"a beautiful blur" - LANY Album Review

LANY has released their fifth studio album, and it is extremely nostalgic to the old LANY sounds and their new intricate rock persona. There is a lot of drama revolving around this album, which has sparked a lot of confusion and interest around “a beautiful blur." The album absolutely lives up to the hype and drama in the media, finally giving LANY the name they deserve.

Originally the album was announced on May 29, 2023, and was supposed to be titled “i really really hope so” and was set to be released on September 29, 2023. LANY had released four singles before announcing on Sept. 18 that the album title was changing to “A Beautiful Blur."

LANY posted this album update on Instagram merely 11 days before the album was released, claiming this was the original title all along. Fans of LANY immediately took to the comment section claiming that this change made them confused and feel a little off about this 5th album.

This isn’t the only drama circulating this album, as LANY had recently lost a member of their band on April 7, 2022. Charles Leslie Priest announced he was leaving LANY to focus on his own musical artwork, however, there has been no update from him. The two current members are Paul Jason Klein and Jake Clifford Goss, and their artwork in this studio album truly sets them apart.

Through all the drama and media issues, the four singles for this album truly reminded the fans that LANY’s music is what sets them apart. The singles were: “Love At First Fight,” “Alonica,” “XXL” and “Home Is Where The Hurt Is." Immediately, the media took an intense interest in “XXL” and its "replayability" and mesmerizing melody with dynamic lyrics.

“Congrats” is a single released by LANY on Aug. 24, 2022, and it is included as track 10 on “A Beautiful Blur”. This song truly shows the impressive, stylish, and riotous range of LANY. This song is comparable to “never mind, let’s break up” from “gg bb xx” as it stands apart from the rest of the album.

If fans are comparing this album to LANY’s previous works, it’s obvious that this ethereal music sounds similar to “Malibu Nights” and “mama’s boy” instead of their previous album “gg bb xx”. It’s clear that LANY has diverged back to its original art form, which is appreciated and loved more by fans.

“a beautiful blur” houses some of LANY’s most beautiful and meaningful songs, encapsulating euphonious sounds in songs such as “Alonica” and “Sugar & Cinnamon." The album also contains quintessential pop and progressive sounds in the songs “It Even Rains In LA” and “Congrats."

“Love At First Fight” greatly demonstrates the sound that LANY adopts, and this specific song is extremely well-rounded and visionary. LANY has an insane gift with its art of creating a sound that allows listeners to understand the story being told. This song is truly sensitive and unique and includes hypnotizing hard panning when listening with headphones.

LANY’s fifth studio album perfectly matches their previous four, and accentuates their work in an impressive manner. LANY deserves a seat next to well-known artists, as they truly encompass art in a way unknown to man. They plan on going on tour for the remainder of the year, and will be taking “a beautiful blur” through the whole world.

Rating: 9/10

Reviewers favorite songs: “It Even Rains In LA,” “Alonica,” “Love At First Fight,” “Congrats, “(Saturday Night) 3:22 A.M.”

Reviews least favorite songs: “Heartbreak Can Wait,” “Home Is Where The Hurt Is."

Grace Bowman is a third-year majoring in biology and minoring in psychological sciences. To contact her, email gab5585@psu.edu