Norman Fucking Rockwell! is the sixth album from New York-born singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey (real name Elizabeth Grant). I have been a fan of her music for quite sometime now, with my favorite albums of her discography being 2012’s Born to Die, and 2014’s Ultraviolence. I’ve heavily enjoyed her albums, and while it can be argued that there are a few weaker albums in her catalog, they are by no means terrible. Lana’s style is very varied, as she’s experimented with genres such as alternative pop, psychedelic rock, and hip hop. I say hip hop, because even though she’s not a rapper, she’s had collaborations with rappers, and a sizable amount of her production contains hip-hop elements such as drums and 808s. Probably one of Lana’s best talents, besides her angelic voice, is her vivid songwriting.

   This album is mostly produced by Jack Antonoff and Lana, and man, is it beautiful. From the lovely pianos on the title track and “Mariners Apartment Complex,” to the dreamy harps on her cover of the Sublime hit, “Doin’ Time,” the composition of this album is gorgeous. “Venice Bitch,” is quite a long track, but the soft guitars paired with the psychedelic synths create this nostalgic feeling that relaxes the listener. Lyrics such as, “And as the summer fades away. Nothing gold can stay. You write, I tour, we make it work. You’re beautiful and I’m insane. We’re American made,” demonstrates her ability to tell a story of a happy relationship that’s racing against the pressures of time and eventual death. “Doin’ Time,” might be better than the original Sublime classic from almost 30 years ago. Lana’s vocal talent and the fresh and glossy instrumentation of the track don’t change the song too drastically, but they make it uniquely Lana. When you listen to it, you know that it’s a Lana Del Rey track just by the sound. Late Sublime frontman Bradley Nowell’s family, as well as his former bandmates loved the cover and it’s easy to see why. “Cinnamon Girl,” feels like Born to Die era Lana, and it’s easily one of my favorite tracks on the album. I really like the illustrative lyrics of this track, a line I especially like is “Kerosene in my hands. You make me mad, on fire again.” The swelling strings really help complement Lana’s beautiful vocals, and as a whole the track just feels cinematic and epic.

     It’s easy to see why so many people love this album, the orchestration and variety of different sounds which include guitars, synths, pianos and orchestral strings, give the album very romantic and nostalgic qualities. It had been a while since I listened to this album front to back, and I can see why I loved it from the very first time I listened to it. Lana’s lyrics about love have always been very well-written and descriptive, and they are especially strong on this album. There’s emotions of sadness, happiness, love, and regret that paint a evocative picture of someone’s very real emotions, especially when they’re in love with someone. Jack Antonoff is a fantastic producer, and I really like the various genres that were integrated into this album. It’s so hard to pick five favorite tracks, as I genuinely enjoyed all of them. I can’t really think of a track on this album I don’t like. And even though it’s not my favorite personally, it’s still one of the best albums Lana has ever made. 

Overall Score: 10/10

Favorite Tracks: “Doin’ Time,” “Cinnamon Girl,” “Mariners Apartment Complex,” “Venice Bitch,” “The Greatest,” “The Next Best American Record,”

Least Favorite Tracks: None

Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qolmz4FlnZ0

Genres: Psychedelic Rock/Pop/Folk Rock