The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, Melissa

As I crack open this week's album, I am struck by the moody blues it added to the moody blues that were this Monday morning. The lyrics go from raw, to ugly, to sweet. The vibe is angsty and rainy like the day was.

I enjoy the consistent sound but varied nature of each song; her voice being the constant. Whether we get some twangy sound in the background, her voice and the truth of her lyrics push themselves forward. This is another album where the artist does a lot, but somehow there is cohesion. "When Memories Snow" has these oddly dramatic trumpets and crashing sounds, but Mitski's voice keeps this ship afloat. "My Love Mine All Mine" and "The Frost" were groovy and melancholic, which Mitski seems to master.

"I'm Your Man" has a sincere conversation about idolization. "You believe me like a god / I destroy you like I am" really resonated with me this week. The idea that we celebrate, idolize, put anyone else up on some sort of mountain of perfection only for them to fail us. Mitski sings about this moment and the expectations we place on others without them knowing and, worse yet, how we're hurt when they fail us. It doesn't feel great when someone undervalues us, but it also feels worse when people expect us to be their "god" in some way. I'm going to put my money where my mouth is on this whole thing and try to be a bit more forgiving of others.

And, yes, all of the above IS about the rumors that Travis Kelce and my nemesis Taylor Swift are dating... I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. I am, however, not disappointed in this album for staying firm in its core values and not traipsing off with some martyred, over-hyped, hypocrite, billionaire, beautiful hussy. *cough* I'm ok...

Something I'd like to offer with my reviews from now on is a book pairing. The English teacher in me just needs to do this. The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We would go nicely with a book like John Green's Looking for Alaska or TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door. The latter includes a lot of tea drinking, which I think also would pair nicely with Mitski.