Album Review: Chemtrails Over The Country Club - Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey caught me off guard with the release of her 2019 album Norman Fucking Rockwell!. Refined, atmospheric, and poetically-written, NFR was a significant departure from the pop influence that made Del Rey’s earlier projects like Ultraviolence and Lust For Life such smash hits. I was a bit wary when I heard she was soon releasing new music, as I somewhat expected Del Rey to return to a mainstream sound with more accessible and radio-friendly songwriting. Luckily, the opposite is true. Chemtrails Over The Country Club is another step closer toward traditional indie songwriting, with minimal and acoustic production supporting potent and beautiful lyrical refrains. I had high hopes for this album, and I’m glad to say they were exceeded.

“White Dress” has a tough competitor in the title-track opener from her previous album, which immediately grabbed the listener’s attention with the introductory lyrics of “God damn man child, you fucked me so good that I almost said “I love you.’” “White Dress” isn’t immediately as gripping in terms of its lyrical content, but instead because of its delivery. Del Rey’s vocal style is more raw and emotional than ever before - a clear intentional decision to go into her upper register to deliver passionate but gentle lyrics about her past and her nostalgia for life before fame. The references to the color white denote a symbol of her perceived purity before falling into the scrutiny of the public eye, which she’ll now never be able to escape. The subject matter of this album is immediately reflective and powerful. This opener is followed by the title track, which was also one of the lead singles in the lead-up to this project. The eery contrast of chemtrails, which have previously been associated with conspiracy theories and paranoia, and a country club, which is often associated with relaxing and familial themes, evokes a sense of unease that pairs perfectly with the production from Jack Antonoff found throughout this album. I love the drum cymbal ending which quietly wraps this track up, sending us into another highlight.

“Tulsa Jesus Freak” feels like a song a long-time in the making, which makes sense when understanding that the chorus refrain of “white-hot forever” was originally going to be the title of this album. Del Rey’s vocal delivery is more recognizable and in her traditional style, but that doesn’t stop her from creatively implementing artistic approaches like the inclusion of background sound effects or tasteful autotune. Overall, this is a really great song. “Let Me Love You Like A Woman” follows, and this single fits very well into the tracklisting. This piano-backed ballad packs thoughtful and sentimental lyrics one after another until its instrumentation builds for a slightly more energetic conclusion. The vocal harmonizing is killer, as well. “Wild At Heart” explores the passions of a loving relationship that allows Del Rey to be exactly who she is and no one less. The chorus and verses intermingle with one another perfectly, and I’m reminded of how skilled of a songwriter Del Rey truly is.

“Dark But Just A Game” again explores the intricacies and difficulties that fame has forced upon Del Rey, who herself has often been in the public eye for questionable opinions and problematic statements. I feel more sympathy for her in this regard after tracks like this - it seems like she’s always coming from a good place, but that her words are often misconstrued. The chorus and verses transition masterfully, and Del Rey’s introspection continues to impress me. “Not All Who Wanted Are Lost” is one of the more straightforward tracks on the album, allowing for Del Rey to flex her vocal and harmonizing abilities while reflecting on her urges to simply explore. Her unconventional and untraditional lifestyle should be considered successful despite being much less rigid than most - an idea that seems well-explored from the singer.

“Yosemite” features a quick-paced and strong acoustic backing and explores the evergreen nature of truly healthy and successful relationships. Del Rey’s wordplay is absolutely incredible here as she finds the best ways to say things in the simplest ways. It seems that to her, a good relationship stems from being in it for all of the right reasons, which is something I can agree with. “Breaking Up Slowly” features an uncredited Nikki Lane who co-wrote the track with Del Rey. This track sounds nice but is a bit of a sonic and thematic departure from the fantastic tracks coming before it. Because of this, I wish it had instead been scrapped and released as a single. “Dance Till We Die” is a sweet homage to famous songwriters who paved the way for Del Rey to get to the level of success she has achieved. Tracks like this always impress me because of their humility. The final track, “For Free”, is a cover of one of the artists referenced in the song prior: Joni Mitchell. It features Zella Day and Weyes Blood, who I was ecstatic to see on the tracklisting. The cover chosen here was very clever and fitting stylistically, and the accompanying vocals mirror Del Rey’s perfectly. I adore anything Weyes Blood touches, so it’s safe to say that this familiar-sounding closer sat right with me. Suddenly the album is over, and Del Rey has delivered another fantastic project.

The change in sound from her last two albums is starting to feel more like a maturation than an anomaly. Lana Del Rey has solidified her signature sound and lyrical content and is now using that strong foundation to explore more universal but introspective concepts that make for great projects. Even more mature and refined than NFR’s still innocent sound, Chemtrails Over The Country Club is one of my favorite Lana Del Rey projects yet - and it still doesn’t feel like the peak of her potential.

Favorite tracks: “White Dress”, “Chemtrails Over The Country Club”, “Tulsa Jesus Freak”, “Let Me Love You Like A Woman”, “Wild At Heart”, “Dark But Just A Game”, “Not All Who Wander Are Lost”, “For Free”

SCORE: Light 7/10