By Audrey Elwood, Guest Writer

Calling all sad girlies and guys: Mitski has released her new album The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, and it is a certified banger. Mitski is known for her iconic “sad girl” indie rock, but in her seventh and newest album, she goes into a more organic and mellow vibe. 

Mitski is returning from what she previously claimed was her last album, and she came back swinging. In her new album, we get new tracks that deviate from her standard — a richer and more mature sound that complements the subject matter. 

One of the standout songs is “My Love Mine All Mine.” In this ballad, Mitski deviates from her standard of complex lyrical choruses. The chorus is insanely simple: “Cause my love is mine, all mine / I love, my, my, mine / Nothing in the world belongs to me / But my love, mine, all mine, all mine.” 

The lyrics are uncomplicated, but the song conveys the message that love should be uncomplicated. It adds to the message within its simplicity. While this song may not be a lyrical masterpiece, it is a masterpiece of love. “My Love Mine All Mine” perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being awestruck with love — being healed by a partner, with perfect amounts of giving and receiving. It’s straightforward but effortless, with harmonies in the background that give it an angelic feeling.

We also see much more storytelling within the songs themselves, namely in “Buffalo Replaced” and “I Love You After You.” We get taken on a journey within the songs alongside our protagonist.

In “I Love You After You,” we get to see our protagonist reeling from the end of their relationship. With messages of self-care being the focal point of the first verse, we see them heal within the song.Mitski’s lyricism gives the listener an immersive experience. 

In “I’m Your Man,” we get the complex lyrical symbolism that Mitski is known for. The most impactful lyrics are in the beginning: “You’re an angel, I’m a dog / Or you’re a dog and I’m your man / You believe me like a god / I destroy you like I am.” In these lyrics, Mitski paints us a picture of an imbalanced relationship of pedestals and of betrayal. This track especially highlights the immaculate backing vocals that this album is known for. The low humming gives us a feeling of anticipation that could not be achieved in any other way. 

A couple of songs within this album feel out of place within Mitski’s discography, namely “When Memories Snow” and “Heaven.” These tracks feel like a traditional Mitski song in cadence and tone, with a country and folk twang. It feels like there is no change to match the genre. I especially disliked the usage of organs on “When Memories Snow.” It felt out of place and really soured my enjoyment of the song. 

There are tracks where she does this genre switch well, such as “The Deal” and “Buffalo Replaced.” The vocals feel very suited for the songs.

Mitski explained her newfound style in a pre-release interview.

“This is my most American album, and the music feels like a profound act of witnessing in this country, in all of its private sorrows and painful contradictions,” she said. 

It shows the influences of the country genre and the Americana aesthetic are heavily present with a special Mitski flair. While the stylistic choices within the instrumentals are amazing, what really stands out, as always, is Mitski’s lyricism. 

This album is marvelous and is my current favorite of the year. 

Photo courtesy of flickr.com