For the past five years, I’ve always adored Mitski because of her ability to write deep songs while also constantly experimenting with different instrumentals and sounds. I absolutely love the messages her songs showcase, so I was interested to hear what she would do for her new album, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me.”
The album dropped on Feb. 27 and it’s Mitski’s eighth album. Its main narrative follows themes of isolation and loneliness. Most songs in this album have a soothing tone and are a mix of Americana and classic indie rock.
One of my favorite things about Mitski’s music is her lyrics, and I’m glad to say that the lyrics in this album did not disappoint. They’re all very meaningful and help contribute to the album’s overall theme of loneliness. Much like Mitski’s older music, most of the lyrics have a devastating feel to them and have subjective meanings. My personal favorite lyrics from this album comes from its most popular song, “Where’s My Phone” because it’s a metaphoric song that mentions themes of disconnection.
The tone of the album strays away from Mitski’s older music. The instrumentals are pretty calming, save for a few moments. At first, I wasn’t a huge fan of it because some of the songs can get pretty repetitive, but much like Mitski’s previous album, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We,” it grew on me after a little bit. I absolutely love the way Mitski incorporated orchestral elements into the songs.
However, my biggest complaint with the album is that some of the songs seem a bit underwhelming and incomplete. Some examples of this are “Cats” and “If I Leave.” In my opinion, they didn’t stick out as much compared to some other songs in that album. Even so, that problem isn’t too recurring, and most songs in the album blend together nicely.
Overall, this album definitely grew on me over time, and I would probably give it a rating of 8.5/10. The album is emotional and impactful, much like all of her other albums Mitski made. If you’re a fan of Mitski or alternative indie, then I would recommend giving it a listen, even if it doesn’t seem like something you’d like.
