Some of Lana's recent releases ("Lust for Life," "Stairway to Heaven") have been....not great? Whether because of rushed lyrics, increased intervention of pop producers, or a substandard mixing that has yet to rival the rich orchestrations of "Love" (released just a month ago! What happened?), Lana has been putting out some suprisingly "meh" stuff lately. Granted, her music has a way of growing on people, but if you want to appreciate her new releases without actually listening to them, here are some great musical fanfic pieces celebrating the "Lust for Life" that could have been, and might still be.
1. "Lust for Life" Harp Cover by Winterly Heights
Music software has improved so much that fans can produce lush, Paradise-style orchestrations even when Lana doesn't want to. This ethereal instrumental brings to mind the airy version of "Young and Beautiful" that played in The Great Gatsby - and the best part is a sly insertion of the chorus from "Without You" as a counterpoint/throwback to Born to Die.
2. "Coachella - Woodstock in my Mind" Orchestral Cover by Antonin Charvat
Lana has said that she originally intended the album, which is angling to be her most political, to have an early Joan Baez feel, but abandoned this idea. It's my personal opinion that "Coachella - Woodstock" had the potential to be Lana's greatest song in years, but the cheap-sounding, completely automated production, uber-specific and cluncky lyrics (rhyming "Coachella" with hella"), and pretentious title kept it from achieving whatever timelessness that Lana was going for. What hurts is that she was so close. If it had been more acoustic, and if it had some of the poetic vagueness of a Dylan song instead of "I was at Coachella," it really could have been a song for a generations, whatever that means. Anyway, this grand orchestral cover - by Charvat, who never disappoints - is great. Especially the plaintive, spaghetti-Western-sounding trumpet (!)
3. "Love" by Sara King
One of the biggest, most popular covers, but stellar production quality and great vocals/instrumentals are so hard to find on YouTube covers.
4. "Coachella - Woodstock in My Mind" by Simi x
A little coffeehouse, but retains the extremely anthemic melody of the original with a more acoustic, actual-Woodstock feel.
5. "Love" by Vivace
The video is extra but the harmonies are good. I give you two woman going ham with harmonies on the second "coffee shop" to keep from laughing but I think that's what that song needed to remind us - after listening to it 50 times - just how ridiculous "coffee shop" sounded on the first listen.
6. "Love" by Chester Lockhart
Lockhart approached the "coffee shop" line with suitable humor and irony in this edgy soft industrial-techno cover that sounds right out of a Berlin club in the 80s.
7. "Lust for Life" acoustic guitar cover by Egor Koshelev
Did you ever wonder - hm, what sounds is Lana going to experiment with this time? Oh, nothing? Just try to replicate Born to Die? Well, imagine she went the Eagles route with this one. Has she ever covered "Hotel California?" Why doesn't she do that.
