By Gio Battaglia / Assistant Music Director
Back-to-back releases are becoming more popular as the way fans listen to music is changing. Ariana Grande kicked off the trend in 2019 with the release of thank u, next right after the release of sweetener, and Taylor Swift followed in 2020 with the release of evermore after folklore.
Lana Del Rey is giving this a try with the release of her eighth studio album, Blue Banisters, released seven months after her previous release, Chemtrails Over the Country Club.
“Sometimes life makes you change just in time for the next chapter,” Del Rey said in an Instagram caption. This proves that when artists release music, it is sometimes to close a period of life, and want to give the gift to the fans, but move on with life after.
Del Rey keeps the retrospective sound her fans are used to hearing, and what is known as her signature. The light and airy voice suits Del Rey and continues to work in her favor with each release.
Opening tracks are the most important element in listening to an album, it sets up the tone for what you will be hearing for the rest of the listening experience. The title track of this album, “Text Book,” is one of Del Rey’s best songs to date. The cinematic-like orchestra in this song really lets Del Rey’s vocals shine, without the message of the song getting lost.
“Arcadia” is Del Rey’s most powerful song on the album. She blends her soft vocals with strong belts, something we rarely hear from her, but makes for an introspective sound.
The instrumentation of this album makes up the beauty of it, and Del Rey’s vocals in each song can complement it.
Sometimes the albums that come right after a long-awaited release like Del Rey’s March 2021 album can be a bust. Del Rey can release songs that keep the audience engaged as well as mesmerize the listener with every word and note.
This is something very honorable of Del Rey. Some argue that she makes the same song repeatedly, but this album is proof that each song varies.
Del Rey will keep her fans entertained with her almost trademarked sound, and Blue Banisters is another album that adds a legendary title to her name.