Mitski shines like a star in her newest release.
Mitski experiments with a new Americana influenced sound in her recent album, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We.”
The artist first announced her new project in July 2023 with the release of “Bug Like an Angel,” which is now the opening track of the album. To some fans, the announcement seemed abrupt but welcome. “Honestly, the announcement of the album was a little unexpected and caught me off guard, and it was somewhat late notice. However, my anticipation for the release was nonetheless,” Sammy Reynolds said. The album was later fully released in Sept. 2023.
Deviating from her typically alternative and grunge style, Mitski takes on a more acoustic and Americana sound. With her move to Nashville in 2020, it’s apparent that she has taken influence from the environment around her. “Mitski herself said that this is the most American sounding album she has released, and I 100% agree. A lot of the songs have elements of country music. I think that her residence in Nashville has really influenced her sound. After all, Nashville is home to the Bluegrass Music Museum,” Reynolds said. Multiple songs also feature a choir, giving the album a unique sound not heard throughout her other projects.
Mitski herself explains that throughout the album, there are themes of addiction, the beauty of love, and the influence of the patriarchy. In “I’m Your Man”, she discusses how the patriarchy has impacted her own mindset. “I think no matter what gender you are, there is the voice of a patriarch in your head, because we were all raised in a patriarchy. I have found that the man in my head makes me believe some pretty unhelpful and often toxic things about both myself and the world. I always try to keep it in check, but I thought maybe I should write a song where I give a voice to that. Maybe it will help me come to peace with it,” Mitski said in a behind the song video posted on her YouTube channel. She now has numerous videos giving further insight into songs from the album.
Soon after the album’s release, Mitski announced she would be going on tour in 2024. Fans look forward to seeing her perform a mix of her new songs with the older ones they’ve grown to love. “I’m most looking forward to songs from her older albums being performed. From this album, I would want ‘My Love Mine All Mine’ to be performed. I think that ‘Your Best American Girl’ and ‘I Will’ would be my most anticipated songs from all of her albums,” Reynolds said. Mitski plans to tour both North America and Europe, with tickets already selling fast.
