Following the successful and beautiful Norman Fucking Rockwell in 2019, Lana Del Rey has now released her seventh studio album. With her previous album in mind, Chemtrails Over The Country Club comes with high expectations. Fortunately, Lana Del Rey, with the help of producer Jack Antonoff, exceeds all expectations.
Chemtrails Over The Country Club starts with the softly sung White Dress. It’s not a very strong opening, as the whispered voice doesn’t suit Lana Del Rey as well as her usual warm tone. However, tracks like Let Me Love You Like A Woman, Wild At Heart, and the title track Chemtrails Over The Country Club more than compensate for this. Lana Del Rey’s well-known voice is showcased to the maximum, delivering some fantastic tracks to listen to.
It’s a beautiful album that is typically Lana Del Rey with a subtle touch of country. As a songwriter, she lives up to her name once again. As a storyteller, she has made a name for herself since her debut album and the hit single Video Games. She certainly hasn’t lost her touch, especially with her strong verses on Let Me Love You Like A Woman and Not All Who Wander Are Lost, which are brilliantly written and leave a lasting impression.
Successful Producer Jack Antonoff
Lana is not known for uplifting and up-tempo music but for her narrative warm voice and soft, acoustic piano, and guitar sounds. This album is no exception. It is, for example, a perfect album to listen to in the background while reading a book on a quiet Sunday morning. In that sense, it also bears some resemblance to Taylor Swift’s successful albums Folklore and Evermore. Not surprising since both singers have collaborated with songwriter and producer Jack Antonoff. In this regard, Swift’s new successful sound aligns perfectly with the sound that Del Rey has been showcasing throughout her entire career, including on Norman Fucking Rockwell, where she collaborated with Antonoff. Antonoff recently had his musical talents confirmed when Folklore won Album of the Year at the Grammys. So, who knows what might happen with Chemtrails Over The Country Club.
The final track on the album, For Free, is a cover of Joni Mitchell, a significant inspiration for Del Rey. She also mentions Joni Mitchell again on Dance Till We Die, describing her as someone she once considered only an idol but now includes in her circle of friends. Del Rey also sings about her friendship with her other idols, Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) and Courtney Love (Hole). She has collaborated with all three, demonstrating how far she has come in the music industry.
New Album
Initially scheduled for release in 2020, Chemtrails Over The Country Club was delayed until 2021. However, the wait was certainly worth it. Del Rey meticulously wrote and sang each song, and Antonoff expertly produced everything to fit seamlessly. Everything works (except for the opening track). Instead of waiting two years before quietly starting the next album, the release date for her eighth studio album has already been announced. On October 22, 2021 (yes, later this year), Lana Del Rey will release Blue Banisters. If it’s even a little like this seventh album, it promises a lot! In the meantime, we can still enjoy the beautiful Chemtrails Over The Country Club.
