Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
Indie Rock – Released September 15, 2023 – 11 songs, 32 mins
LUNDI
Summer ending. Post bender hangover. Dental surgery. Blue Jays eliminated. While I never need convincing to dive into the darkened mind of a prolific singer songwriter, this week’s artist couldn’t have arrived at a better time. Lauded for her unmistakeable songwriting talent by the mainstream and underground markets alike, the great American songwriter Mitski has returned with her rejuvenated and freeing seventh studio album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.
Mitski is not for the faint of heart. She is most certainly not here to make you feel good. In fact her music is likely to surface thoughts you never knew existed or intended to lock away. Her songs are bigger than the basic concept of music. It’s art and is it ever beautiful. Mitski has an uncanny ability to consistently deliver a gut punch to the listener while twisting the knife with her dark humour. On Land she feels more free than ever but still presents a vulnerable and emotionally draining experience.
Lyricism is of course where Mitski shines but Land is unlike any effort that came before. While everything up to this record seen Mitski delve further into darkness, here she finally discovers the light at the end of the tunnel and tells those tales through majestic imagery and sharp metaphorical language. We find her accepting of who she is versus who she was, relishing in her personal growth. While she will never escape the existential dread that clouds her thoughts, she has found a way to accept life for what it is. She is settled yet firmly aware of the persistent darkness that is tucked away in the back of her mind. She is cautious, yet hopeful. A version of herself never before put to record.
While Land can be fraught with sadness and solace the fleeting emotions are contrasted perfectly due to the excellent album layout and tedious production. In every song and across the collection of tracks when Mitski’s darkness becomes overwhelming, her and longtime producer Patrick Hyland hit you with a powerful backing choir or towering orchestra creating immense and unforgettable moments. However brief they may be they are formulated in such a way to hit the reset button on what might otherwise be a jarring album for many to work through.
The modest musical makeup is a successful strategy as the soft toned Mitski paired with a mixture of every imaginable instrument results in a one two punch of injecting freshness to the genre and reaching new personal career highs. The arrangements may not deliver on early spins but with each repeat they feel more homely and warm as they mesh perfectly with Mitski’s vocal range. Land ultimately seeks to be a harrowing album and with the delicate artistic touch of one of the best modern singer songwriters, it succeeds flawlessly.
Devastatingly beautiful. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We is a song writing tour de force that sees Mitski untangle her complex mind and transform tortured thoughts into mesmerizing and hopeful musical tales.
Overall Rating: 8.6/10
Favourite Song: Bug Like An Angel
ROZ
With this review, singer/songwriter Mitski Miyawaki becomes one of the few that TSR has reviewed more than once during our time as a music blog. After her 2018 breakout album Be The Cowboy, her ravenous fans have been wanting more – a relationship that the artist has publicly struggled with, much like the struggles that she has had with her newfound fame in the music industry. Be that as it may and to the surprise of many, Laurel Hell was released in 2022. Luckily, after much back and forth, even this would not be the final act for the artist. Please join me on this journey as I sit back and attempt to unravel a spider’s web of thoughts and emotions. This is The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.
Miyawaki once again pairs up with talented producer Patrick Hyland, the individual who has been with her since almost the very beginning of her time on the music scene. The depth of their relationship is extremely apparent on all her work, and this album is no different. Sometimes in the world of production less is more in order to maximize your focal point, and the duo has absolutely perfected this strategy. Along with this, the addition of a 17-person choir arranged by Mitski and an orchestra conducted by Drew Erickson further adds to the dream-like immersion. Organic elements fully encapsulate the space and layers of each track that they are placed upon – a stark contrast to the digital, retro-synth soundscapes of Laurel Hell.
Slow-paced acoustic strumming serves as the prelude to a bombastic explosion of noise on Bug Like An Angel, the first of many standouts on the albums track list. Shades of Ennio Morricone, who’s spaghetti western scores are baked into legend and who’s collaboration with Quentin Tarantino proved his status and skill decades after beginning his own journey, are found throughout the album. Outlaw country and old school western aesthetics are a major plot point as we move downwards through the list – a stripped-down, laid-back backdrop perfectly suited to contrast the strong vocal talents and high register vocals of the singer. This is used to great effect in songs such as Heaven, I Don’t Like My Mind, My Love Mine All Mine, and The Frost. To me, I Don’t Like My Mind is Mitski at her finest, combining a beautiful western arrangement of strings, steel guitar, and light drums with her finely crafted, introspective, and immersive songwriting – all coming together to highlight the singers own personal struggles and vast inner turmoil.
It cannot be overstated - Miyawaki is a superb songwriter. Very few artists have the ability that Mitski has when it comes to putting her pen to paper and making that paper come to life, using herself as the vessel. In fact, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We this may be the very best example of this yet. With every song that goes by, it truly does feel as though you are peeling layers off of the artists soul – her ability to weave words together is a skill rarely matched by her counterparts. Every song feels like a journey into her world, a world full of emotional pain, to a point where at times you feel shame in the enjoyment you get from soaking in the beauty of her anguish. Not many artists have this effect, yet Mitski is able to generate this feeling time after time after time.
Just when you believe that someone’s career is just about over, they hit you like an arc of lightning that flashes not only across your eyes but also permeates throughout your soul. Mitski leaves every single bit of herself out there on The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, and the music world is all the better for it. At a direct contrast to her private personal life and introverted existence, Mitski once again proves that her ability to showcase raw, unadulterated emotion is rivaled only by few. For us, the listeners, let us hope that she continues plying her craft for many years to come.
Overall Rating: 8.2/10
Favourite Song: I Don’t Like My Mind
REID
With review #115, TSR circles back to Mitski Miyawaki with her seventh studio album, The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We. When we discussed Laurel Hell in February of last year, there was plenty of concern it’d be her final record as she struggled mightily with fame and a myriad of personal issues. Luckily for her and her millions of fans worldwide, Mitski pushed through and kept going. One of those fans is my fellow civil engineering class of 2013 graduate, ball hockey championship teammate and co-blogger, Lundi. Our last review was right up Roz’s alley and this time it’s his turn. Here’s to hoping this one hits the mark.
Mitski picks up where she left off with her soft, soothing vocals and excellent songwriting. It’s how she made a name for herself and is undeniably her strength. Despite her ability to steer the ship and continue her career, her somber songs paint a picture of a woman who’s still deeply troubled. Much of The Land reflects on her past relationship and it’s heartbreaking to listen to how downright miserable she was. ‘You’re an angel, I’m a dog’, she sings on I’m Your Man. On Bug Like An Angel she vividly describes dreading a sexual experience, at the same time referring to her reliance on alcohol and family to get her through. This chilling vocal harmony stands out as an album highlight. On When Memories Snow, she compares shoveling the driveway to stowing away and flushing old memories. I can’t escape the mental image of her in a winter coat and toque growing more frustrated with each shovel full. Her writing is usually on point but this particular metaphor likely sounded better in her head. Ultimately, further context is needed for a full understanding of her past but those lyrics and themes speak for themselves. Thankfully for Mitski, it’s not all doom and gloom. On I Love Me After You, she’s soaking in her newfound independence and freedom after removing herself from an unhealthy situation. And on Heaven and Star, she swoons over a new love interest who seemingly reignited her flame. ‘You know I’d always been alone, Till you taught me, To live for somebody,’ she sings on the latter of the two. While the theme of Laurel Hell felt like a downward spiral, The Land gives the impression she’s slowly figuring things out.
Instrumentally, this album is stripped down as Mitski aims for a more organic approach. Simplified is a descriptor I flirted with and in many cases is true but any time an orchestra is involved is far from easy. The cleverly timed strings, percussion and piano give those particular songs a classical vibe and the added country elements is new for her repertoire.
Up to now I’ve focused on the pros but in combination, those positives intertwine for my biggest issue with the album - the full listening experience. Now it’s no secret to anyone following along that this soft, dejected genre of music is not my favourite. So while it may be more difficult for me to connect, I still appreciate the talent, creativity and art that goes into it. Safe for I Don’t Like My Mind and Star which don’t hit for me, the song list is pretty good overall. But when strung together, the compilation takes a hit resulting in a record that’s a step down from her two predecessors. Thirty-two minutes straight of subdued vocals and quiet, slow building music (other than a few grandiose moments) leaves me wanting more. There’s no The Only Heartbreaker, Stay Soft or Should’ve Been Me (Laurel Hell) to spice things up and give it a different feel. The back half of the album in particular feels especially redundant. She may swap out instruments but the end result is a pace with little variation to differentiate from one song to the next. Like a rock record without ballads or rap album missing features, balance is an important component and it’s an area The Land is lacking in. In somewhat of a sad soft rock, apples to apples comparison, boygenius did a great job toeing the line on the record (2023). On the other hand, Metallica released twelve hard hitting rock songs in a row on 72 seasons (2023) and you’re done with it halfway through. Mitski’s music couldn’t be more different from the rock legends but issues with their album construction are similar.
Mitski’s penchant for exquisite songwriting paired with her calming voice is the strength of her brand and it rings true on The Land. But too much of the same thing is never usually a good thing and this album lacks the variety her previous work offered.
Overall Rating: 6.7/10
Favourite Song: Bug Like An Angel