Mitski has long drawn from folk, rock, and pop influences in her music, but The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We reaches beyond that for a more classical sound. Mitski’s seventh full-length album features an orchestra arranged and conducted by Drew Erickson and a 17-person choir arranged by Mitski. Those two classical elements add gravitas to the songs, at times hitting with an emotional gut punch and at others subtly fleshing out the moment.
The album-opener “Bug Like an Angel” is an emotionally charged take on alcoholism and the broken promises that go along with it. “Did you go and make promises you can’t keep? Well, when you break them, they break you right back,” Mitski sings in hushed tones over a gently strummed acoustic guitar. The song’s sparse arrangement gives it extra vulnerability since there’s nothing to distract from Mitski’s confessions — ”as I got older, I learned I’m a drinker; sometimes a drink feels like family.” The stripped-down sound also makes each entrance by the choir jarring. When the choir sings “family,” their voices boom and overwhelm the song, and it sounds like it could be commiseration or accusation.
The religious imagery and tone return for the swaying country twang of “Heaven.” Mitski sings about appreciating the small parts of being in love — “I sip on the rest of the coffee you left, a kiss left of you” — but there’s an underlying fear that the love is fleeting. “Something set free is running through the night, and the dark awaits us all around the corner,” she sings. It’s one of Mitski’s most dramatic compositions, but it’s an orchestra instead of loud guitars to drive home the drama.
Mitski has always been a masterful storyteller, and “The Deal” is one of her best stories. There have been countless songs about selling one’s soul for wealth or success, but on this track, Mitski tells the story of someone who wants to be rid of her soul simply to ease the pain. “I’d give it just to give, and all I will take are the consequences,” she sings. Her wish is granted, and the soul is given to a nearby bird, which tells the now-soulless narrator, “You’re a cage without me; your pain is eased, but you’ll never be free.” It’s a haunting tale you might expect in a horror anthology. Erickson’s orchestral arrangement sells the morbid story, adding tension to the scene where the narrator sells her soul and sadness to the scene where it becomes clear that it didn’t help.
The sense of despair in “The Deal” is found again in “The Frost,” another country-influenced ballad. Amid twangy acoustic picking and weeping steel guitar, Mitski sings about being alone in the world. “The frost, it looks like dust settled on the world after everyone’s long been gone,” she sings.
Mitski’s soft voice is gripping, each note filled with sorrow and vulnerability. The lack of rock and pop influences emphasizes Mitski’s two greatest strengths: her voice and lyrics. Each poetic song on The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We paints a powerful picture that is made more captivating by the orchestral and choir arrangements. It’s a risky record, but one that pays off much better than trying to be rid of a soul.
