Lana Del Rey’s new album is her most vulnerable yet.

Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard is a 77-minute-long tangent about the poetic ramblings of a damaged past and hopeful future. Del Rey’s 9^th studio album settles comfortably into a bizarre blend of experimental hip-hop, folk, and piano accompaniments interrupted by raw-edged interludes. Lana is known for her vulnerability, but Ocean Blvd takes her unhinged idiosyncrasies to another level. Each song is vastly different, yet somehow Del Rey ties it into a cohesive and beautiful record.

The Grants opens the album with a mistake by a gospel choir, saying “mind of you” rather than “mine of you”, foreshadowing the imperfections across the album that make it feel personal and unfiltered. Introducing us to the major themes of religion, family, and death throughout the album, Del Rey references John Denver’s “Rocky Mountain High” and the memories of her family she wishes to take with her to heaven when she dies.

Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd looks back on a past relationship, where she wonders “when’s it gonna be my turn?” to be loved fully and yearns to be remembered fondly by her lover.

Sweet is a ballad that reveals how Del Rey has matured and knows what she wants from her relationships; she is now hoping to settle down and get married rather than focus on what she left unsaid.

A&W looks into Del Rey’s youth, addressing the misogyny and hate she received because her Americana persona and wild activities. With a startling transition mid-song from a melancholy past to trap beat familiar with her early career, this song quickly became a fan favorite.

Judah Smith Interlude features a sermon by the controversial Hollywood pastor layered with piano melodies and murmurs from Del Rey herself.

Candy Necklace (feat. Jon Batiste) repeats the same soulful piano melody as Del Rey addresses her reckless obsession with her lover and his “candy necklaces”, even though he has been dragging her down.

John Batiste Interlude highlights Batistes simple piano melodies and blends seamlessly into Del Rey’s adlibs and conversating vocals.

Kintsugi is possibly the most personal song Del Rey has ever released, eulogizing members of her family that have passed. She reflects on her own grief and her tendency to run away when times get tough. Kintsugi, in Japanese, is the process of repairing broken ceramics with gold in the cracks, comparing it to “how the light gets in” her grief.

Fingertips reads like a page from her diary. A whispering stream of consciousness, Del Rey discusses her family’s love, her desire for motherhood, and mental health crises from her youth. This ballad reveals her innermost thoughts and deepest secrets when “she gave [herself] two seconds to cry.”

Paris, Texas (feat. SYML) belongs in a film. Del Rey nostalgically leaves the world she knows in search of her home.

Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he’s deep-sea fishing (feat. RIOPY) Is perhaps the most peculiar title of any Lana track. This song is full of hope and warmth. Del Rey describes “good intentions” despite the view of the public and asks for the spirit of her grandfather to protect her father while he is fishing in the pacific.

Let The Light In (feat. Father John Misty) leans into folk-rock, begging for her lover to “let the light” so they can reflect on the good parts of their relationship.

Margaret (feat. Bleachers) is dedicated to actress Margaret Qualley, fiancée of the Bleachers’ singer, and their relationship. Written about how intuition can guide how you know someone is the one for you, this song sweetly compares their relationships to the one’s Del Rey has been in.

Fishtail plays around with autotune, describing the intimacy of her lover braiding her hair. However, this relationship is toxic, and Del Rey has been “painting red flags green” because he “wanted her sadder.”

Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis) features playful rap yet doesn’t feel out of place on a melancholy album. Similar to the pop songs from her early career, Del Rey blends experimental rap with playful feminity. She references Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, played by actress Angelina Jolie, throughout the song.

Taco Truck x VB is spilt into two segments: Taco Truck and Venice B****.  Taco Truck is heavily influenced by her familiarity with Spanish culture. VB is a remixed sample from the song from her 2019 album NFR. Del Rey sings of how the media negatively portrays her, but it doesn’t matter since she has her lover by her side.

A defining point of Lana Del Rey’s career, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard is an unsettlingly beautiful record full of contradictions. Playful yet vulnerable, Del Rey strikes once again, maintaining her identity while catering to her adoring fans.