Mitski released her eighth studio album, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me,” on Feb. 27. The album has 11 tracks and has a runtime of 34 minutes 27 seconds, with “Where’s My Phone?," “I’ll Change For You” and “If I Leave” releasing as singles. I personally loved how this album combined different sounds and genres to create an emotional experience.
With popular songs like “My Love All Mine”(2023), “Nobody” (2018) and “First Love/Late Spring” (2014), Mitski’s prolific musical career has spanned 14 years.
Though her music often focuses on negative emotions and is known for its introspective and angsty tone, that is not a mark against its quality. Every album she releases has a sound that differs from the last, and it is interesting to see her music evolve in its genre as you listen to her discography from start to finish.
Mitski’s earlier albums, such as “Bury Me at Makeout Creek” and “Puberty 2,” had more of an indie rock feel to them. After that, her albums shifted more into experimental pop with “Be the Cowboy” and “Laurel Hell.” But most recently, the singer started to lean in a more folk and country direction with her latest album, 2023’s “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.” With this newest release, Mitski is blending her indie rock roots with her more recent folk influences.
What I first noticed in Mitski’s newest album was its homages to her previous works, especially when it comes to instrumental choices.
The tracks “Dead Women,” “Instead of Here” and “Cats” all heavily feature steel guitar, which makes the songs sound soulful and sentimental, similar to country ballads. These songs are very reminiscent of “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We,” which also prominently featured this type of instrumentation.
Two of the other songs on this new album, “Lightning” and “Where’s My Phone?” use a distorted electric guitar solo near the bridge that was a staple of her earlier indie rock songs, such as “A Pearl” and “Townie”This instrumental choice makes these tracks feel unrestrained, more akin to emotional outbursts than controlled ballads.
Incorporating similar sounds from her previous releases does not diminish the quality of the album by any means. This entire album feels like a love letter to Mitski’s career in the way it reuses these familiar elements, combining genres to make something new and unique.
The first track on the album, “In a Lake,” was a favorite of mine because of its poetic lyrics and rich instrumentation. In the song, Mitski reflects on how she could never feel comfortable in a small town due to memories of her past mistakes. She then expertly compares the feeling of swimming in a lake to that of living in a big city, which helps immerse the listener in her experiences.
The song begins with an instrumental comprised of accordion and banjo, which showcases Mitski’s folk talents. When the song starts to reach its climax, orchestral elements such as brass and strings are added in. As she sings, “And in a big city, you can start over” during the last chorus, drums and bass are thrown into the mix. These musical choices create an almost overwhelming combination of sounds that feels symbolic of how the noise from the city distracts her from her past.
As a whole, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” showcases Mitski’s versatility as an artist. The album impressively blends genres to create an engaging listening experience. Through the lyrics and stylistic references to previous works, it feels as if Mitski is reminiscing about her life throughout the album. If you’re already a fan of Mitski or if you’re interested in getting into her music, this album is definitely worth a listen.
