Mitski’s Laurel Hell and the Exploration of the Authentic Self

In her latest album, Laurel Hell, Mitski reinforces her rightful throne of indie greatness. From vivid and emotive lyrical imagery to contemplation of one’s relation to the self, Laurel Hell further develops Mitski’s already phenomenal sound without redundancy. The album is just different enough from Mitski’s previous releases to keep fans engaged and intrigued by her slightly new direction, but also familiar enough to satisfy listeners’ desire for Mitski’s deeply poetic lyrics and earworm-worthy instrumentals. 

Overall, the sound of the album is largely more upbeat than previous releases. Tracks like “Stay Soft,” “Should've Been Me,” and “The Only Heartbreaker” contain clear influences of the 80s and disco, from punchy drums drenched in gated reverb to generous use of synth pads. However, the lyrics of such songs often stand in stark contrast to their sonic aesthetic. In “Stay Soft,” Mitski explores the all to familiar feeling of emotional hardening that occurs after one gets used. Lyrics such as “You stay soft, get eaten / Only natural to harden up.” Yet, the traumatic roots of the song’s meaning are disguised by its seemingly joyous and danceable sound. In “The Only Heartbreaker,” Mitski asserts herself as victorious in a sense as the only heartbreaker, the one who is going to come out unhurt and in control in the end. 

In contrast to such songs, “Heat Lightening” and “Valentine, Texas” are considerably darker. In “Valentine, Texas” – my personal favorite from the record–Mitski explores the duality of identity she experiences through lyrics such as “Once we’re in, I’ll remember my way around / Who will I be tonight?...I’ll show you who my sweetheart’s never met.” Based on the surrounding tracks of the album, I at first understood these lines, and this entire song, to represent the process of falling in love and worrying about presenting one’s authentic self to a lover, an anxiety that I can only imagine is heightened exponentially when one has an image as public as Mitski’s. However, upon further listens, I do believe these lyrics are representative of the duality Mitski feels within her own career, considering that in 2019 she declared the “Be the Cowboy” tour her last. Thus, I understand “Valentine, Texas” as an opening track to serve as an announcement to listeners that Mitski is presenting the rawest and most authentic version of herself through the album, revealing parts of herself she has kept to herself in the past. “Heat Lightening” made me cry the first time I heard it. The song dives into the experience of mental illness head on by describing the helplessness that characterizes living with a mental illness. Ultimately, all we can do is surrender to our demons when fighting them becomes simply too much or impossible.

Throughout the album, Mitski references a lover or partner figure, even using terms such as “sweetheart” to identify this character. However, this figure remains draped in ambiguity throughout the album such that it could represent an actual human, Mitski herself, her career and music, or any and all of the three. I firmly believe this ambiguity is intentional, as it allows listeners to truly absorb the emotion and intention they desire (and perhaps require) from the songs. In “I Guess,” Mitski mourns the end of her connection with this figure, lamenting that she’ll “have to learn to be somebody else.” Again, the meaning behind such lines is left in limbo due to the ambiguity of the figure described. Yet, the feeling of loss is tangible and relatable to anyone who has experienced the loss of a relationship or friendship and the process of mourning that can accompany it. 

I truly only have one “critique” of this album, and that is simply the song order. In my opinion, “I Guess” produces a sense of conclusion, especially with lyrics such as “this is the end.” Yet, at the same time, the concluding track, “That’s Our Lamp,” allows the album to end on an optimistic note, one that looks upon the past and its tribulations with a sense of acceptance that such is life. The sense of loss in “I Guess” dissipates into an acceptance that what is no longer with us will eventually return if it is meant to be and, if nothing else, we will always have fond memories with us to serve as souvenirs of our journey through life. “That’s Our Lamp” also evokes the aforementioned disco-esque soundscape of earlier tracks, which solidifies this sound as central to the album and thus an artistic innovation for the woman who invented music herself.