“Honeymoon” opens the album with cinematic strings reminiscent of the opening to a Cold War-era spy film. “We both know that it’s not fashionable to love me,” she croons. The opening line could be a subtle reply to critics of her stylized aesthetic and mysterious persona—Lana doesn’t care. Unlike other female pop artists, including Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, Lana’s style has remained consistent since her debut album Born to Die. Her mood changes between albums, but her cool aesthetic and whispery, smooth vocals accompanied by moody background music stay largely the same.
In “High by the Beach,” Lana sounds exhausted from the demands of a waning relationship: “The truth is I never bought in to your bullshit,” she sings in annoyed, staccato triplets. In the music video, Lana basks in the solitude of a beachside mansion until a paparazzi helicopter disturbs her. Instead of hiding, Lana pulls a bazooka out of a guitar case and blows up the helicopter: “All I want to do is get high by the beach, get high, baby baby, bye bye!” It’s an aggressive display of independence: don’t mess with Lana’s honeymoon.
Almost all of the songs on Honeymoon exceed four minutes in length, adding to the album’s cinematic feel. On “Salvatore,” perhaps the most cinematic song on the album in terms of imagery and storyline, Lana shows off her vocal range, from sultry low notes to an airy, cascading riff. Lines such as “Catch me if you can, working on my tan” reveal Lana’s sense of humor under the overall drama of the song.
While the album as a whole may seem somewhat lethargic at first listen, a few stand- out songs, such as “Music to Watch Boys To,” “High by the Beach,” “Freak,” and “Salvatore,” hold their own among Lana’s past hits. While Lana makes little effort to change her dark and dreamy musical style and “sad girl” aesthetic on Honey- moon, lyrical differences indicates a shift in focus towards embracing her independence, though she still dreams about the perfect romance.