When was the last time you saw someone smiling on an album cover? I did a basic search of '(year) albums' (I admit this is limited) and saw Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book has him smiling, but he looks down, away from the camera and obscures his face with the brim of his cap.
It's kind of weird that Lana Del Rey has been considered an influence of the 'sad girl' aesthetic but in this album, Lust for Life, she is smiling directly at the camera, the single being called Love, etc. All affirmative, in what is supposed to be her most political album. Strange in that it seems to be against the prevalent idea that in order to love music you need to be a serious person, and to be serious about music -- you can't have fun with music. I think this has had a kind of detrimental effect, honestly, to limit music and approaches to music-making in this way. I like serious music, but compared to the era that Lana draws some sort of inspiration from, I think we've forgotten that music can be fun and good at the same time. Is bossa nova bad? Are even sad bossa nova songs not fun? Isn't even EDM kind of serious, and when EDM is cited to have artistic merit, no doubt it is in reference to a serious album?
I don't think it's a controversial opinion to say that there is a meaningful connection between an album and its album art -- similarly between a song and it's title. So is it fair to say that, judging from contemporary approaches to album art, we can determine there is a similar approach to the production of music itself? A sort of 'attitude' -- one of seriousness?
Either way it is strange to see someone smiling on their album cover.
Lincoln Hill
smilecore
Lucas Lee
DID SOMEBODY SAY SMILE
Daniel Ward
like every country record ever made
Hudson Phillips
essential smilecore
Camden Powell
...
Noah Morales
ofc
Adam Nelson
Its devoid of subtlety or taste like her music
Samuel Lopez
:)
Lucas Lewis
>townes van zandt no smile just heroin
Ayden Thomas
better smile than lana
Landon Lopez
...
Isaac Barnes
good thread
Andrew Gray
It's like the mona lisa
Colton Hernandez
all time classic
Eli Howard
come on...
Brandon Gomez
...
Ayden Richardson
...
Landon Wright
Never noticed the knife before.
Eli Hughes
0 chilboiys
Nolan Evans
Excellent
Lincoln Clark
Interesting post, despite these replies, OP. Do you think that Iggy album totally inspired her doing that on this? I absolutely think so
I've always thought Lana was just decent, but "Love" was her best song yet, and I'm definitely excited for this release, now
Brayden Jenkins
Official Smile Ratings 9/10 Very nice smile 7/10 10/10 10/10 7/10 2/10 Bad smiles :( 9/10 8/10 6/10 6/10 9/10 10/10 8/10 10/10 2/10
Lucas Clark
happy men
Nicholas Gutierrez
who's a good drummer boy. you are, sweet little art....
Levi Ward
This Buckley guy must have been a very cheerful dude.
Isaac Gutierrez
sweet man
Kayden Long
...
Luis Bennett
The replies are interesting because you can see differences between the use of smiling on album covers for different effects, like looking sinister, or being ironically appropriative, etc. Which makes me wonder, in light of Iggy Pop's album, is Lana smiling on her album in homage? It's likely, but I don't think it is strictly homage, or meant to just be evocative of albums from a different time. My main point was about a 'climate' of music (and politics) and the seriousness expected of musicians. My argument isn't solid but I think there's a real sense of resistance in her album cover to prescribed ideas of how to be in this time, and is not really an escapism or ignorance but generally a kind of going your own way. The Mac DeMarco cover posted is the most similar it seems to me.
I haven't heard Love yet because I don't want to overlisten to it before I hear it on the album.
Sebastian Kelly
Come on, give your uncle sam a hug! Wait, what's that? No--- auugh!
Nolan Wood
...
Ryan Price
I feel you man. Agreed that it's interesting to see the range from sinister to genuine.
Lana's just seems *so* genuine -- it makes you smile back! It's particularly striking when she's always had that "sad girl" image like mentioned. She frigging championed that.
Also, can't deny, she has *never* looked prettier than on that cover
Eli Evans
>it's supposed to be her most political album now where did this come from
Blake Perry
>me on the right
Jayden Murphy
Not him but she's said in an interview that it's going to be very political, very 'now' with post-Trump shit :/ annoying, I know
But 'Love' is not like that, thankfully.
Alexander Perry
It's genuine, it's representative, it stands out from other albums despite the use of muted photography which is common, it stands out from her own artistic image.
I really, really, really like this image.
Ayden Martin
Glad you agree, OP. Glad it's making other people feel the same happiness.
