Review by Logan Peaslee
Lana Del Rey has released her third album, “Honeymoon,” and proven that the third time’s not always the charm. “Honeymoon” can be summed up in one word—boring. The first and title track “Honeymoon” is the epitome of the album’s overall sound; it is listless, uninspiring and an effective alternative to a sleeping aid like melatonin.
While being generally dull, the album also features failed attempts at insightfulness, which is a sharp departure from Lana Del Rey’s earlier work. On her previous albums, Lana Del Rey uniquely fused vintage musicality with provocative lyrics. On this album, she ditches interesting lyrics for lyrics like, “There are violets in your eyes.” The album also has a song called “Burnt Norton (Interlude)” on which Lana reads a T.S. Eliot poem over a track that sounds like it was taken directly off a relaxation CD for a spa. It leaves the listener rolling their eyes for one minute and 22 seconds.
Lana feebly tries to uphold her former provocative style with the song “High By the Beach.” She takes a horribly produced pop track and lifelessly sings about drugs over it. She throws in a few swear words too. “High By the Beach” stands out (and not in a good way). It’s an obvious and halfhearted attempt to refashion the unique style that put her on the map.
One thing Lana did not completely loose on “Honeymoon” is her gift for creating enchanting melodies. There are a few impressive tracks on this album that are a testament to that. The songs “Music To Watch Boys To” and “Terrence Loves You” succeed at being cinematic and affecting without being snooze worthy. Both of these songs have haunting melodies and great lyrics. In “Terrence Loves You,” Lana sings, “I lost myself when I lost you, but I’ve still got jazz when I’ve got those blues.” It’s genuinely moving. She also retains her unique singing style. “Honeymoon” has carefree crooning galore. If only she was doing it on good songs.
Lana Del Rey’s earlier work was a pleasantly distinctive mixture of Old Hollywood glamour and modern pop sound. Lana Del Rey’s more recent work—“Honeymoon” especially—is a peculiar mixture of Old Hollywood film scores and modern pop marketing. Personally, I prefer her old approach. If you can make it to the end of “Honeymoon” without falling asleep, feel free to disagree with me.
The album is a boring labor of love for Lana Del Rey. Hopefully, her honeymoon phase with “Honeymoon” will end, and Lana will prove that it’s actually the fourth time that’s the charm.
