At some point this year, Lana Del Rey will release her sixth studio album, titled Norman Fucking Rockwell. Early word was March, but that clearly didn’t happen. Now it’s looking more like summer.
In the meantime, Del Rey keeps dropping tracks from the album. Today’s track is the fourth, although it is a live performance, not a studio recording. It was actually released back in October, after she performed it at an Apple event with Jack Antonoff on piano, but I missed it until now.
All of the song releases so far have me salivating to hear the whole album. The tracks have been very minimalist and melancholy, one of my favorite modes for Del Rey (and anyone, really).
John met me down at the boulevard
I cried on his shoulder ’cause life is hard
The waves came in over my head
What you been up to my baby?
Haven’t seen you ’round here lately
All of the guys tell me lies but you don’t
You just crack another beer
And pretend that you’re still here
[Chorus]
This is how to disappear
This is how to disappear
[Verse 2]
Jim met me down at the training yard
Got cuts on his face ’cause he fought too hard
I know he’s in over his head
But I love that man like nobody can
He moves mountains and turns them to ground again
And I watched the guys getting high as they fight
For the things that they hold dear
To forget the things they fear
[Chorus – Variation]
And this is how they disappear
This is how they disappear
[Bridge]
Well now, it’s been years since I left New York
And I’ve got a kid and two cats in the yard
The California sun and the movie stars
And I watched the skies getting light as I write
As I think about those years
And I whisper in your ear
[Outro]
I’m always going to be right here
No one’s going anywhere
I’m always going to be right here
No one’s going anywhere
Meet Me In Montauk 
Lovely song. Is Antonoff producing the album?
Yep, and he co-wrote several of the tracks.
Seriously Norman Fucking Rockwell?? When did folks start naming their albums like this?