ENIGMATIC LANA IS STILL A COWGIRL

JUST two months after her seventh LP, Chemtrails Over The Country Club, Lana Del Rey (left) gears up for the summer arrival of her eighth by releasing three new songs. On the evidence of Blue Banisters, her forthcoming album’s title track, Lana’s ‘next chapter’ won’t see her straying too far from her cool, enigmatic persona.

The soft piano ballad was co-written by Gabe Simon, of Nashville rock band Kopecky, and its references to John Deere’s iconic green tractors and outlaw country star Nikki Lane suggest Del Rey’s current obsession with cowgirl imagery is here to stay.

The other songs, Text Book and Wildflower Wildfire, are typically droll and nuanced, with the latter name-checking Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb.

With cinemas now showing the new Disney film Cruella, Florence Welch releases her soundtrack contribution as a single. Combining orchestral elements, humming electric guitars and background shrieks, Call Me Cruella is a stiletto-sharp theme that makes the most of Welch’s natural theatricality. And at just over two minutes, it doesn’t outstay its welcome.

Singer and bluegrass guitarist Molly Tuttle follows last year’s excellent lockdown album, But I’d Rather Be With You, with more well-chosen covers.

Her latest EP features a delicate take on Strong Enough, from Sheryl Crow’s first LP, and an acoustic version of Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty’s Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, a duet with soul man Nathaniel Rateliff.

Alanis Morissette pays tribute to late Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington with new song Rest, a piano ballad.

Boosted by her triumph on The Voice UK, where she marked her first season as a judge by mentoring winner Craig Eddie, Anne-Marie is back with Our Song. The single, a duet with Niall Horan, is an understated taster for forthcoming album Therapy, due in July.

And Jackson Browne previews his summer album, Downhill From Everywhere, with the chugging country-rock track My Cleveland Heart.