Review Summary: retired from latte, new career in frappuccino
Laurel Hell is a bit of a head-scratcher. There is very little reason for a synth-infused album by one of the 2010’s most popular
indie artists to be this… boring. Where previous Mitski albums seemed to build songs around ideas and feelings, the singer-songwriter’s latest full length awkwardly chooses style over substance. Gone are delightful melodies and the intriguingly brief journeys presented within songs; all that is left is a vaguely enjoyable yet entirely unsatisfactory shell.
In spite of being a comparatively
expansive record,
Laurel Hell rarely ever actually goes anywhere. Opening cut ‘Valentine, Texas’ efficiently introduces Mitski’s new coat: cool, a bit more sparkly, and decently danceable. Its keys present opportunities; its baroque sensibilities feel ready to be explored; its atmosphere yearns to be augmented… and then the album just, eh, doesn’t do or capitalise on any of that. As soon as the distorted guitars underscoring lead single ‘Working for the Knife’ threaten to culminate in a satisfying conclusion, the song ends. As soon as ‘Everyone’ finally presents memorable melodies by way of some wonderfully detached keys, the song ends. As soon as the wistful ‘I Guess’ enters
ethereal territories, it decides it’s better off as a semi-interlude and…
you guessed it, the song ends. It’s a shame; where past records like
Puberty 2 and
Be The Cowboy felt entirely organic and satisfying despite and due to their brief tracks,
Laurel Hell misguidedly tries to replicate this without paying adequate attention to its aesthetic choices.
Thankfully, the album is perfectly listenable all throughout. Mitski’s vocal performance might just be her best to date; something which becomes abundantly clear as she saves the Royalty Free Background Music For Your Daily Vlogs™-banger ‘Should’ve Been Me’ from itself with nothing but a highly competent delivery. The magical ‘Heat Lightning’ presents the record’s only truly great moment; employing haunting harmonies and a nostalgic atmosphere to its full potential, the song is as excellent as it is frustrating. It functions as proof of the album
Laurel Hell could and should have been. As it stands, Mitski’s latest batch of songs feels undercooked, unsatisfactory, and a little too perfect for your local Starbucks.
