By Reilly Hungerford – Staff Reporter

Lana Del Rey’s “Blue Banisters” was released on October 22. This album is her eighth studio album and the second album she has released this year. The genre of the album is folk, pop, and jazz. “Blue Banisters” mentions topics such as failing romances, negative press attention, femininity, and new beginnings. Del Rey announced that this album was going to be released on July 4, but it came out much later. Fans have been anticipating this album for quite a while, and it was definitely worth the wait.

This album is genuinely amazing. It’s almost nostalgic-feeling and very graceful. With this album, Del Rey worked with her old producer instead of Jack Antonoff, the producer who she has worked with for her past two albums. Working with her old producer made “Blue Banisters” sound a bit similar to her older works, like “Honeymoon” and “Ultraviolence.” There are actually tracks on “Blue Banisters” that are rumored to supposed to have been put on her older albums such as “Living Legend” and “Cherry Blossom.” “Cherry Blossom” was actually leaked in 2019, leaving fans to call it “unreleased.” Del Rey wrote it in 2013, but it was finally released on “Blue Banisters”.

One of the best songs on the album is “Dealer”. With vocals from Miles Kane and a slow drum beat, this song is easily the best song on the album. This song is about being locked away from someone you love and giving more love than you receive. The lyrical and the melodic build up until the chorus where Del Rey sings, “I don’t wanna live /I don’t wanna give you nothing” sounds so amazing and really adds to the overall longing mood of the song.

“Arcadia” is of the singles that came out before the album was released, being released on September 8. A soothing piano tune with relatively calming vocals, “Arcadia’s” lyrics are the same. In this song, Del Rey sings about how much she loves the city of L.A. and how she wants to be there. She also recognizes her hometown in this song, Manhattan New York. “I can’t sleep at home tonight, send me a Hilton Hotel” can very well be referencing her New York background because there’s a very nice Hilton hotel in the city.

There really are no flaws to this album, unless you like “Chemtrails Over the Country Club” and its production. “Blue Banisters” has a completely different sound to it than her two previous albums, but in an amazing way. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars