Mitski’s 7th studio album, composed of 11 songs with a total runtime of 32 minutes: “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We,” was released Sept. 15. Preceded by “Laurel Hell,” the album marks Mitski’s second release since her three-year hiatus beginning in 2019. Though it stands out musically from the rest of her discography, the core components of the new album are still distinctly Mitski.
Having studied music composition at SUNY Purchase, Mitski approaches her work with consideration and artistry that reflects her training. The album has an intimate production featuring music that flows with Mitski’s vocals, which she and her collaborators use to accentuate lyrical turning points with dramatic changes in dynamics. The powerful sonic moments in “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” are predominately orchestral and less rooted in rock than previous albums. This musical choice is not entirely new for Mitski, but presents a stark contrast to the harsher instrumentals of earlier songs such as “My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars” and “Drunk Walk Home.”
Despite the evolution of Mitski’s sound, her captivating lyrical style remains constant in its ability to express a range of complex emotions through careful metaphor. The ambiguity of Mitski’s songwriting creates interpretations that vary between individuals and grow with each listen, making interaction with her music more personal. The themes of introspection, isolation and the relationship between past and present are prevalent throughout the album, with many songs reflecting upon the roles of being an artist, human, and romantic partner through a desolate lens.
The opening track and lead single, “Bug Like an Angel,” explores the cyclical nature of addiction within individual lives and across generations. It begins with soft vocals over acoustic guitar until a choir is introduced to echo the final word in the line, “sometimes a drink feels like family.” The abrupt change in volume stresses the familial connection between the narrator and their addiction, a method of emphasis that is woven throughout the song. The lyrics reflect a feeling of helplessness, referring to efforts towards recovery as a vow that will never be kept and claiming that breaking promises will only “break you right back.” Mitski’s portrayal of an ongoing struggle with decisions of the past continues across “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.”
The song “I Don’t Like My Mind” offers more insight into this internal conflict and the consequences it brings. It details an aversion to confronting thoughts and memories, describing them as stuck inside the skull waiting for their “turn to talk.” Mitski presents music as a coping mechanism for unwanted feelings, ending the song with a plea to not take her job away from her. The sense of personal dependency Mitski feels for her art is also addressed in the song “Geyser” from the earlier album “Be the Cowboy,” in which she depicts the narrator as a bubbling geyser that must be channeled into songwriting. In contrast, “I Don’t Like My Mind,” expresses music as a desperate distraction, not a profound calling.
“When Memories Snow” turns the persistent thoughts the narrator wishes to suppress into a metaphor, likening them to an obstacle she must shovel and clear away. The song spans one minute and 44 seconds, acting as a short but high-intensity half-way point of the album. The narrator continues to reveal their fear of the self-reflection that comes with solitude, conveying their inability to properly sort through their mind. The song builds upon the metaphor as the snow begins to melt, leaving the narrator lying awake listening to memories as if they are dripping down a drainpipe.
In “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski describes a hope that the love she holds will be preserved after she is gone. She wishes she could send her love to the moon so it will outlive her, feeling temporary compared to the permanence of the sky. This feeling of existential inconsequence is also referenced in the “Be The Cowboy” album songs, “Me and My Husband” and “Two Slow Dancers,” in which the narrator comments on the fleetingness of one lifetime. “My Love Mine All Mine” uses this thought to emphasize the value of love, claiming it to be the only thing that belongs to a person in a materialistic world. In a Youtube video explaining her artistic process behind the song, Mitski said “I really do believe to love is the best thing I ever did in my life.”
The concept of the preservation of love after the death of a person or relationship is continued in “Star.” The song compares the former love of the narrator to a burnt-out star that still appears as a light due to its distance from Earth. Mitski’s portrayal of a manifestation of the past continuing to shine on the present relates to the persistence of memory discussed in “I Don’t Like My Mind,” “When Memories Snow” and “The Frost.” While the relationship has ended, the narrator is still illuminated by the reminder of its beauty.
The album closes with “I Love Me After You,” offering an optimistic resolution to a collection of melancholic songs. It is preceded by “I’m Your Man,” which apologetically contemplates the narrator’s role in a relationship and their inability to live up to their partner’s adoration of them. The critical self-reflection shifts to self-acceptance as the final song describes the narrator in a state of contentment without the presence of their partner. This outlook is a strong deviation from the romantic desperation towards the subject felt by the narrators of past Mitski songs like “Wife,” “I Want You” and “Francis Forever.” Instead of a dependency on another person to feel loved and perceived, “I Love Me After You” expresses a sense of inner-peace following the album’s introspection. Mitski writes, “Let the darkness see me. The streets are mine, the night is mine… I love me after you.”
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