Lana Del Rey, “Salvatore”
In anticipation of her upcoming album Honeymoon due this week, Lana Del Rey has dropped her fifth track from the album, “Salvatore.” Reminiscent of Frank Sinatra and Audrey Hepburn’s “Roman Holiday,” the soothing, romantic song takes us back to 1940s and 1950s Italy, where Lana flexes on us with her use of Italian; and where we also bear witness to Lana’s indecision. Throughout the song, we hear her describe her tough Italian lover, her “cacciatore,” which means hunter in Italian, but she also continually alludes to a second lover, her “soft ice cream.” We’ll find out if this means the album is full of songs about indecision or songs about food when the album arrives in full.
New Order feat. La Roux, “Plastic”
New Order’s been around for a minute—since 1981—and they aren’t slowing down. They’re now gearing up to release their next album Music Complete, which will be laden with a fair number of features, including Elly Jackson of La Roux, who supplies the background vocals on the latest cut “Plastic.” Employing synths, guitar riffs and vocals embedded in a 1980s aesthetic, the near-seven minute song is a biting take on being fake. “It’s official/ You’re fantastic / You’re so special/ So iconic.”
Deafheaven, “Come Back”
Deafheaven is slated to release their live recorded album New Bermuda in a few weeks. If you’re a fan of Deafheaven, then you know the band isn’t for the faint of heart—and with their second single off the album, “Come Back,” they stick to that ethos. They spend the first few minutes of the song inarticulately screaming, per the typical black metal trope, and then shift into a call-and-response of guitar and drums, and vocals, and then finally melt into soothing instrumentals. Deafheaven’s on an actual Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-type tip.