thing" (sung by Anna). This song is sung during a very poignant (and heartbreaking) scene, a scene that shows us just how strong Anna really is. This is another one in which we are essentially hearing the character's deepest thoughts, and like "Show Yourself," there is a slow buildup. The chorus is, however, very beautiful, and I am reminded a great deal of the first half of the song "Caves" by Jack's Mannequin. (That's kind of random, I know, but that's what I am reminded of.) The next three songs on the standard version of the soundtrack are popular artists covering songs from the movie. Panic! at the Disco takes on "Into the Unknown" in a much peppier and upbeat style, and I definitely prefer Menzel's version, no questions asked. I don't hate Panic!'s version by any means, but it is just a little too... much compared to the movie version. Secondly, Kacey Musgraves covers "All Is Found," giving it more of an indie folk touch. Finally, Weezer handles "Lost in the Woods" without changing it too much, and it's hard for me to choose which version that I prefer because Rivers Cuomo does such a great job of making the song his own while also channeling Jonathan Groff, and both versions retain the same emotion.
The deluxe version of the soundtrack features outtakes, instrumentals, and the score. The outtake begins with a version of Evan Rachel Wood singing "All Is Found" with her vocals re-recorded and the instrumentation changed a bit, giving the song a rawer and more stripped back sound. "Home" is a song that Anna was supposed to sing near the beginning of the movie. It's a beautiful song accompanied by whistling, violin, and what sounds like banjo. I wish that it hadn't been cut, but at least the song was released. "I Seek the Truth" is a duet between Elsa (voiced here by Kristen Anderson-Lopez) and Anna (voiced here by Patti Murin, who is reprising her role from the Frozen Broadway musical). The song is accompanied entirely by piano, but I get the feeling that it would have been grander in sound had it made it past this early stage. (The fact that it isn't Menzel and Bell singing the parts tells me that it's a very early demo.) The song is about Elsa wanting to find the truth about the origin of her powers, while Anna fears Elsa shutting her out again. "Unmeltable Me" is an Olaf song sung by Josh Gad, accompanied by what sounds like harpsichord. I can see why it was cut because it's Olaf singing about how he no longer has to worry about melting, so it would have done nothing to further the story, but it does sort of answer a question that I had when Olaf sings that "perhaps, you may recall I once needed my own flurry." At the very end of the first Frozen movie, Elsa creates a small flurry over Olaf's head so that he wouldn't melt even in warm weather, and to the best of my memory (although I could be wrong as it has been a while since I have watched them), neither Frozen Fever nor Olaf's Frozen Adventure explain why he no longer seems to need it. Anna, near the beginning of Frozen II, asks Olaf if he is enjoying his new permafrost, but again, I don't recall his ever having been given it. I guess that it somehow happened off-screen. "Get This Right" is a fun and playful duet between Groff and Bell (Kristoff and Anna), and I am honestly glad that it was swapped with "Lost in the Woods" because "Lost in the Woods" conveys similar emotions in a much more impactful way. The Frozen II soundtrack is just so wonderful, and I love how so much of it is driven by piano and, as I said, conveys the emotions of the movie so brilliantly. Bravo to the Lopezes once again!
Eight years ago in 2011, I downloaded a fanmade mixtape for the iconic sci-fi television series The X-Files, a mixtape which happened to included "I Am Not a Robot" by the then named Marina and the Diamonds. Although I never felt like the song was a good fit for The X-Files, I instantly fell in love with the song and could not stop listening to it. I eventually listened to the rest of her debut album The Family Jewels (the only one that had been out at the time), and even though "I Am Not a Robot" remained my favorite (and still probably is eight years and three more albums later), I loved songs like "Hollywood," "Oh No!," "Girls," "Are You Satisfied?," "and so forth. I loved Marina's playful energy and her sound which incorporated elements of cheerleader pop, indie rock, and new wave. Her lyrics were cynical, honest, intelligent, and relatable, and it did not take long for her to become one of my favorite musicians of all time, especially after her sophomore album Electra Heart helped me through a very difficult experience back in the summer of 2012. It became a dream of mine to see her live in concert, and I finally made that dream a reality last month. I traveled by train down to New York City (I live in central New York State, so the City is a bit of a trip) and stayed with a friend who also attended the concert with me, and I couldn't be any more grateful that I had the opportunity to finally cross this off my bucket list. The venue was outdoors in Central Park, and Marina even tweeted how magical it was to perform outside near the trees, and I definitely agree that it made for an even more special night since I rarely go to shows that are outside. My friend and I arrived at the rather small venue (which definitely made for a pretty intimate show) at around 6:45 or so when the show was supposed to start at 7. I had wanted to get there as early as possible to get as close to the stage as possible since it was general admission, but we had trouble finding the venue because Central Park is pretty large, and GPS was not being very helpful. Surprisingly, however, the first opener LPX (Lizzy Plapinger) was already playing, and we still got pretty close to the stage. (The fact that I ended up being as close to Marina as I was made the night even more magical.) When LPX wrapped up her set, Daya soon after came on, and although I hadn't thought that I was familiar with her, I realized during her set that I knew her songs "Hide Away" and "Don't Let Me Down" (with the Chainsmokers). Nearly the entire crowd, in fact, was enthusiastically signing along to "Don't Let Me Down."
Once Daya wrapped up her set (neither LPX's set nor Daya's set was very long; I think that LPX's set was only six or seven songs, and Daya's set was only eight or so songs), we waited a while for Marina, but I have been to shows at which I waited a lot longer, so it was definitely a bearable wait. (Besides, I had waited years to see her, so this was nothing in comparison.) Once Diamandis did come out on stage, however, opening with "Handmade Heaven" (the lead single from her fourth studio album LOVE + FEAR), my heart was skipping beats, and I got emotional several times throughout the show, in surreal disbelief that this woman I had admired (and, of course, still do admire) for so long, whose music had changed my life, was practically right in front of me. I especially got emotional and started crying after her third number "Primadonna" because it was the first song from her second album Electra Heart that she played, and as I mentioned, that album is very special to me because it really helped me through a lot. That was when it really hit me what I was experiencing, and when I broke out into tears, my friend gave me a hug. Another number that had me really emotional - that felt almost like a spiritual experience in fact - was "I Am Not a Robot" because, as mentioned previously, that was the first song that I had ever heard of hers, so it felt like such a personal treat to see and hear her perform it live. Something else that lent to that aforementioned feeling of the concert feeling nearly like a spiritual experience is the fact that nearly everyone in the crowd seemed to feel similarly; you could just feel the emotional energy permeating through the crowd. Nearly the whole crowd passionately and enthusiastically sang along to nearly every song (with very few exceptions) as if nearly every song were a well known hit, and it's rare that I ever see and feel that kind of energy at a show. After performing a very stripped back and raw version of her Electra Heart song "Teen Idle" on the piano, for example, I overheard someone near me in the crowd say something to the effect of, "We don't deserve this. We don't deserve her." I couldn't have agreed more. The "Teen Idle" number was also memorable because she was singing it slower than she does on the album version and inserting longer pauses in between lines, so the crowd kept coming in too soon as we sang along, and you could see her smiling and trying not to laugh. That's something that I have always loved about Marina - her adorable and charismatic personality; she frequently engaged with the crowd by smiling at us, waving at us, and so forth, and she has always been very human and authentic. Even when she used a fictional persona on Electra Heart, it still felt authentic.
Another example of Marina's adorable and charismatic personality shining in this show is when she let out a small giggle while singing a particular line of her song "No More Suckers" from LOVE + FEAR. I found this to be a special moment because I have always found the line to be silly and out of place for Marina (as it just doesn't sound like something that she would write, which she, funnily enough, revealed on Instagram once that she did not; co-writer of the song Alex Hope did). The line is in the song's second verse and goes, "When you stay over, you eat all of my food; yeah, you mess up all my towels, but this time, I'm checkin' out." Marina chuckled, and so did a lot of people in the crowd, and it just felt like Marina acknowledging that yes, it's a silly line. As I said, she has always been so human, so authentic, and this was just another example of that. Other highlights of the show included (but are definitely not limited to) "To Be Human" (which is my favorite song from LOVE + FEAR), "Believe in Love" (during which two of her dancers engaged in a romantic ballet-like dance that was so beautiful to watch), "Bubblegum Bitch" (one of my favorite songs from Electra Heart and a song that I had not expected her to perform), "I'm Not Hungry Anymore" (a cut outtake from her third album FROOT, the inclusion of which was 100% fan service), "End of the Earth" (a deeply emotional and synth-infused record from LOVE + FEAR that is probably my second favorite song from the album), and "How to Be a Heartbreaker" (which is probably her biggest and most well known hit - Glee even covered it - so it made total sense for it to be included). "End of the Earth" and "How to Be a Heartbreaker" both served as encores following "Baby," and the funny thing is that since most shows that I have attended have only included one song as an encore, I expected "End of the Earth" to be the only song that we were going to get as an encore once she started performing it, and I hadn't even been thinking of "How to Be a Heartbreaker." Once she started "How to Be a Heartbreaker," however, I thought, Oh, duh. Of course. She's not going to not do this song. How could I have forgotten about this? I was overall very pleased with the set list. When I saw Madonna a few years ago in Brooklyn, the friend with whom I went and I each came up with a dream set list - what we would have loved for her to play during the show - and although I did not do that for this show, what I actually got would have been pretty close to what my dream set list would have looked like. The actual set list was as follows:
- Handmade Heaven [from LOVE]
- Hollywood [from The Family Jewels]
- Primadonna [from Electra Heart]
- Enjoy Your Life [from LOVE]
- I Am Not a Robot [from The Family Jewels]
- To Be Human [from LOVE]
- Superstar [from LOVE]
- Froot [from FROOT]
- Orange Trees [from LOVE]
- Teen Idle [from Electra Heart]
- Believe in Love [from FEAR]
- Bubblegum Bitch [from Electra Heart]
- Emotional Machine [from FEAR]
- No More Suckers [from FEAR]
- I'm Not Hungry Anymore [outtake from FROOT]
- Karma [from FEAR]
- Blue [from FROOT]
- Baby [from LOVE]
- End of the Earth [from LOVE]
- How to Be a Heartbreaker [from Electra Heart]
The only thing that I would have liked to have been different about the set list is for her to have performed "Forget" from FROOT. Not only is it my favorite song from FROOT, I also consider it to be one of her signature songs. It's so emotionally powerful and represents that album so well. Overall, however, I am so pleased with the set list that it's almost as if it were tailored for me. "I'm Not Hungry Anymore" (which, like "Teen Idle," she played stripped back as a softer and slower piano rendition) is one of my favorite MARINA songs of all time, and out of all of the unreleased songs that she could have chosen to play on this tour, that's the one that she chose. I was also pleasantly surprised that she performed twenty songs. I have been to a lot of shows at which the main act only performed 12-15 songs, so twenty songs was such a blessing. Several of the older songs that she performed were not released as singles but are fan favorites, proving that Marina knows her fans and tries to treat us to what she thinks that we want. Aside from "Forget" being left out, I really only have two other complaints about the show, but neither complaint is serious enough to have really taken much away. The first is that I don't like how they set up the stage. Marina started the show off on a raised platform to which a small set of stairs led, and it was sometimes difficult to see her because there were big black lights on each side of the stage that blocked your view if you were more at a side of the crowd (which I was). She fortunately did not stay on that platform. She did quite a bit of moving around and only returned to the platform on occasion, but it was still an inconvenience that I wish they would have anticipated. Secondly, Marina first wore a silvery short gown that stopped above her knees and then wore a sleeveless shirt with a dog print on it and a short pink skirt. (The latter is pictured below, which is the best photo that I managed to get of her.) She announced on Twitter that the show would be very theatrical and epic, so I guess that I was expecting more costume changes and not just two outfits, but it was still pretty theatrical, especially during numbers like "To Be Human" and "Believe in Love." I do, however, definitely have to commend the sound quality of the show because I have been to many shows at which the sound quality was atrocious, but that was not the case here, and as I keep stressing, this was such a magical night that I feel so blessed to have been able to experience. I even got to briefly meet LPX afterwards, and considering the fact that she is a co-owner of Neon Gold and is therefore partially responsible for helping Marina make it, that was a pretty neat honor.
Marina Diamandis (who previously went by the stage name Marina and the Diamonds and now simply goes by MARINA) released her fourth studio album LOVE + FEAR, a double album featuring eight songs that encompass love as an emotion and eight songs that encompass fear as an emotion, earlier this year. (I reviewed the album as two separate albums here and here.) More than a week ago, she released a companion EP to it which includes five acoustic interpretations of songs from the album - "True," "Superstar," "Karma," "No More Suckers," and "Orange Trees." It is worth noting that the cover of the EP is likely meant to
symbolize the songs featured respectively. This especially makes sense
given that blue has pretty much always been associated with "Superstar,"
and orange would be the obvious choice for "Orange Trees," and Marina
is no stranger to associating songs with colors because she did almost
the same thing with her Froot of the Month campaign several years ago. I am overall pretty happy with the songs that were chosen because three of them ("Superstar," "Karma," and "Orange Trees") are singles so are therefore obvious choices, although I would have loved to have heard "Believe in Love" acoustic and would have taken that over "True," especially as an opening track. I don't know how I feel about the EP opening with this rendition of "True" because (a) it isn't really one of my favorite LOVE + FEAR tracks (and she didn't even do it live when I saw her in concert recently) and (b) it kind of seems to abruptly and jarringly begin on Marina's vocals with no introduction (which is a way that it differs from the album version as the album version does begin with an instrumental introduction). Marina sings the song (which, on the album, is a very upbeat and poppy song) in a softer and more delicate tone, making the song a bit more emotional and vulnerable. The EP then gives us an acoustic version of "Superstar." The opening of the song is louder and much more pronounced and sounds like it might be played on an acoustic guitar with a high and tinny register (I am not sure precisely what kind of guitar that it is). The song prominently features piano and the aforementioned string instrument being gently plucked, with Marina's porcelain and fragile vocals not sounding too different from the album version. I prefer the album version as this one simply doesn't have the same power behind it, but it's also nice to hear Marina sing about emotional vulnerability in a more emotionally vulnerable way.
We then get "Karma," which, given its ambient introduction added to the beginning of the song (which is not heard on the album version), probably would have worked better as the EP's first track. I actually prefer this acoustic version of the song to the album version. I hear what sounds like a xylophone and, once again, the gently strumming guitar, and I just think that this version is a lot rawer but also more theatrical than the album version. I also like the aforementioned introduction that was added to the song as well as the similar outro. "No More Suckers" is one of the more surprising choices on the EP because it is one of the most playful and upbeat songs on LOVE + FEAR; it is therefore the song that probably deviates the most from its album version counterpart. Marina even sings the chorus in a much lower register than she does on the album version. It sounds like the xylophone from "Karma" might have been carried over here, and I also hear what sounds like maracas and/or tambourines being used for percussion. Although I prefer the more playful nature of the album version as well as the chorus being sung in a higher register on the album version, I definitely find this version to be an interesting and pleasurable take on it. The EP closes with an acoustic version of "Orange Trees," and I have to admit that I don't really like the decision to close on this song because the song's tone and structure don't really make it sound like a closing number, but I also can't be too critical of that because this is just an acoustic EP, not an album, and the order of the tracklisting therefore doesn't matter as much. There are aspects of this version of the song that I prefer to the album version; for example, the heavy snapping beat is gone, and I think that the song sounds better without it. However, also gone is the Caribbean and tropical sound from the chorus, which is my favorite aspect of the album version. This EP was overall a great treat for diamonds, but I do vehemently wish, as I said, that it had featured "Believe in Love." She also did a piano rendition of "I'm Not Hungry Anymore" on the LOVE + FEAR tour, so even though that is actually a FROOT song (although it unfortunately ended up on the cutting room floor), a studio recording of that would have been a nice addition, especially since it is one of my favorite MARINA songs of all time, and the aforementioned acoustic rendition of it that she did on tour is so incredibly beautiful.
It was announced several months ago that pop musicians Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus would be collaborating with Lana Del Rey on an upcoming track for the new Charlie's Angels film, and that announcement was met with mixed reactions from Lana Del Rey fans (and understandably so). Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus are both top 40 pop stars who have vibes that conflict with Lana Del Rey's vintage hippie vibe, and it just seemed like a way to cash in. It still seems like that might have been the case to an extent, but Lana Del Rey and Ariana Grande do appear to be good friends and frequently exchange their appreciation for each other and their music through social media posts, so there does seem to at least be something genuine behind the two of them working together on a song. The song is titled "Don't Call Me Angel" and is an upbeat dance-pop song with hints of R&B. It's definitely catchy, and for that reason, I don't hate it; I especially like its instrumental which features a persistent hook which sounds a bit like a cowbell being repeatedly rung. (We need more cowbell!) It is lyrically a feminist anthem in which the women sing of wanting to be treated with respect and not childish affection: "Don't call me 'angel' when I get undressed," Miley Cyrus sings aggressively and rapidly in the song's first verse. "You know I, I don't like that, boy. I make my money, and I write the checks, so say my name with a little respect. All my girls successful, and you just our guest." Although I admit that I am biased in this opinion because I love Lana Del Rey yet have never much appreciated Ariana Grande or Miley Cyrus (I just can't get behind Ariana's sultry R&B sound, and I don't much like Miley's voice), Lana's verse is definitely my favorite part of the song, and I wish that she were featured a lot more prominently rather than on just a verse; she feels like an added afterthought, and her (as is typical of her) slow and dreamy vocals don't mesh with the rest of the song's style. "I appreciate the way you watch me; I can't lie," Del Rey sings in a hushed, almost whispered, tone. "I drop it down, I pick it up, I back it off the county line." When her verse starts, it almost seems like a different song because the vibe and the pacing are completely different, and I just think that this collaboration could have been tailored to synthesize the opposing styles a bit more effectively. With that being said, however, I definitely don't hate the song and like it a lot more than I thought that I would, and I really like the music video!
The wait is finally over! After releasing the first two singles - "Mariners Apartment Complex" and "Venice Bitch" (both of which I reviewed here) - a solid year or so ago, Lana Del Rey has finally followed up her 2017 album Lust for Life with Norman Fucking Rockwell!,
an album that showcases fourteen tracks, many of which Lanatics had
already heard in one way or another. Two songs, as just stated, were
released last summer; "hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have - but i have it" (which I reviewed here) was released in January of this year; her cover of Sublime's "Doin' Time" (which I reviewed here) was released in May of this year, and shortly before the album release, Lana released a double music video of the NFR! songs "Fuck it I love you" and "The greatest."
I even saw some fans complain when the tracklisting was first announced
that there were too many songs that we had already heard and that she
should have scrapped the previously released singles, but I could not
understand that because singles such as "Mariners Apartment Complex" and
"Venice Bitch" were always going to be on NFR!; no one
ever said anything differently, and it wouldn't have made sense to leave
them as standalone singles because "Mariners Apartment Complex"
references "Venice Bitch," and "Venice Bitch" references Norman
Rockwell. "Venice Bitch" is also one of the greatest songs that Lana has
ever released, so it would have been conspicuously absent from the
album, and I can't imagine never having the opportunity to hear it on
the superior format that is vinyl. I was definitely very surprised by
two inclusions, however - the first being the aforementioned "Doin'
Time" and the second being "The Next Best American Record."
"Doin' Time" is a Sublime cover that was released to coincide with a
documentary about the band. (Lana's cover, from what I have read, plays
in the end credits of the documentary.) Right around the time of its
release, it was reported (although I can't remember by whom) that the
song was unrelated to Norman Fucking Rockwell! and would not be
included on the album, so it was a surprise to see that that decision
was obviously overruled at some point. "The Next Best American Record"
surprised me because it's a song recycled from the Lust for Life
sessions. Del Rey had said that she considered that song and the also
excluded "Yosemite" to be sister songs, which was why they both ended up
on the cutting room floor, yet here it is on Norman Fucking Rockwell!
without "Yosemite." ("The Next Best American Record" did leak, but
"Yosemite" remains unheard by fans.) I can therefore understand a couple
of the complaints, but at the same time, who is to say that we would
have gotten fourteen tracks if those songs hadn't been included? We
probably wouldn't, so I can't say that I mind.
Norman Fucking Rockwell! opens with its title track
(stylized as "Norman fucking Rockwell," which is typical of the album
as many of the song titles are capitalized in unconventional ways, which
does kind of annoy me if I am being honest since it's inconsistent). I
love this song for multiple reasons. I love its opening line: "Goddamn,
man-child, you fucked me so good, I almost said, 'I love you'" (which
might be my favorite opening line of any of her albums so far), and I
love its waltzy piano and subtle harp accompaniment. It is a beautiful
and slightly jazzy song about a relationship (or fling) with a
pretentious know-it-all. The song never actually mentions the song
title, but I seem to recall Lana saying in an interview once that the
album title was inspired by a guy whom she actually knew who thought
that he was "Norman fucking Rockwell" even though he definitely was not,
so it is pretty clear that this song is about that same guy. The man in
the narrative of the song also seems to be a poet (and perhaps not as
good of a poet as he thinks that he is): "Your poetry's bad, and you
blame the news... Self-loathing poet..." The second and third tracks on NFR!
are "Mariners Apartment Complex" and "Venice Bitch," both of which, as
mentioned already, were released last summer. Since I already reviewed
them, I don't have much to say about them now, but I will say that (a)
"Mariners Apartment Complex" has grown on me a lot, and I like it a lot
more now than I did last year when I first heard it, and (b) part of me
kind of wishes that she had not released "Venice Bitch" last year
because it is, in my opinion, the best that the album has to offer;
while there are definitely other highlights, nothing (with maybe the
exception of "The greatest") matches the raw emotion and atmosphere of
"Venice Bitch." We then get "Fuck it I love you" which was released as a
single alongside "The greatest." "Fuck it I love you" is one of the
more upbeat songs on the album (although that isn't really saying a
whole lot because the album is overall very downbeat and melancholy,
which is hardly new when it comes to Lana Del Rey). Although it's
certainly not "Off to the Races" or "High by the Beach" kind of upbeat, it's upbeat for Norman Fucking Rockwell!.
The chorus has a bit of a trip-hop beat to it as well as a dreamy,
wistful accompaniment, and I love its catchy chorus. It was a wise
choice as a single, for sure, and I love its nods to old songs such as "Dream a Little Dream of Me" and "California Dreamin'." The fifth track on NFR!
is the Sublime cover, but given that I have already reviewed that, I,
once again, don't have much to say - just that, as I believe that I
mentioned in my review of the single, I am still bothered by the fact
that Lana did not change the pronouns used in the original version
of the song. It makes it feel a lot less personal. While I get that
it's a cover, it should still fit with her narrative, and I just feel
like it really doesn't; it feels kind of out of place on the album.
While I by no means whatsoever hate it or even dislike it, I would not necessarily consider "Love song"
to be much of a highlight for me. Del Rey previewed a snippet of the
song in January of this year, and fans believed the song to be titled
"In Your Car," but that was obviously incorrect (although a good guess,
considering the fact that we had only heard the opening verse and not
the chorus). In the chorus of "Love song," Lana mentions being in a
party dress when she sings, "Lying on your chest in my party dress," and
not only was I not at all surprised by this line, I was honestly just a
tad annoyed by it. I even joked once in a Lana Del Rey fan group of
which I am part on Facebook that fans would have fun playing a drinking
game in which we listen to a bunch of her songs and take a drink every
time that she mentions a party dress. It is a term that has been
mentioned so often throughout her songs that it has gotten to a point at
which it has kind of lost meaning and just become a gag or a joke, but I
digress. There is one small part of the song that reminds me of the
iconic hit "Wonderwall"
by Oasis, which is when she sings that "it all comes back to me..." in
the chorus. The melody there is nearly identical to the part of
"Wonderwall" when the lead singer sings, "...would like to say to
you..." There is another track on the album that also reminds me a great
deal of an older song (even more than this one reminds me of
"Wonderwall"), and while I will wait until I get to discussing that song
before I reveal which one and which song that it reminds me of, I want
to offer the disclaimer that if and when I find similarities between
two songs by different artists, it is not meant to be negative criticism. I am by no
means whatsoever saying that Lana ripped anyone off or should be sued
for copyright infringement or anything at all like that. I am simply
pointing out observations of my own - songs that I was personally
reminded of, and the similarities probably aren't even intentional
(although I do think that the other one that I will discuss might
have been a deliberate nod and respectful homage, but, again, I will
get to that later). "Love song" is a slow ballad backed by piano (which
honestly describes quite a few NFR! tracks, and I love the
fact that she incorporates more piano than usual on this album) and
strings, and I especially love the strings in the intro of the song.
The seventh track on Norman Fucking Rockwell! is a track titled "Cinnamon Girl"
(a term first referenced - and probably not coincidentally so - in her
unreleased track "Summer of Sam"), a track that I love but also find to
be a tad overrated considering the fact that I have seen a lot of fans
cite it as their favorite Norman Fucking Rockwell! track. It is
far from being my favorite song on the album, but there are definitely a
lot of aspects of it that I absolutely love. I, for example, really
love the lyrics of the chorus: "There's things I want to say to you, but
I'll just let you live, like if you hold me without hurting me, you'll
be the first who ever did." There is so much sheer power in those words,
as Lana (to me, at least) is saying that if she were to tell her
lover what she wants to say, then the bite and the venom of her words
would likely kill him. I also love her clever use of cinnamon as a
metaphor (something that she also does on the Born to Die track "Radio"
when she sings that "my life is sweet like cinnamon, like a fucking
dream I'm living in"). Cinnamon is interesting because it is sweet and
is even sometimes used as a sweetener, but it's also very bitter if
taken in large quantities. (Ever tried the cinnamon challenge, anyone?)
The metaphor of being sweet but with a bitter bite is rather obvious and
not a first for Lana Del Rey. She opens the title track on Ultraviolence,
for example, with, "He used to call me DN. That stood for Deadly
Nightshade 'cause I was filled with poison but blessed with beauty and
rage." "Cinnamon Girl" reminds me a great deal of the sound on most of Born to Die,
with the exception that the piano being the base is ultimately a new
sound for her. (She has, of course, used piano on songs before but never
as prominently as she does on Norman Fucking Rockwell!.) The trip-hop beat in the chorus and the lyrical content, however, takes me right back to Born to Die. My favorite part of "Cinnamon Girl," however, is definitely
the short piano outro - a beautiful melody played on the higher end of
the piano over a trip-hop beat and electronic blips and bleeps. I
totally and completely understand why so many people love the song but
do, as I said, find it to be a bit overrated (generally speaking)
because as much as I love it, I definitely don't see it as the best that
Norman Fucking Rockwell! has to offer, and I have seen a lot of fans say that it is their favorite, but to each their own.
I was initially pretty disappointed when I first heard "How to disappear" because Lana had already performed the song live on piano, and the version that is on Norman Fucking Rockwell! is wildly
different from the version that she performed live. The version that
she performed live is much quieter and acoustic, whereas the album
version has a beat and a waltzy rhythm added to it. While I do
still think that it's better suited as a quieter and more muted song, I
have also come to really love this version because of its '50s-esque
rhythm. The song's lyrics are typical of Lana's usual topics. The song
seems to be touching upon a man addicted to substances, a man whom she
loves despite the drug use and despite the fact that he will always
choose drugs over her. (She heavily explores this narrative especially
on Ultraviolence.) "I watched the guys getting high," she sings,
"as they fight for the things that they hold dear to forget the things
they fear. This is how to disappear." I once saw a fan suggest that the
song was referring to suicide in disappearing, but I don't think that
the song supports that at all. It is pretty clear to me that she is
referring to the men disappearing from her life, both initially in that
they aren't emotionally there with her and finally when they actually
leave: "All of the guys tell me lies, but you don't. You just crack
another beer and pretend that you're still here." The song is lyrically
so heartbreaking because she is there saying that at least such men
don't lead her on; she is aware of what she signs up for, and it's also a
heartbreaking song because she dreams of eventually breaking this habit
and finding something more permanent and less toxic: "Now it's been
years since I left New York. I've got a kid and two cats in the yard,
the California sun and the movie stars. I watch the skies getting light
as I write, as I think about those years, and I whisper in your ear,
'I'm always going to be right here. No one's going anywhere.'" In that
sense, I kind of think of the song as a sister song to "Venice Bitch"
because Lana seems to be dreaming about the same future in that song:
"You're in the yard; I light the fire, and as the summer fades away
(nothing gold can stay), you write, I tour; we make it work. You're
beautiful, and I'm insane. We're American-made." Something that I will
discuss in a bit more detail later on is that Lana seems to do that
rather frequently on Norman Fucking Rockwell! - dreaming of a
future when she can live the American dream with someone whom she loves
and with someone who loves her. My only complaint with "How to
disappear" is that I don't think that her vocals are loud enough; some
of the instrumental really drowns her out, which is one of several
reasons why I prefer the stripped back live version.
We then get "California,"
a slow and soft rock song featuring guitar, piano, and strings. I felt
rather indifferent about it at first but eventually came to love it.
This is one of many songs that Lana had already previewed online with a
snippet long before the album release. Because we had only heard a
small snippet, the song was nicknamed "Be Stronger" because of the
opening lyrics: "You don't ever have to be stronger than you really
are." I think that, in part at least, Lana might be referring to her
fans when she sings this. She does, however, eventually make it
clear that she is (also) addressing someone whom she personally knows,
and I have seen it speculated that it could be her ex-boyfriend
Barrie-James O'Neill. Lana sings in the chorus of the song, "If you come
back to America, just hit me up 'cause this is crazy love; I'll catch
you on the flipside. If you come back to California, you should just hit
me up." After Del Rey and O'Neill split, O'Neill went back to his home
country of Scotland, and Del Rey moved from New York to California.
O'Neill later tweeted (a tweet which has since been deleted) that he was
"having a beer. I still love her," so it does seem very likely that she is addressing him in this song, especially since she nods to the Ultraviolence
b-side "Flipside" (a song that I have seen rumored to be about O'Neill)
in the chorus. We then get "The Next Best American Record" (having been
previously known as "Best American Record" and then "Architecture"), a
soft acoustic rock song that starts off on low, almost eerie strumming
acoustic guitar. A recycled song from the Lust for Life sessions,
this is another song that I suspect being about Barrie-James because of
its references to the lover also being a musician (as he is the
frontman of Scottish band Kassidy): "We were so obsessed with writing
the next best American record." In the original version of the song that
leaked during the Lust for Life era, Lana sings in the chorus,
"You did it all for fame. Tell me how it treats you now," and that leads
me to also suspect that the song could be about her ex G-Eazy (rapper).
She drastically changed the lyrics of the chorus (and consequently the
meaning of the song) for the NFR! version, however. This chorus
is instead, "Whatever's on tonight, I just want to party with you..."
This version is much less angry and bitter and more of a happy love
song, and although I do prefer the original version, I quite
enjoy this one, as well, especially since other than those lyrics, it
surprisingly remains mostly unaltered from the Lust for Life demo that leaked.
"The greatest," is, without a doubt, my second favorite song on Norman Fucking Rockwell! (the
first being "Venice Bitch"). It is gorgeous and epic and just
big-sounding (for lack of a better term). Dare I implement a really bad
pun and say that it is one of the greatest songs that she has
ever written and recorded? Not only is the song amazing, but its video
(which, as mentioned before, is the latter half of a double music video
featuring "Fuck it I love you" and "The greatest") makes it even better.
It is so beautiful and visually stunning, and I have absolutely loved
the visuals that this album has had to offer, even the vintage and
minimalist "Mariners Apartment Complex" and "Venice Bitch" music videos.
The somewhat Beatles-esque "The greatest" features guitar, piano,
strings, percussion, and so much more and is definitely, as previously
stated, one of the biggest and grandest songs that she has ever done. (I
cannot stress that enough.) NFR! is filled to the brim with
cultural references - references to the Rolling Stones, the Mamas and
the Papas, Norman Rockwell (obviously), and so many more, and we hear
not one but two in "The greatest." The first is near the beginning of
the song when Lana sings, "I miss the bar where the Beach Boys would go,
Dennis' last stop before Kokomo." I actually immediately recognized the
shout-out because "Kokomo" is probably my favorite song by the Beach Boys, although what I hadn't initially recognized (and only eventually did because of Genius)
is that Kokomo is a fictional and dream-like island essentially created
by the Beach Boys and that Dennis Wilson passed away from drowning due
to alcohol intoxication, so there is so much power in what Lana is
saying here. She is referring to Kokomo as a paradise, a peaceful
afterlife. She is such a poet which is one reason why I love her. (She
has, in fact, written a poetry anthology titled Violet Bent Backwards Over the Grass,
but it seems to be unreleased as of yet because I cannot find anywhere
to purchase it.) The second allusion in "The greatest" is to David
Bowie's song "Life on Mars?"
when she sings, "'Life on Mars?' ain't just a song." The irony here is
so clever (like I said, she is a poet) because the original Bowie song
is about art being a representation of reality and therefore not much of
an escape, and Lana is here saying that the song is not just a song but
a reflection of current reality because of the fact that colonizing
Mars in the distant future might become a reality due to the fact that
we are slowly killing our planet. Lana is clearly a Bowie fan, as she
also references his song "Space Oddity" in her Honeymoon song "Terrence Loves You" when she sings, "Ground control to Major Tom."
As
much as I absolutely adore the melody which builds up to an epic
climax, however, my favorite part of "The greatest" is its lyrics to
which I highly relate. In the chorus of the song, Del Rey sings, "Don't
leave; I just need a wake-up call. I'm facing the greatest, the greatest
loss of them all." Norman Fucking Rockwell! might be Lana's most quotable album to date. There are so
many stellar lyrics that hit you right in the feels, more so than ever
before, and from a lyrics standpoint, it is definitely her best album so
far. That line in the chorus particularly hit me hard because the most
difficult ordeal of my life was when my ex left me five years ago. It
was definitely my greatest loss and affected who I am today deeply in so
many ways, some of them negative and some of them positive. The song
also invokes this vehement sense of nostalgia in me, especially since
Lana herself is singing about nostalgia: "I miss New York, and I miss
the music. Me and my friends, we miss rock 'n' roll. I want shit to feel
like it used to." This is another line to which I strongly relate
because there are many aspects of my life now that make me feel
indifferent, things that would have caused utter euphoria years ago, and
that has primarily been a result of having been hurt so badly by the
person whom I loved and trusted most in the world. This album review is
not about me, however, so I digress. I am just making the case that this
song so violently (but also beautifully) pulls at my heartstrings, and I
cannot express how much that I love it strongly enough. Some fans,
after hearing NFR!, worried that NFR! was Lana's farewell
album, that she was retiring from music after this album, and I think
that some of the lyrics from "The greatest" are why they were suffering
from that worry. In the song, Lana wistfully sings, "The culture is lit,
and if this it, I had a ball. I guess that I'm burned out after all."
She also refers to "signing off after all," which is somewhat similar to
how she sings "Signing off, bang bang kiss kiss" in "Venice Bitch."
However, this was not the first time that fans were worried about such a
thing. People said the same thing back when Honeymoon was released in 2015 because of songs such as "God Knows I Tried" (which is about the toll that fame has had on her, which she also touches upon in Lust for Life's "13 Beaches") and "Swan Song"
(in which she sings that she will "never sing again"). The fear
obviously turned out to be unfounded, as has this one, since she has
already announced that the next album (titled White Hot Forever) will be out next year.
I would imagine that Lana will
someday retire from music. One way or another, she unfortunately can't
be a musician forever, but I don't think that it is going to happen in
the near future. It is, however, clear from several of her songs that
fame has not always been pleasant to her, especially since she has faced
a lot of scrutiny over the years from the media regarding how authentic
that her vintage style has or has not been, which she touches upon in
the Ultraviolence song "Brooklyn Baby"
when she sings, "They think I don't understand the freedom land of the
'70s." She does seem to dream of a future in which she lives a more
"normal" life in seclusion with the love of her life, but it is also not
necessarily her career from which she wants to be "signing off." It
could be a relationship or a chapter of her life. What I will admit, however, is that in many ways, "The greatest" does
seem to offer some kind of finality, and for that reason, I think that
it should have been the closing track. Moving on, however, the twelfth
track on NFR! is titled "Bartender,"
and I love the persistent and fluttering piano as well as the harp
accompaniment, and I love the melody of the chorus of the song which does
remind me a great deal of a considerably older song. Yes, "Bartender"
is the song to which I was referring earlier when I said that there was
another song other than "Love song" that reminded me of another song.
Parts of the melodies between this song and Leonard Cohen's "Take This Waltz"
are noticeably similar, really just in the chorus of "Bartender." This
is one, however, that I think could be intentional as a respectful nod
to the late Mr. Cohen. Del Rey is clearly a Cohen fan because she has
covered "Chelsea Hotel No 2"
(a song also seen on the jukebox in the "Fuck it I love you & The
greatest" music video) and possibly references his song "I'm Your Man"
in "Mariners Apartment Complex." Both songs also begin somewhat
similarly lyrically. Cohen's song begins with "Now in Vienna, there's
ten pretty women," and "Bartender" begins with "All the ladies of the
Canyon wearing black to their house parties." As mentioned, NFR!
is lousy with cultural references, and two more can be heard in
"Bartender." Near the beginning of the song, Del Rey sings that "Crosby,
Stills and Nash is playing" and then soon after sings that "sometimes,
girls just want to have fun." Crosby, Stills and Nash are a classic rock
band that debuted in the late '60s and are probably best known for
their song "Ohio," and "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" is a song by Robert Hazard from 1979 which Cyndi Lauper then made famous with her cover of it in 1983.
The penultimate song on NFR! is "Happiness is a butterfly."
This is one of the songs to which I was most looking forward because of
the snippet that was previously teased. I love the melody and the
heart-wrenching lyrics in the chorus when Del Rey sings, "If he's a
serial killer, then what's the worst that can happen to a girl who's
already hurt? I'm already hurt. If he's as bad as they say, then I guess
I'm cursed." I don't believe that Del Rey is literally referring to a
serial killer but rather someone who habitually hurts his lovers. It's
no secret that (if her lyrics can be trusted as always being
autobiographical) Del Rey seems to be attracted to bad boys, something
made all too clear due to songs such as "Bad Boy," "Off to the Races," "Diet Mountain Dew," "Ultraviolence," "How to disappear," and so many others. Madonna perhaps says it best in the opening monologue of her "Crave"
music video: "Don't we all want what we know is not good for us, what
we know might break us in the end? And yet, we fly towards it, always
wanting the thing we cannot have." Del Rey poetically refers to
happiness being a butterfly in that it is fleeting and difficult to
catch: "Try to catch it, like, every night. It escapes from my hands
into moonlight." It's such a beautiful and soothing piano ballad and
definitely a highlight on the album. The album then closes with "hope is
a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have - but i have it" which I
have already reviewed, so I will just say that I don't like that it's
the closing track. It, in my opinion, doesn't make for very effective
closure, and "The greatest" should have been the closing track.
Although, as I said, nothing really matches the unique essence of
"Venice Bitch," I, all in all, absolutely adore this album. It's definitely her best album since Ultraviolence
and definitely her strongest lyrically, and I love how so much of it is
piano-driven. It is also possibly her most assertive album thus far, as
Lana is claiming agency in most of the songs rather than passivity as
she often has in the past. (The opening line of "goddamn, man-child"
makes that pretty evident.) I also love the album cover;
featuring Duke Nicholson (Jack Nicholson's grandson) at Lana's side with
Lana wearing a neon green shirt with neon green nails to match, it's
definitely my favorite LDR album cover to date. The neon green has been a
frequent visual for NFR!, as bright neon green is seen in the
sky and on Lana's nails in the "Fuck it I love you & The greatest"
double music video, and Lana even mentions it at the beginning of "Fuck
it I love you" when she sings, "I like to see everything in neon, drink
lime green..." NFR! was definitely worth the long wait, as it is definitely the album of 2019 so far (for me, at least).
I
am reviewing these two singles together simply because they were
released on the same day - Friday, August 9, 2019, and neither of them
are featured on Lana Del Rey's latest studio album Norman Fucking Rockwell!.
On August 3, 2019, two consecutive shootings took place in America -
the first in El Paso, Texas and the second in Dayton, Ohio (the second
of which was motivated by the shooter's alignment with Donald Trump's
racist and xenophobic views and policies). "Looking for America"
was written in response to the shootings and was released a mere six
days after the events by which it was inspired, so it's easy to
understand why it isn't on Norman Fucking Rockwell! (even though it would have made a fine addition to the album); it was written and recorded after
the album's tracklisting was finalized and revealed and probably even
after the physical copies were pressed. The song is not new territory
for Lana Del Rey, as it is a folksy song on acoustic guitar that is
reminiscent of the acoustic hippie forerunners of the '60s and '70s, a
time period which Lana Del Rey has always heavily synthesized into her
own style of music. The song reminds me a great deal of Lana's last
album, Lust for Life (especially its back half which houses similarly politically charged songs such as "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind," "God Bless America - and All the Beautiful Women in It," "When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing,"
and so forth). In the melodically beautiful and soaring chorus, Del Rey
dreams of a different America: "I'm still looking for my own version of
America, one without the gun where the flag can freely fly. No bombs in
the sky, only fireworks when you and I collide. It's just a dream I had
in mind." Given the state in which my country (America) now seems to be
in and how much it has affected me as a citizen and as a human being,
the song hits me hard and gets me a bit emotional. At only two minutes
and forty-two seconds, it's one of Lana's shorter songs, but that makes a
lot of sense given how soon after its conception and composition that
it was released. It's definitely a memorable song that I wish were on Norman Fucking Rockwell!, but, again, I understand why it is not.
The other single that Lana released that day is a cover of the 1966 Donovan song "Season of the Witch." The cover was released to promote the new horror film Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,
and although I have not yet seen it, I have heard from others that the
song plays during the end credits. A cover of a song originally from
1966 does not surprise me in the slightest because as I already said
during my review of "Looking for America," she seems to admire and feel a
close connection to the '60s and '70s and has even previously covered
songs from approximately the same era. Lana has also been suspected of
practicing witchcraft herself over the last few years, especially after claiming that she planned to perform a binding spell on the Trump administration,
so the choice of song to cover also is not at all surprising. Lana's
cover of "Season of the Witch" is very faithful to the original (as her
covers usually are), although she vocally delivers the melody much more
delicately than Donovan does. As is typical of much of her vocal
delivery, she caps off words such as "stitch" with a very soft,
delicate, and almost even detached "ch" sound. Donovan does something
somewhat similar in the original, but it's definitely a signature move
for Del Rey. I love Lana's humming at the beginning of the song and its
playful piano accompaniment. It is (not unlike the original version)
stylistically a psychedelic and folksy rock song, and I honestly prefer
it to the original because I love her previously discussed delicate
treatment of the vocals. She gives the song a sweet and sultry flavor
absent from the original, and it is, in my opinion, a welcome change.
Like "Looking for America," I understand why "Season of the Witch" is
missing from Norman Fucking Rockwell!. It is a cover and does not really fit the overall mood and narrative of NFR!, and it was also, as already said, used in promotion of a film, so she might not have even been allowed
to put it on the album. One thing that I do find ironic about the fact
that she recorded this cover for a film, however, is that she recorded a
cover of "Once Upon a Dream" for the 2014 film Maleficent, yet someone else covered "Season of the Witch" for its upcoming sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. What are the chances of that? Coincidence?
Madame X is Madonna's fourteenth (fifteenth in my opinion since I count I'm Breathless) studio album following 2015's Rebel Heart. Prior to releasing the album on June 14th, 2019, Madonna released five singles from the album - "Medellín," "I Rise," "Crave," "Future," and "Dark Ballet" (links to my reviews of these singles can all be found here). I will begin my review with the third track titled "God Control"
since the first track is "Medellín" and the second track is "Dark
Ballet," both of which I have already reviewed. "God Control" (similar
to "Dark Ballet") is definitely different for Madonna because it doesn't
stick to one genre. It careens from piano-driven pop, to gospel-like
choir (similar to songs such as "Like a Prayer" and "Living for Love"),
to straight out disco. The fact that the song is so disco-driven is
ironic because it's a disco record in 2019 and is more disco than
anything that she has ever done, including her material from the early
'80s. My favorite part of the song is when it transitions into disco,
and Madonna, in a high-pitched and saccharine tone of voice that reminds
me a great deal of the Barbie character from the Toy Story
films, says, "This is your wake-up call. I'm like your nightmare. I'm
here to start your day." I also love the chorus in which she sort of
raps: "People think that I'm insane. The only gun is in my brain. Each
new birth, it gives me hope. That's why I don't smoke that dope." As I
will likely discuss again in this review, Madame X is probably
Madonna's most political album thus far, and this song (along with
others such as the aforementioned "Dark Ballet," "Future," and "I Rise")
serves as a perfect example of that as it lyrically touches upon people
being in denial of the dark state of the United States (and ultimately
the world) right now: "Everybody knows the damn truth. Our nation lied;
we've lost respect. When we wake up, what can we do? Get the kids ready;
take them to school." I have seen a lot of fans say that "God Control"
is their favorite song from Madame X (and they have consequently
rejoiced at the fact the song is the latest to be adapted into a music
video), and while I don't think that it's my favorite song from the
album, I do definitely agree that it's a highlight. It's one of the most
experimental songs that Madonna has done in a long time.
I have also seen some fans cite "Batuka" as their favorite Madame X song, and that I definitely
do not agree with. I am not even sure what the title means or what it
has to do with the lyrics of the song except for the fact that the song
features the The Batukadeiras Orchestra of Portugal. (Madonna lived in
Portgual for a while prior to her work on Madame X, which is
likely one of the primary reasons why there is so much Latin style on
the album.) The song begins on a beat that reminds me a lot of the
opening of her Rebel Heart song "Veni Vidi Vici,"
and the song is punctuated by what sounds like a tribal drum. Madonna's
parts (which are more chanted than they are sung) are echoed by the
aforementioned choir. Even though, as just stated, Madonna's parts are
not even truly sung (they are more so chanted), she still has her voice
heavily filtered electronically, and too much vocal manipulation is
actually one of the primary complaints that I have regarding the album
overall. I totally understand that electronic music often uses
autotuning and vocoder for a certain effect, but it's far too heavy
handed on a lot of Madame X and rarely seems to serve much
purpose (as is the case on "Batuka"). Another issue that I have with
"Batuka" is that it's redundant. The chorus of the song is simply as
follows: "'Cause it's a long way ('cause it's a long way). It's a long
way (it's a long way). 'Cause it's a long day ('cause it's a long day).
It's a long day (it's a long day)." Repetition sometimes works in a
song's favor (the chorus of MARINA's song "Forget"
is, in my humble opinion, a perfect example), but it really doesn't
here, especially because the choir echoing everything that Madonna says
gets a bit annoying after a while. The only thing that I do appreciate
about the song is that like many of the songs on the album, it features a
strong sociopolitical stance such as when it asserts, "...so don't
judge a human (don't judge a human) 'til you're in their shoes ('til
you're in their shoes)..." "Killers Who Are Partying"
is a highlight for me. It features a Latin-influenced instrumental with
a mellow beat with Madonna giving examples of people who are oppressed
around the world: "I will be gay if the gay are burned... I'll be Islam
if Islam is hated... I'll be a woman if she's raped and her heart is
breaking." I find these lyrics interesting because she already is
some of these things (such as a woman), but regardless, it carries a
powerful message of empathy and being there for others who are in pain.
It reminds me of this classic quote.
"Crazy" is another Madame X song that I really
like, definitely serving as a highlight for me. It features a steady
waltzy rhythm that reminds me a bit of Avril Lavigne's song "Tell Me It's Over,"
which is one of the main reasons why I love it. I also love it because
of its catchy and playful tone and melody. Unlike many of the other
songs on Madame X, "Crazy" isn't really political in any way,
instead seeming to primarily address an ex (or possibly current) lover:
"I spent all night waitin' up. It's gon' be the last night I wait up for
you." The song seems to overall be telling a lover that she isn't going
to change for them, that what they see is what they get and that they
can pack their bags if she is too much for them. What I especially love
about "Crazy" is its reference to Madonna's classic song "Like a Prayer"
when Madonna sings that "I bent my knees for you like a prayer." "Come Alive" is catchy and sounds to me like it could easily belong on her 2012 album MDNA. I love the jovial melody and its positive message of wanting peace and for the world to reach its potential. "Extreme Occident" might be my favorite song from Madame X, although it might be closely tied with "Looking for Mercy" and "Dark Ballet." "Extreme Occident" is actually the song that was used in the album trailer
(which was titled "Welcome to the World of Madame X"), which kind of
makes sense because the song is about the cyclical nature of traveling
to find one's identity ("I came from the midwest. Then I went to the far
east. I tried to discover my own identity."), and similar to MARINA's
Electra Heart persona (which I honestly think was constructed much more
efficiently), Madame X is a fantastical character whose many titles
(such as professor, head of state, housekeeper, equestrian, prisoner,
student, teacher, etc.) are metaphors for the many facets of Madonna's
own identity. I love the beautiful and mournful melody of this song and
the soft pizzicato and piano.
The song also brings in tribal drums a little bit less than halfway
through which is an interesting and unexpected turn (something of which Madame X offers a lot). As I said, it might just be my favorite song on the album, which is kind of funny because it moves into "Faz Gostoso" (a collaboration with Anitta) and "Bitch I'm Loca" (like "Medellín" and his own song "Soltera," a collaboration with Maluma) - my least two favorite songs on the album.
"Faz
Gostoso" is an upbeat pop song that is mostly in Portuguese (which
could admittedly be one reason why I don't much like it) and is
technically a cover of a popular Portuguese song of the same title.
I will admit that it features a catchy melody and kind of sounds a
little bit like something that Gwen Stefani might do, but I just can't
click with it, which is probably, as I said, primarily because I don't
speak Portuguese (and most of the song is in Portuguese). I believe that
the title translates roughly to "Does It Good" (but if, like me, you
don't understand the language and really want to invest some time in
learning what it is saying in English, you can look here on Genius for the English translation). "Bitch I'm Loca" (which, of course, means "Bitch I'm Crazy," and that I already knew) has an upbeat reggae-like rhythm (reminding me a bit of her Rebel Heart song "Unapologetic Bitch").
Although, once again, I don't understand most of the lyrics, I did run
the lyrics through Google Translate (since Genius, for some reason,
doesn't provide any translations for this song), and many of the lyrics
are sexual, which isn't at all a surprise. The second verse, for
example, translates approximately to, "I want to be your bitch, also
your baby. Then, do not complain when that little girl bites. I like to
be on top, see how you get turned on. Then, do not complain when you
bite that mouth (hey, hey, hey, hey)." Although, as I said, I don't much
care for the song, I do kind of appreciate the frisky spoken part
between Madonna and Maluma at the end of the song. Madonna says, "So
nice to meet you, Mr. Safe." Maluma returns the greeting with, "So nice
to meet you, Mrs. Crazy. Where do you want me to put this?" Madonna
responds by saying, "Um, you can put it inside." Leave
it to Madge. I am by no means a white supremacist or ethnocentric or
anything even remotely similar, so I do appreciate the fact that Madonna
is (and honestly always has) representing languages and cultures other
than my own, but it does unfortunately create a disconnect when I can't
really relate to the song because I can't understand most of it. Even
looking translations up doesn't completely open that barrier.
Madame X then offers up "I Don't Search I Find," interesting because it definitely brings me back to the Madonna of the early '90s - sounding reminiscent of tracks such as "Vogue" and "Deeper and Deeper." (I have, in fact, seen other fans say that it reminds them of her 1992 album Erotica,
and I agree 100%.) It reminds me especially of "Vogue" because of its
strings accompaniment which power a disco-infused '90s dance beat. It
lyrically reminds me a bit of her Rebel Heart song "Veni Vidi Vici" as
it seems to feature a similar theme of self-confidence and assertion,
but as is the case with a handful of Madame X songs, there really
aren't many lyrics featured in the song, as a lot of the song is just
lyrics repeated. "Looking for Mercy" is another highlight on the album
for me not only because I love its low synths (which remind me of Rebel Heart's song "Inside Out")
but also because I relate to its message of feeling like you're
constantly hitting roadblocks and just wanting to catch a break: "Teach
me to forgive myself, outlive this hell." I am also reminded a bit of
the Rebel Heart song "Joan of Arc"
because both songs speak of trying to (or at least wanting to) appear
stronger than you really are. In "Joan of Arc," Madonna sings, "I can't
be a superhero right now. Even hearts made out of steel can break down.
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet. I'm only human." Here in "Looking for
Mercy," she sings, "On the outside, I'm strong." I love the song's
combination of the aforementioned synths, the strings, and the choir;
it's such a beautiful song, and it's criminal that it's not on the
standard edition of the album (only the deluxe), especially since I
think that it would make a much better closing track than "I Rise" does,
which closes the standard edition and the digital deluxe versions of
the album. The two-disc hardcover CD release features three bonus tracks
on a separate disc (which is kind of silly because they could have fit
on the same CD) - "Funana" (a fun and upbeat electropop song which
mentions several deceased musicians such as Aretha, Avicii, Bowie,
Elvis, Whitney, etc., another song that should not have been relegated
to a deluxe version as it is one of the album's best), "Back That Up to
the Beat" (a reworking of an unreleased but leaked demo from the Rebel Heart sessions which I much prefer), and "Ciao Bella" (honestly a pretty forgettable electronic dance track, although it's very reminiscent of Music, which makes sense given Mirwais's involvement).
Madame X
is undoubtedly Madonna's most political album to date, tackling issues
such as racism, ethnocentrism, violence in schools, gun control,
homophobia, Trump's policies, etc. Although I very much prefer the last
album Rebel Heart, one thing that I will give Madame X is that it's more tightly focused. Even though Rebel Heart has some of Madonna's best songs of her career ("Living for Love," "Ghosttown," "Inside Out," "Messiah," "Addicted," etc.), it is all over the place both stylistically and thematically, but Madame X
definitely offers a tighter sound and narrative. It's also a lot more
experimental than anything that she has done in a while. A lot of fans
have been critical of how Madonna is more so following trends rather
than starting them nowadays, and while there are a couple of songs on Madame X
(especially "Crave" - even though I love it) that sound rather generic,
the album overall isn't continuing that pattern. Most of Madame X
doesn't seem interested in radioplay, as songs like "Dark Ballet"
(which should have been closer to the end of the album if not at the
very end) and "God Control," for example, sound nothing like top
40 pop radio today. I am not usually a fan of pop musicians
collaborating with rappers (Nas, for example, ruined "Veni Vidi Vici" in
my opinion), but I actually enjoy most of the collaborations on Madame X,
especially the one on "Crave," as the song wouldn't even remotely be
the same or as good without Swae Lee's gentle and soulful cooing. Even
the lead single "Medellín" (about which I felt kind of indifferent upon
its initial release) has grown on me, and I now love it. Madame X
is, however, certainly not my favorite Madonna album and isn't even in
my top five. For starters, as I already discussed, there is a disconnect
for me personally because of the language barrier and there being so
many songs in Spanish and Portuguese. I also, as briefly discussed
before, don't feel that the album's intended theme of partitioned
identities via the character of Madame X is conveyed very well. "Killers
Who Are Partying" and "Extreme Occident" are the only two songs that
really express it, and it's rather weak even then. (As advertised
before, if you're looking for a pop album that does an excellent job of
storytelling through an alter ego, look no further beyond MARINA's 2012
album Electra Heart.) There is also, as mentoned, way too much
vocal manipulation on the album. All in all, however, I am definitely
more satisfied with Madame X than I had expected to be.
