Mitski - Laurel Hell

Indie/Synth Pop – Released February 4, 2022 – 11 songs, 32 mins

LUNDI

Fire up the Google machine to search ‘Mitski’ and the suggestions returned include “Is Mitski Dead?”, “Why Is Mitski Quitting?”, and “Where Did Mitski Go?”.  It’s clear to say that the illustrious singer songwriter has been missed since her disappearance from the music scene in 2018 but at long last she has returned to pen her follow up Laurel Hell.

Laurel Hell is the latest album to dig into the sounds of the 80’s for inspiration. Produced by longtime collaborator Patrick Hyland the album is a synth pop disco which largely out paces Mitski’s previous efforts. This proves to be a calculated risk worth taking as songs The Only Heartbreaker, Love Me More, and Should’ve Been Me not only work, but they all push for greatness and elevate the overall album. 

Still the masterful songwriter though, Mitski is not to be outshined by production. The lyrics on LH are heartbreaking and beautiful. A magician with words, she continues to prove her worth with lines so vivid they cut you to the core. In particular Working For The Knife is haunting and pulls back the curtains on how she continues to struggle but moves forward despite it all. A relatable subject for the masses, but crafted to perfection. 

The collection of tracks is a wave of emotions and styles. It takes more to find the meaning beneath all the drums and synthesizers but it’s all there and it’s raw. Music is better when Mitski is around. LH is everything she’s built over the years on previous efforts cultivated into a record that suits where she currently stands. Change is good and her freedom to experiment results in excellence. 

Mitski is one of the best songwriters in music today. It’s early but Laurel Hell is the album of the year front runner. 

Overall Rating: 8.8/10

Favourite Song: The Only Heartbreaker 

ROZ

During our third podcast (Radiohead, Upcoming Reviews & Coachella) we went over our upcoming schedule and I brought up Mitski’s personal quote regarding her new album, Laurel Hell. The singer-songwriter stated that she would be touching on vulnerability, sorrow, and the gray area within a failing relationship - boy she wasn’t kidding.

Mitski offers a fresh perspective on the tried and true formula of heartbreak music, making herself the suspect in the crime rather than painting herself as the victim. Songs such as The Only Heartbreaker, There’s Nothing Left For You and Should’ve Been Me cover her relationship issues while the others touch on topics such as insomnia (Heat Lightning), creative pressure (Everyone, Working For The Knife) and personal regret (Love Me More). Sonically, Laurel Hell serenades the listener with upbeat instrumentals and a retro sound selection that harkens back to the 1980’s, directly contrasting with the haunting vocals and lyrical content coming from Ms. Miyawaki herself. I find myself comparing this experience to my week listening to Dawn FM, albeit a somber, indie rock version of it. The vocals are processed with her signature reverb effects and slap delays, and as each word bounces off the walls I am quickly reminded of what it is about her that pulls me in so strongly.

As we know, an artist's pain makes for great music but at the cost of their own well-being. After being so alone and attempting to find love at all in Be The Cowboy, listening to her struggle with her personal demons on Laurel Hell is a real shot to the stomach. Gut-wrenching and haunting, yet catchy and fun - it’s like that amusement park ride you just can’t stop buying tickets for. I genuinely hope her luck turns around for her and her next album reflects this positive change, where the lyrical content finally matches the upbeat instrumentals that she pours her soul over time and time again.

Overall Rating: 8.4/10

Favourite Song: Stay Soft

REID

Laurel Hell is the sixth studio release from Japanese American singer-songwriter, Mitski Miyawaki. She was born in Japan and learned the native tongue from her mother. Her father was American and worked for the US Department of State resulting in a nomadic upbringing in several countries before ultimately settling in New York. 

Other than a few songs off her most recent album, Be The Cowboy, Mitski is a relative unknown for me. I couldn’t help but wonder what the album title meant. On the Zane Lowe Show in late 2021, Mitski said ‘Laurel Hell is a term from the Southern Appalachians in the US, where laurel bushes basically grow in these dense thickets. When you get stuck in these thickets, you can’t get out. Or so the story goes… And so there are a lot of Laurel Hells in America, in the South, where they’re named after the people who died within them because they were stuck. The thing is, laurel flowers are so pretty. They just burst into these explosions of just beauty. And, I just, I liked the notion of being stuck inside this explosion of flowers and perhaps even dying within one of them.’ What a quote. When you dig even further on the topic, Mitski’s discomfort with fame is revealed further. Individuals reaching unexpected levels of success and coping with adverse effects is nothing new. Billie Eilish’s 2021 release, Happier Than Ever, did a great job on her version, albeit with different specifics.

Mitski doesn’t shy away from her insecurities on Laurel Hell. Much of the album is on the sad side lyrically. Luckily for the listener, misery breeds creativity. Musically it’s a bit of a different story. Both statements are especially true on Working for The Knife, which does a tidy job of paraphrasing her album title description. It creates an almost workmanlike environment sonically with her lyrics describing her struggles to keep going. Stay Soft and The Only Heartbreaker offer the most fun on the album with excellent 80’s synth pop ear worms. Call me crazy but something about the beginning of There’s Nothing Left For You reminds me of the scene from Scarface when Tony Montana reunites with his family. The song matches the scene too. Weird.

On the downside, several songs just aren’t great. Valentine, Texas doesn’t do much to set the album up. On Everyone, she waits way too long to hit us with the piano solo. Should’ve Been Me and That’s Our Lamp are a little too unconventional for my tastes. The album compilation is a strength as it flows well but song by song it’s a little meh. Laurel Hell offers a unique blend of quirky and adventurous synth pop. I hope Mitski effectively walks the line to manage her troubles moving forward. Advice? Quoted from the Canadian queen herself, Alanis Morisette, ‘And what it all boils down to is that no one’s really got it figured out just yet.’

Overall Rating: 7.0/10

Favourite Song: The Only Heartbreaker