Mitski’s seventh studio album The Land is Inhospitable and So are We was released September 15, 2023, and it is beautiful and heart-wrenching in only the way a Mitski album can be. Coming in at just over half an hour long, this album explores themes of love, loss, over-indulgence, and the raw reality of change. Mitski is no stranger to writing lyrics dealing with painful yet relatable emotions; however, each time she releases a new song it feels entirely innovative and fresh, reaching emotions I didn’t even know I could feel.
My favorite track on this album is undoubtedly track 7, “My Love Mine All Mine,” though her first single “Bug Like an Angel” is a very close runner-up. Lyrics of love play over a melancholy track, help create a swirling pool of emotions with each listen. The song features Mitski pleading with the moon above to protect her lover, even after she inevitably dies. This is one of the few times on this album that my heart does not feel like it’s shattering into a million pieces (don’t get me wrong, it still hurts, just in a different way!)
The album varies in genre, with influences ranging from country to group choir, while it still feeling stripped-down and small. Her 2022 release, Laurel Hell, features synth-pop and electronic elements, which is quite different from her newest album. Part of the beauty of Mitski is her ability to produce a cohesive and recognizable sound even as she moves across genre lines. Despite featuring a full band and choir ensemble, Mitski creates a personal listening experience with her quiet vocals, powerful lyricism, and inventive genre-bending.
If you haven’t yet listened to The Land is Inhospitable and So are We, I cannot recommend it enough. Get cozy in bed, hug a childhood stuffed animal, and prepare for another Mitski therapy session.
