Mitski released her seventh studio album, The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, Sept. 15, 2023.
This album diverged into a different genre of music that Mitski had yet to explore in her previous albums. While her albums before had featured a range of indie rock and pop, her newest album is centered on country and folk music.
Releasing a new style of music when she is already such an established artist, known for her unique sound, is a risk. It’s hard for many audiences to accept that their favorite artist may want to try new things. People often say that only an artist’s old music is good, but they don’t like it because it’s different.
However, some artists try to make new music with a different style, which is a failure. But Mitski is timeless for her ability to make music relatable to people of different ages and backgrounds, no matter what it sounds like.
1. “Bug Like an Angel”
The first single released, this song tells the story of self-destruction and loneliness. It was a great way to introduce and gain excitement for her new album because it reminded her audience that she has no mercy and wants to make them cry.
2. “Buffalo Replaced”
This song’s message is related to many people, which is part of what makes Mitski’s music so great. This song talks about feeling like an outsider, like a “mosquito that can no longer enter the house,” as life and people change.
3. “Heaven”
This song takes a turn from the previous songs in her album, and instead of talking about isolation, she is talking about companionship. She is talking about a love that can help ignore the problems out in the world and just focus on the comfort of relationships.
4. “I Don’t Like My Mind”
Back to the melancholy spirits of her album, this song’s focus is regret. Mitski tells about her disdain for being alone, listening to her thoughts and recanting her mistakes. Self-destructive behaviors lead to more painful memories, which leads to more self-destruction.
5. “The Deal”
This song takes a turn from her previous albums as the storyteller in this song is not Mitski herself but someone apart from her. This narrator wants to rid themselves of their soul, just to get rid of it and the things attached to it.
6. “When Memories Snow”
In this song, just like “I Don’t Like My Mind,” Mitski details memories that block her path in life, stopping her from moving forward. She seeks to process these memories by “shoveling” them to heal finally.
7. “My Love Mine All Mine”
This is arguably the best song on the album. Mitski describes a love so powerful and unique to herself that she wants it to last forever. She asks the moon to preserve her passion so that her love will shine on the people she loves the most when she dies.
8. “The Frost”
This song talks about how losing someone close to you can cause a feeling of isolation. The lyrics tell of someone who seemed almost “abandoned,” and their previous feelings had been ignored or disregarded. The narrator has no one to rely on anymore.
9. “Star”
Yet another shift in song theme, this song details the power of love. Even though a love or relationship may end, there will always be what was once there. Mitski writes this message as a relationship; starting, the love remains pure and joyful. The second verse then describes codependency in relationships and how that affects one’s perspective.
10. “I’m Your Man”
This song portrays a different kind of relationship than the song before it. “I’m Your Man” shows how self-destructive behavior and manipulation affect relationships. In this story, Mitski always expects betrayal in her relationships, so she lashes out as if she were the man in the relationship. She feels less than in this relationship; her partner is a god.
11. “I Love Me After You”
Wrapping up the album, this song recounts finding herself after a relationship has ended. She depicts a new sense of freedom as she is no longer tied down by past pain. She is embracing her new-found confidence and finding the strength to grow independently.
In all, Mitski’s albums are beautiful in their specific ways. Most of them follow their theme: relationships, isolation and self-worth. Her ability to write from the perspective of herself or a disembodied narrator makes her songs more relatable to all viewers. This album was enjoyable all around and deserves a 5/5.
