Lana Del Rey releases best album of 2023

Lana+Del+Rey+performing+in+San+Francisco+at+the+Bill+Graham+Civic+Auditorium%2C+2014%2C+by+Allan+Wan.

Allan Wan

Lana Del Rey performing in San Francisco at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, 2014, by Allan Wan.

Nicolas Spallone, Reporter

After four long years of waiting, this past Friday, Lana Del Rey finally released her new album “Did you know there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.” Lana has been one of the largest alternate-pop singers for about a decade after her song “Summertime Sadness” received success in 2012. However, in recent years, Lana has accumulated millions of additional supporters due to her music’s massive reach on social media.

Before the album’s release, Lana dropped two singles in late-December and mid-February, the lead single being her title track “Did you know there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” and “A&W,” leaving fans on edge for the upcoming project. The 26-song album is accompanied by six different features from the likes of singer Jon Batiste to French pianist RIOPY. Also on the tight feature list is New Jersey-based producer Jack Antonoff, also known as Bleachers, his band name, as shown on the track list. Antonoff’s legendary production can be found across various Lana Del Ray projects and unreleased songs over the years, making his appearance a fan-favorite on her songs.

The title track and second song of the album “Did you know there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” references the Jergins Tunnel, located in Long Beach, California. The pedestrian tunnel operated as a method of transportation for people to get from the city to the beach. The song also features many references to notorious 70’s musicians such as Harry Nilsson and the Eagles. In one line, Lana says “There’s a girl who sings ‘Hotel California’ not because she loves the notes or sounds that sound like Florida…” This allusion to the Eagles’ infamous “Hotel California” is rumored to be about her song “Shades of Cool” on her highly-acclaimed 2014 album “Ultraviolence,” which strikes many resemblances to the Eagles’ track, specifically within the chord progression of the instrumental. Many songs on the new album feature emotional pianos and gorgeous strings, followed by Lana’s infamous high-pitched and ethereal vocals.

Lana Del Ray’s new project “Did you know there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’‘ is a beautiful release for old and new fans of Lana, touching on the melancholic lows and nostalgic highs that have pieced together her life. This is an album for anybody who enjoys music, as it incorporates all types of genres into one.