Norman Fucking Rockwell! by Lana Del Rey Review

This is Lana’s latest album. I’m a big fan of hers, so I was very excited to hear this. Plus, Mariners Apartment Complex really had me going, so I was extra excited. Let’s get into it.

Norman fucking Rockwell: This song is so beautiful. Especially the ending. Her voice is so pretty. I also love how this first track picks up where the last track of her last album left off. Get Free talked about her moving from the black into the blue, and in this song she sings how her man makes her blue. She’s a genius. The lyrics are so smart and also funny.

Mariners Apartment Complex: I cannot even begin to describe how much I love this song. Everything about it is so perfect. The dramatic intro music reminds me of a Guns N Roses song. Listening to this song makes me feel like I live by the sea, but not the beach. There’s a difference. She really changed the game with this song. We knew we were in for it when this dropped.

Venice Bitch: A ten minute song is scary. I was really nervous about it. But man is it amazing. I am a firm believer that this song could’ve lasted only seven minutes, but I’m not mad at it. It’s so catchy, I love the lyrics, and I love the instrumentals as well.

Fuck it I love you: I fell in love with this song at the pre chorus. Her vocals in that moment sound like a Disney princess. I also love the whole concept of the song. She’s giving in and she no longer cares. I also love how the song progresses. The first verse is very mild compared to the second, where she talks about shooting heroin I’m pretty sure. I also am a big fan of the line “If I wasn’t so fucked up I think I’d fuck you all the time.”

Doin' Time: She did a really good job on this cover. I never heard the original so I really can’t compare it, but I don’t think anyone would say this is a bad cover. The lyrically “wow” factor isn’t really there since this isn’t a Lana original, but it’s not a bad song.

Love song: I was hesitant about this song because of the tempo. But after listening again I love it. It’s really just a simple love song, and that’s not something you usually get from Lana. I appreciate it so much. It’s so pretty.

Cinnamon Girl: This Song!! Oh my God!! It is so good. And the lyrics!! Heartbreaking. Make me so sad, but it’s not exactly a sad song. She’s just admitting something very sad while at the same time allowing herself to be vulnerable in order to find love. I wish the outro was a little shorter. That’s my only note.

How to disappear: This song doesn’t get the respect it deserves. I love this song. I don’t know why exactly, but I know it makes me feel a certain way. Very few songs make me feel the way it does. One I can think of is Depreston by Courtney Barnett. They give me the same feeling. The best I can describe it is a feeling of simplicity but overwhelming loss.

California: She was smart for making this song the length it is. I would like it way less if she did a whole bridge and a whole chorus again, instead of just repeating a portion of the chorus at the end. I love the chorus of the song. Especially the second half of it. I like the story of the song. It’s pretty straight forward “If you come back to America, just hit me up.”

The Next Best American Record: She didn’t shorten this song and that’s it’s downfall. This is my least favorite song on the album. I think it’s a little boring. I really like how it starts. I love the guitar strums you first hear, and her lyrics are very intriguing in the first verse. Honestly, it’s just the chorus that I don’t like. It’s not pleasing to the ear. Not that it’s awful, it’s just really bland.

The greatest: Best song off the record. Possibly one of her best songs in general. I love how bittersweet this song is. She’s reminiscing on times I never experienced, but I feel such loss about them. The chorus is so good. So so so good. It’s so cinematic, I feel like I could die to it honestly. Or fall in slow motion off a beautiful cliff or waterfall. I don’t even know. She just sounds so defeated, yet happy about it at the same time. Maybe she’s relieved. And the way she describes how the world has gone to shit at the end of the song. I could cry.

Bartender: I really like the story of this song. SHe bought a truck so no one could track her, so she could be with her lover without all the pressure. That is so sweet and so sad that that’s how she has to live. It’s such a beautiful song. My only issue is her “ha ha ha ha” part and also how she sings the “t” in bartender sometimes. I think it’s dumb to be honest. Overall, good song.

Happiness is a butterfly: First part of the song sounds sad. She seems upset at her lover. Does he want her or not? Then she sings about how happiness is hard for her to achieve. That’s also a bummer. Then she switches it up and gets pretty emo on us saying that if he’s a serial killer that won’t even matter because she’s already hurt. If anyone else said that I’d roast them. And then she gets to the chorus and man oh man is she upset. I love her “shouting” or whatever you call that. This is a perfect breakdown song.

hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have- but i have it: This, I think, is her best song lyrically. The lyrics are so specific and heartbreaking at times, and they really just suck you in. You want to hear what she has to say next. You want her to keep singing, not only because it’s beautiful, but because you want to hear her story. I love this song so much. I really grew on me, and I think it’s one of her best songs period. Go Lana, you killed it.

Final Ranking:

How to disappear

The greatest

Mariners Apartment Complex

Cinnamon Girl

hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have- but i have it

Happiness is a butterfly

Fuck it I love you

Venice Bitch

Love song

California

Bartender

Norman fucking Rockwell

Doin’ Time

The Next Best American Record

After listening to this album several times and really sitting on it, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is her best one yet. It’s so mature. You can tell how much she has grown as a person when listening to it. It’s also so beautiful. She worked with Jack Antonoff on this, and I’m so grateful because he’s an amazing writer/producer. This album gets a 9.36/10. It’s important. bye