Mitski fans thought their hero was on the verge of retirement as recently as 2019, but thankfully, things have changed. She’s now released two incredible albums in less than two years: 2022’s Laurel Hell, and her latest, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. Where the former channeled ’80s-inspired electropop, The Land turns its eye toward folk and country. Mitski has called it her “most American record,” and she’s not wrong. The distinctive twang of pedal steel is laced throughout songs like “I Don’t Like My Mind,” while a lone violin adds a touch of mourning to “The Deal.” This is Mitski, though, so there’s still a touch of the sublime—a 17-person choir anchors the album opener, and a full orchestra pops up on “Heaven.”
Image VIA Dead Oceans
