Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd – Lana Del Rey ★★★½

Year	Album	Artist	Stars	Score	Genre
2023	Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd	Lana Del Rey	★★★½	72	Pop	Singer-songwriter

Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd is probably my favorite Lana Del Rey album. 

I’m not usually a fan of Lana’s albums, and some of the things that typically irk me about her work — intentionally nonchalant vocals, pretentiously arty and low-energy instrumentation, overly sexual and edgy lyrics that feel manufactured, and unnecessary ad libs — are still present here. But in recent years I think she’s done a good job at tempering those things  down  a little, while mixing vocal styles a bit, writing lyrics that are more reflective, self aware (in a good way) and sometimes self-deprecating, and using more detailed, lush musical elements that are indeed elevated. 

The majority of the tracks on her ninth album include intimate vocal performances and repetitive, satisfying hooks over simple piano work and pretty backing string sections. They build in nice, dramatic ways and give Lana a chance to show off her vocals from time to time. The title track is a strong effort near the top of the album, while “Grandfather Please Stand on the Shoulders of My Father While He’s Deep-Sea Fishing” is a really tender, beautiful movement closer to the end that’s both musically and lyrically dense. The most intimate passages throughout the album are pretty interesting. A lot of it blends together, but the songs are all pretty solid. 

Naturally though, the tracks that stood out to me are those with featured artists or small changes to the presentation. Lana uses various singing styles and harmonies on “A&W,” which has an interesting instrumental switch at the end that is pretty cool. “Paris, Texas” uses a 6/8 time signature instead of 4/4 which gives the pianos and strings a little more energy and bounce. 

“Candy Necklace” features piano work by Jon Batiste that is more lively and vibrant. The drums and group singing on “Margaret” — which features a verse from one of the album’s co-writers, Jack Antonoff —  also provide some needed dynamics to the project. And while I’m not typically a fan of Father John Misty for many of the same reasons I don’t love Lana’s work, for some reason bringing the two indie artists together is a great pairing; the acoustic guitars, backing keys and strings, and the subtle guest vocals on “Let the Light In” make it a standout moment. 

The biggest issue I have with the record is how long it is. At nearly 78 minutes, it’s a LOT to get through and sort out. The last three songs on the album also kind of go off in different directions that feel out of place and unnecessary when compared  to the rest of the record. The “Judah Smith Interlude” is also just weird, and at four and a half minutes it’s hardly just something that  you can tune out and ignore. There’s a message in there somewhere, but it’s not a good time.  And I kind of cringed at the studio-take aspect of the opening minute of the record, which made me almost shut the record off before it began, but the song settles in and ends up being pretty good. 

Outside of those though, I can’t say any of the songs are bad. I may not return to the entire record too often, but it’s hard to deny how nice the music sounds.