CD of The Week

Of the major figures in indie music to emerge in the Spotify era, Mitski has not only captured one of the most devoted fanbases, but has done so through an eclecticism that often eludes her peers. From the nervy, aggressive highlights of Puberty 2 and Be the Cowboy through the synth stylings of Laurel Hell and the Americana-influenced The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, Mitski has shaken up the sonic landscape of each album while maintaining her poetic, yet skewed songwriting and angelic voice. Her eighth album (in just 14 years), Nothing’s About to Happen to Me is a summation in some ways of all these sounds. Influenced by Victorian and Gothic literature as well as the anxiousness of contemporary life, the 11-track album utilizes unique instrumentation (flugelhorns and vibraphones are present) and clever arrangements to typically compelling ends.

Lyrical mediations on isolation permeate the album with narrators who see themselves as “bugs floating in the melted amber” (“Where’s My Phone?”) or “lying on the floor with Death crouching beside me” (“Instead of Here”). Yet, these sentiments feel more sensitive than self-pitying when combined with the powerful climaxes and lush soundscapes provided by the frequent use of a large string section (the same group of musicians that made up Mitski’s most recent touring band) and the smart production choices of long-time collaborator Patrick Hyland.

Everything gels to great effect on songs like the dread-filled, low-key rocker “If I Leave,” the baroque and sweeping “Dead Women,” and the jazzy, piano-led “I’ll Change for You.” Meanwhile, the more humorous side of Mitski shows up later on “Rules,” a deceptively bouncy list song about the end of a relationship and “That White Cat,” which finds a narrator resigned to the titular feline taking over their domicile. It might not be the most profound track on the album, but it is definitely one of the most relatable. The penultimate song, “Charon’s Obol,” is another highlight, bringing back the pedal steel guitar for a tale of a woman guiding her dogs through a haunted house just as the mythological ferryman escorted souls through the underworld.

Nothing’s About to Happen to Me is another clear winner for one of the most versatile and distinctive auteurs in indie rock. Unlike with some of her other recent releases, Mitski doesn’t conjure a brand new sound or persona on the album, but she does consolidate her obsessions and influences into a thought-provoking and imaginative collection.