From basement gigs to glory: Mitski’s standouts on ‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’

Mitski began her music career at Purchase College’s Conservatory of Music. She recorded her first two albums there: “Lush” (2012) and “Retired from Sad, New Career in Business” (2013). These began as piano-based student projects that she self-published on Bandcamp (an online platform and store for independent musicians to sell their music and merchandise) before signing with record label Double Double Whammy for her third studio album, “Bury Me at Makeout Creek” (2014).

With the release of her newest album on Feb. 27, fans are sharing mixed reviews on “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me.” It follows in the footsteps of her album “Laurel Hell,” where fans complain and spread hate about it, only for it to grow on them within the next year.

As a long-time fan, it’s disappointing to see people deem her work less worthy because she’s no longer singing about failing relationships and lost loves.

This album is sonically less complex and layered than her previous albums. However, the lyricism in this record is beautiful. This is the type of album that may not click for the listener immediately, but after time and a few more listens, it grows immensely on you.

This record is very focused on inward thoughts. Instead of projecting her anger and disappointment outward, the lyrics take a turn to introspection. These themes of reflection make the calmer instrumentals clearer. While her first albums were loud and in your face, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” takes a quieter approach, reaching emotions through lyrics.

The standout songs in this album include: “In a Lake,” “Dead Woman,” “I’ll Change for You” and the album’s closing song, “Lightning.”

“In a Lake” is the album’s opening song with opening lyrics: “I’d never live in a small town/I’ve made too many mistakes.” Mitski is open and raw immediately; She expresses that she has regrets, and she feels as though her regrets are following her around because of her familiar and compressed environment. The song is heavily based on a large open lake as a metaphor for freedom — “But in a lake, you can backstroke forever.”

The next standout on the album, “Dead Woman,” follows the theme of desiring freedom. It discusses the lack of autonomy of women. Women are often preferred in ideals and in the mind instead of in reality. When dead, women are free of societal expectations and are free of the desire to control how they are perceived.

“I’ll Change for You” continues to deal with the harsh reality of life. It allows the listener to fully immerse themselves in their sadness. Instead of pushing back on these struggles with anger, “I’ll Change for You” makes space for the sadness and injustice of life, rather than struggling to cover or deny it.

With lyrics like “If I’m dark, all the better/ to reflect the moonlight/if I mourn, all the better/to behold the sunrise” in the album’s closing track “Lightning,” it’s clear that Mitski has reached a point in her life where she's comfortable with her dark feelings. That darkness just helps her see and cherish the good in her life more.

“Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” follows themes of identity, loneliness, love and freedom. While her music may not be for everyone, these are concepts that everyone will struggle with in their lives. Mitski is raw and vulnerable in this album, a key point in all of her artistry.

Mitski’s tour is beginning this month in New York and is going to go through Europe and Australia before ending in Southeast Asia in June.