Nick Harris

I'm typically always listening to old music and/or obscure music I find on deep dives on Youtube, Spotify, Bandcamp, or just via word-of-mouth (or word-of-social-media), so I often miss out on the big, zeitgeist-y records that get released. The Grammys' main broadcast provides me with a nice little summary window into what's going on in the mainstream music world every year, and last week as I was checking out some of the major nominees, I was struck by this song on Lana Del Ray's latest. It's probably the most melancholy recording I've heard since Sufjan's 'Should've Known Better' (and the rest of that 'Carrie & Lowell' album) a few years ago. It matches the vibe of these dark, cold February evenings here in Chicago.

I think you could write a pretty solid essay about how Del Ray's huge success as this stylized, ultra-sad (honestly, too sad for me most of the time, but I appreciate it now and then) Americana songwriter reflects a deep desolation, depression, hopelessness etc that sits just under the surface of present day American society as the bloated, rotten empire gradually slides toward entropy. I bet someone probably has already!