on lana del rey's "NFR!"

Lana Del Rey’s 2019 release Norman Fucking Rockwell! marked a turning point in her discography. The albums leading up to her - in my personal opinion - best yet are characterized by their cinematic nature, both in terms of lyricism and production - but the memorability and quality of her songs varied song to song. Songs like her viral Video Games and majestic Young and Beautiful showcased her songwriting and vocal ability, and coupled with grand, extravagant production, the best of her work is extremely impressive and sets her apart from her peers in the music industry. However, her monumental highs also come with lows - songs like National Anthem or even Born to Die's Radio can come across as repetitive and superficial. Nevertheless, Del Rey’s career, spanning more than a decade, has been impressive, and with each new album she releases, a new facet of her creativity is revealed that brings even more intrigue to her and her illustrious, albeit controversial, career. With that in mind, Norman Fucking Rockwell! was an exponential improvement from her forgettable Lust for Life, released two years prior. As of NFR!, her highs have never been so high - Del Rey draws upon her many strengths in this record, and Jack Antonoff only elevates her already excellent material. Norman Fucking Rockwell! sees Del Rey shedding the larger than life persona that she was infamous for and instead embracing the nature of a full, yet quiet life - and this is reflected in the album’s lyricism and production. NFR!, when it was initially released in 2019, was the quietest of her records, and four years later, a more intimate, hushed sound is a hallmark of her music. However, when NFR! was released, despite its warm critical reception, her new, decidedly less cinematic sound was the subject of controversy among her fans. Despite this discord, however, fans quickly realized that NFR was one of her best records yet - if not the best, and today, Norman Fucking Rockwell is hailed as Del Rey’s best release to date. 

Del Rey was - ‘was’ being the operative word - perhaps most known for her patriotism and romanticization of the ever mocked 'American Dream'. NFR! is her first album that cuts through the Rockwellian fantasy of 'the land of the free' - even the record’s name itself irreverently disrupts the fantasy of the American Dream, the 'fucking' cutting through the title that references famously patriotic painter Norman Rockwell. In addition to the sometimes cynical - and always honest - lyricism found throughout NFR!, the production also sees a significant change compared to her other albums - soft strings and piano can be found in almost every song, inspiring a profound sense of intimacy and solitude that is only further encouraged by her lyricism that's both unflinchingly blunt and affectionate. Love song is a prime example of this; opening with soft swells of strings with a lone cello occasionally shining through the haze of sound, it crescendos until Del Rey begins to sing of insecurity and longing for a relationship that remains true regardless of the fickle nature of life. Love song, like many of the songs on NFR!, cultivates an intimate atmosphere, especially when opposed to an album like her Born to Die - but that’s not to say that NFR is restrained to a fault. Almost every song on the record is easily distinct and memorable (Bartender and The Next Best American Record are arguably low points in the album) and the delicate, restrained production lends a nostalgic tone to the record that only increases with each listen. NFR! reaches its climax with The greatest, a song soaked in nostalgia and a blurry electric guitar that swells and comes down from its peak with a lone creaky piano and lyrics that wander through cultural capstones of the late 2010s.

Experimentation is another factor that distinguishes NFR! from other albums in Del Rey’s discography: Venice Bitch is a nine minute and thirty-seven second long haze of a song, beginning with tame, airy instrumentals and lyrics that conjure warm breezes and summer sunsets fading away into fall (and as the summer fades away/nothing gold can stay). Based on the first few minutes, the song seems set up to be a sweet ballad to relax to - however, around the halfway point, Venice Bitch flows into a hypnotically mesmerizing neo-psychedelic trip, with hazy guitars and muffled vocals enthralling and transporting the listener into a dream-like state. It’s songs like these that distinguish NFR! as a standout album from Del Rey’s previous work - Venice Bitch, Mariners Apartment Complex, The greatest, and even the title track showcase her songwriting and visionary ability to bring already special songs to their highest peak. 

Norman Fucking Rockwell!, listen after listen, feels just magical and entrancing as it did from the first listen, if not more so. Del Rey balances cynical lyricism and tender recollections of a bygone era with a deft hand, sending the listener on a gratifying emotional journey with every song. Every lyric, every instrument, every small detail that went into this record was essential to this wistful, nostalgic haze of an album. To put it simply: Norman Fucking Rockwell! is Del Rey’s masterpiece, and chances are that anyone who loves music for its ability to enchant, captivate, and enthrall - namely, everybody - will finish the album feeling fulfilled, if not a bit wistful.