There are not many notable jazz and blues voices in the music industry these days, and it is no secret that Lana Del Rey is the queen of the genre. Her voice has a hypnotizing effect on its listeners; no one can forget the way she chills you with the high notes and haunts your love life with her somber lyrics. After a year of little to no press and the release of her horribly sad sophomore album “Ultraviolence” in 2014, fans were afraid Lana had taken her last drive down some Californian highway with some demeaning, disappointing sugar daddy by her side.
Then, she managed to bring the old Hollywood glamour back this September in her sophisticated third album. In “Honeymoon,” we still have her proper obsession with California, desire to feel high, and constant attempts to be accepted by her significant other, but this time, this all comes with a poetic vibe that would get a nod of approval from the likes of T.S. Eliot. "Honeymoon,” does nothing short of proving the worth of one of today's most misunderstood musicians in the industry. While the entire 14 track album swims cohesively, here are the top three tracks on the list:
1. High By the Beach
This song screams Lana Del Rey. Everything that comes to the top of your head when someone says her lavish name: California, drugs, boys, a badass female, and misunderstood love, is all wrapped up in this single track. This song will most likely be the most popular in both sales and with critics, and for good reason. Lana’s voice, the skeletal hip-hop beat, and catchy lyrics will have everyone slowly bobbing their heads and swaying their hips to this track.
2. Music To Watch Boys To
This was the second pre-release track from this album (“High By the Beach” was first), and in recent interviews, Del Rey explained it was considered for the album title. Her haunting demeanor and voice really come through with this song, and it is guided by the lyrics. “I like you a lot” runs the show, while the rest of the chorus lyrics are mumbled to draw listeners in. Nobody stood a chance with this track; Lana hasn’t lost her power for putting you in a dreamy, glamorous spell.
3. Freak
Keep waving that California Republic flag, Lana, it is so patriotic of you, and it has made every Midwestern girl’s dreams of finding themselves in the "Golden State" grow 100 times larger. In her latest tribute to California, “Freak,” Del Rey compares her love to the state of dreamers, all while admitting how her life there is monitored closely under a microscope. But no need to worry, she reassures her lover, singing “Loving me is all you need to feel like I do.” Despite labeling herself in the song as a “Freak,” we think this track does nothing but put a refined cool sign on her forehead. While too toned down to be considered pop, come the chorus, you will surely be out of your seat softly swaying along with Lana herself.
Other Favorites: Honeymoon, Art Deco, and Religion
Honeymoon Track List
1. Honeymoon
2. Music To Watch Boys To
3. Terrence Loves You
4. God Knows I Tried
5. High By The Beach
6. Freak
7. Art Deco
8. Burnt Norton - Interlude
9. Religion
10. Salvatore
11. The Blackest Day
12. 24
13. Swan Song
14. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
