Mitski
Laurel Hell
Dead Oceans
Listen Below
It seems almost implausible to me that Mitski Miyawaki’s last album, Be the Cowboy, came out three-and-a-half years ago, with the caliber to simultaneously build hype for a follow-up and continuously satisfy a fervent fanbase to the tune of ten million monthly listeners on Spotify. After “quitting” music in 2019, she now juxtaposes those successful career blues with a pop sensibility that seems hungry for more.
In Laurel Hell lies a series of pre-pandemic poems that frequently belie their fright of success with production that basically guarantees it, creating a vehicle for “hit” songs that she hopes will never be hits.
In October, Mitski dropped a music video for the album’s lead single “Working for the Knife,” in which she ceremoniously discards a cowboy hat to signal the end of an era, and finally, the will to start anew. It was a bold move to return after three years with disjointed interpretative dance, a five-minute video for a two-and-a-half-minute track about her lacking the desire to continue her career as it was. The song works best nestled in the context of the album, where as always, her personal agonies are the place from which her most compelling art directly comes.
The pre-release tracks that followed fleshed out the soundscape the album would take in full, from the beautiful distorted piano motifs of “Heat Lightning” to the magnificent exuberance of “The Only Heartbreaker” and “Love Me More,” both of which sound straight out of an episode of Stranger Things. The track list flutters between maximalist and minimalist, connoting at once the new wave punk of the ‘80s, and a deep, contemplative ambience like little else you’ve heard.
With sold-out US and European tours on the way, as well as support slots at Harry Styles’ Wembley Stadium gigs, it’s great to hear her repeatedly lean into the up-tempo charm of 2018’s “Nobody” here. This tour is sure to be a riot, with a stack of new arena-size tunes at her disposal, particularly “Should’ve Been Me,” surely a top 5 all-time Mitski track, like an audial re-telling of Hall & Oates “Maneater.”
It’s one of the most ambitious songs she has ever put her name to, and she nails every second. Its high-flair timings and infectious bass groove are impossible to ignore, and its undeniable pop elegance more than makes up for arguably underwhelming melodies offered by the likes of “Everyone” and “I Guess,” when the album dutifully relaxes to accentuate the scorching highs.
At this point, Mitski has an unreasonably good discography. Some of her best work lies here on Laurel Hell, the latest in a musical canon as captivating as any other we’ve had in the past decade. You don’t just tune in for the lyrics, the indelible production, the quiet-loud emotional dynamics, or the music videos, but all of the above, and more.
There’s definite potential for this to be the new favorite Mitski album among a whole host of her fans. She is the full package, and with Laurel Hell, she’s surely one more viral hit away from a GRAMMY Awards sweep.
Notable Tracks: “Heat Lightning” | “The Only Heartbreaker” | “Should’ve Been Me” | “That’s Our Lamp”
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