She stated that the album's title refers to the laurel bushes that grow in the Southern Appalachians in the US, where they're just as beautiful as they are isolated. She shows us these qualities of beauty and isolation are often two sides of the same coin, and can be married to uncover the intricate corners of a person's full truth.
While not as conceptually taut as its forebear, the new record plays like a jolt back to reality — and a sprint toward the dance floor. It is, by many leagues, the most objectively fun Mitski album to date, anchored by the pairing of ‘80s-tastic “The Only Heartbreaker” and “Love Me More.”
The record does peter out a little with the closing few songs, and it can’t be said that Mitski has broken significantly new ground. Still, she’s as enchanting as ever.
["Should’ve Been Me" is] a fascinating, fresh take on relationship dynamics that makes much of the rest of Laurel Hell sound boilerplate by comparison.
2022 is shaping out, and has the potential to be one of the greatest years in music history, and this album is one of the front-runners for2022 is shaping out, and has the potential to be one of the greatest years in music history, and this album is one of the front-runners for that discussion. Mitski came onto the scene in 2014 with her release of "Bury me at Make out Creek", and in these 8 years since then has been slowly progressing her style of music trying to perfect it. And now she has. She took all of the positive elements of her prior albums and used those to piece together this magnum opus of his discography. It's so great to see an artist as talented as mitski finally able to perfect her art form on this album. I genuinely could not think of any criticism for this album, she was able to touch every fluctuating emotion that she felt, and did it perfectly. I expected this album to have been overshadowed by BCNR's new album, but it was able to solidify its spot up there right next to another amazing piece of art coming from this year. I don't have any words to say for this album besides it was beautiful. It felt as if I was watching a movie of Mitski's breakthrough into the main stream, just a truly cinematic piece. If Mitski continues to put out music this good, she WILL go down in history of one of the greatest artists of our generation. I would absolutely recommend this album to any type of music fan, because this album was revolutionary for me. Mitski does not and will not disappoint.…Expand
I LOVE THIS ALBUM It is very underrated. A lot of MITSKI fans are saying that this album was not as sad as they expected but IT IS. It managesI LOVE THIS ALBUM It is very underrated. A lot of MITSKI fans are saying that this album was not as sad as they expected but IT IS. It manages to be sad and upbeat at the same time it is SUPER GROOVY specifically the song “should’ve been me” although a few of the songs were not as good but most of them are SO GOOD…Expand
I liked this, I think maybe it come out at a rather bad time being mildly overshadowed by Bc, Nr new album. But other than this, again! WeI liked this, I think maybe it come out at a rather bad time being mildly overshadowed by Bc, Nr new album. But other than this, again! We have another solid release from Mitski. Not her best, but hey, technically this is a good record. Maybe a little underwhelming comparatively to her over work.…Expand
Mitski return was bound to be noticed right off her unexpected breakthrough into mainstream from her previous highlight "Be the Cowboy" butMitski return was bound to be noticed right off her unexpected breakthrough into mainstream from her previous highlight "Be the Cowboy" but that success hasn't been easy. The attention has culminated in increased pressures and infamously cringe fans that helped set off the "sad girl mitski "meme to great appeal. But even so this hasn't intervened with her life given her unplugging and almost retirement. "Laurel Hell" is named after bushes that grow in the southern Appalachians that are as impenetrable as they are beautiful. In her sixth full length release that laurel hell that won't release her is her art. Her compulsive desire to create music ,release it and finally perform. Fulfilling these obligations were double edged and each edge is addressed but done so most obviously on the lead single "working for the knife". Where joy and depression spill into each other to confusing results such as regret ,longing or transparency. Despite the depths these songs seek out the delivery rarely excites. This album feels too safe to me as if it was done with little thought which is ironic given the many iterations this record took. The greatest examples of unimpressive songs is most visible on the more slowburn songs such as the forgettable "everyone " which not only being a lyrical void doesn't justify it's trudge with the catharsis mitski had been known for. Or the opener "Valentine, Texas" which feels like an ill imitation of "geyser" grandiose display of tension & release. Even the 8th track "there's nothing left for you" attempts to inject what raised the bar for "be the cowboy" or "puberty 2" but feels so under done that it's as if it is a mitski imitation.
The aforementioned isn't to say they aren't any good moment's. The 80's rock explosion that's "the only heartbreaker " delivers on all of mitski talents as does the lesser but still worthwhile "love me more" which makes obsession and attention seeking bedfellows. The lyrics also read as desperate and impassioned as the song sounds giving a noteworthy moment of truth. The closing last two songs are on a level with "only heartbreaker " and her 2018 darling. "I Guess" handles the weight of it's own disappointment with a nihilistic acceptance whilst "that's our lamp" is a sprawling nearly 3min marvel that has so many parts that coalesce wonderfully. Truly the best moment saved for last.
Overall the album is not disappointing it just fails to provoke consistently. An uneven suggestively uninspired sigh that is still worth your time even if it won't see many year end lists. There's a conclusive element to it as if mitski was saying the last paragraph of a speech that summarizes all that was said before the last words as laurel hell has elements from across her discography (relying heavily on to be the cowboy and make out creek) it's worth giving a listen.…Expand
