Laurel Hell - Mitski

Mitski’s 6th album comes nearly 4 years after “Be The Cowboy”

B+/A-

I think there is a lot to be said about when an artist makes a triumphant return from a period of dormancy (ex. Blonde, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, Hounds of Love, and possibly whatever Sky Ferreira has cooking), however sometimes you can’t match that perfect balance of maturity and critical acclaim in your music.

Now don’t get me wrong, I am a Mitski fan through and through, I would probably faint if she were in my presence. That being said, Mitski understandably wants to break from the 5 albums’ tradition of being the indie sad bitch we know and love. She’s getting older, she’s grown as a person. I love that for her it’s very cute and wholesome or whatever.

“Memes. Love the memes. Love the kids with the memes.”

Laurel Hell exists in this weird space where we’re so fucking tired of sadness and despair that it’s exciting to get happy/upbeat tunes from an artist you love, that was the vibe we all got from the early Pandemic albums of other artists. It makes me happy that Mitski is evolving in her artistry as she has with each successive album cycle, and why shouldn’t she? Be the Cowboy was an album that marked her Saturn Return, a period of self-realization and fulfillment. No wonder she said this of touring back in 2019:

“I sense that if I don’t step away soon, my self-worth/identity will start depending too much on staying in the game, in the constant churn”

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Now…the singles? Great as usual! “Working for the Knife” was the shock we were all needing late in 2021 and I especially found I had lost my breath after immediately going to her website to buy tickets that were instantly sold out 🤧. A somewhat-loose critique on either capitalism as a whole - the daily grind, or her experience as a musician, tying in with that quote. It kind of starts where Cowboy left off as far as the more guitar driven songs go. I was excited for a more country-folk album.

“The Only Heartbreaker,” is decidedly the crown jewel of Laurel Hell singles, with its simple chord progressions, good hook, and just an all around jammable tune. A bop if you will. I still think it’s weird it made Obama’s top songs list cause now I just imagine him at social events like

When I first heard “Heat Lightning,” it gave very much youth group church song vibes, but maybe I’m just projecting. It’s very cute 🥰 and that’s all I’ll say on the matter. “Love Me More” fucking eats, like it beats out any other song on the album for me, even “The Only Heartbreaker”. Yes I said it was crown jewel but that was a lie, I’m a liar. And then “Stay Soft,” the last single the she released literally hours before the album, it’s literally just survival mate, like there’s nothing staying soft and being eaten up by love, turning you into a callous misanthrope, right? Sex God Mitski seems to think so. I too think that I should open my heart like the gates of Hell 🥰

Now as far as the rest of the album goes… the sequencing of the tracks seems weird, like I know it wasn’t supposed to sound like her other albums but like she knows sequencing at the very least…. Specifically I want to focus on the jarring mood shift that “I Guess” turns into “That’s Our Lamp,” it just was like oh that happened I guess. It really seems like putting “Strawberry Blonde” right after “Last Words of a Shooting Star” lmao. The two are so disparate. “I Guess” has the perfect vibe of a closing Mitski track, it really just feels so perfect if she’s signaling this as a closing of this chapter in her life and thanking her fans for what she’s been able to accomplish. “That’s Our Lamp” is cute, and it feels also very retrospective and also a way to close a chapter…but from a completely different book. In the album’s sequencing, it feels more like a bonus track….

“Valentine, Texas” is a quintessential Mitski opener, kind of setting the mood for the whole album. “Who will I be tonight,”- same bestie like I love projecting a fake personality to others to make them feel like I’m okay inside. Do you think Mitski even goes to therapy? I would hope so…. “Everyone” kind of reminds me of “New Love Cassette” by Angel Olsen sonically, with the droning synths. I like it, but again….placement…. My favorite part is the end mainly cause she has this Dancing Queen piano chord thing going on which does extend into “Should’ve Been Me,” which I feel could be a good country song 😤😤😤🥵😡. It’s also very strong as far as a more pop-oriented song for her. “There’s Nothing Left Here For You” is too goddamn short - it’s so Fucking good. Same with “I Guess,” it’s probably one of my favorites of hers overall.

Even though the sequencing is off, I love this album! Mainly cause new Mitski music makes me happy (conditional phrasing there) and it feels fresh too. A lot of these songs are more piano-driven than her previous albums, almost harkening back to Lush and Retired, and while this isn’t her best album in her catalogue, it surely is not boring, nor does it explore the same themes of her previous work. If I had to place this album, it would be above Lush, but below the rest of her albums.

Everybody say THANK U MITSKI