Lana Del Rey is back with her second album of 2021, following the release of Chemtrails Over the Country Club in March. The new record, titled Blue Bannisters, features 15 new tracks. This deluge of material reminds me of Taylor Swift’s one-two punch of Folklore and Evermore last year.
It’s great to witness artists peaking creatively and channeling that inspiration into new albums. Often when I look back at the careers of big stars from the 70s, I’m amazed to see how often they released albums during their heyday. Feels like we’re seeing the same sort of thing with Swift and Del Rey.
Like Chemtrails, Blue Bannisters finds Del Rey retreating from the microscope of fame and finding solace in her inner circle. The album is filled with references to her father, sister and closest friends.
While some of these tracks were written long ago, during sessions for previous albums, others touch on current events. References to quarantine, face masks, and Black Lives Matter rallies pepper the tracklist.
Sonically, Del Rey rarely strays from the atmospheric balladry that made her famous, though this album finds her trying some new things vocally. I’ve never heard her as aggressive and unbridled as she sounds on some of these songs.
Today’s track is a standout. It seems to be inspired by criticism Del Rey received after gaining weight over the past year (people are the worst). And the first verse does a splendid job summing up the low-key depressed exhaustion of life during the pandemic.
Grenadine quarantine, I like you a lot
It’s LA, “Hey” on Zoom, Target parking lot
And if this is the end, I want a boyfriend
Someone to eat ice cream with and watch television
Or walk home from the mall with
‘Cause what I really meant is when I’m being honest
I’m tired of this shit
[Pre-Chorus]
‘Cause my body is my temple, my heart is one, too
The only thing that still fits me is this black bathing suit
You don’t know me any better than they do, baby
My time is run over, so the only time you’ll ever see me
Is in your dreams, in my black bathing suit
Lookin’ at me lookin’ over at you real cute ’cause
[Chorus]
He said I was bad, let me show you how bad girls do
‘Cause no one does it better
He said I was bad, let me show you how bad girls do
‘Cause no one does it better
[Verse 2]
Swisher Sweet, magazines, promise you it’s not
‘Cause of you that I’m mean, it’s my afterthoughts
And what I never said, why there’s a price on my head
It’s nothing to do with them, it’s my karmic lineage
So I’m not friends with my mother, but I still love my dad
Untraditional lover, can you handle that?
[Pre-Chorus]
I guess I’m complicated, my life’s sorta, too
I wish you could see to my soul through this black bathing suit
You don’t know me any better than they do, baby
‘Cause I sing like an angel, my heart’s like one, too
The only thing that fits is this black bathing suit
Lookin’ at me lookin’ over at you real cute ’cause
[Chorus]
He said I was bad, let me show you how bad girls do
‘Cause no one does it better
He said I was bad, let me show you how bad girls do
‘Cause no one does it better
They said I was bad and I’ll show them what bad girls do
[Outro]
My black bathing suit
(Oh, let ’em talk about me)
They’re just yesterday’s news
(They’re fucking broke and we’re laughin’ about them)
Mail me when you get the blues
(We’ll have the last laugh about it)
By the way, thanks for the shoes
Your interest really made stacks
Your interest really made stacks
Your interest really made stacks out of it
Your interest really made stacks out of it for me (So, thanks for that)
Your interest really made stacks out of it for me (So, thanks for that)
Your interest really made stacks out of it for me
So thanks for that
Meet Me In Montauk 
“Your interest really made stacks out of it for me.” That’s an interesting lyric. Never heard that expression before.