The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We is the seventh studio album by Mitski and was released on September 15, 2023.[1] It was produced by Patrick Hyland and recorded at the Bomb Shelter studio in Nashville and Sunset Sound in Los Angeles.[2] It is undoubtedly an album worth checking out!

The album has a total of 11 tracks and runs for a total of 32 minutes and 21 seconds.[3] Mitski said of The Land: “This is my most American album. The best thing I ever did in my life was to love people. I wish I could leave behind all the love I have after I die so that I can shine all this goodness, all this good love that I’ve created onto other people.”[4]

In my review of this album, I will list a few notable songs off the album, along with some of their principal facets, such as the instrumentals and tone of each track. I will also list my favorite line(s) from each song to give you a taste of Mitski’s lyricism.

Bug Like an Angel

“Bug Like an Angel” is the first track on the album and features vocal backings from a gospel choir. Starting out with simple guitar chords and an impactful simile, Mitski laments about broken vows and promises, using religious themes throughout the song. Of all the tracks, I would have to say this is my personal favorite!

Favorite Line(s): “I try to remember the wrath of the devil / Was also given him by God.”

When Memories Snow

The sixth song on the album, “When Memories Snow,” deals with the repression of memories, using the metaphor of snow to explain how, despite ‘shoveling’ away memories, they always come back to you in the end.  It is a sad, contemplative piece with upbeat instrumentals that contrast the underlying message of the song.

Favorite Line(s): “And when memories melt / I hear them in the drainpipe / Drippin’ through the downspout.”

My Love Mine All Mine

This is arguably one of the most hopeful tracks on the record. In “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski is singing to the moon about her lover.  Mitski requests that, even after she is gone, that her love continue to ‘shine’ down for her lover to feel.  “My Love Mine All Mine” is currently one of Mitski’s most popular songs of all time.

Favorite Line(s): “So, when it comes to be my turn / Could you shine it down here for her?”

The Frost

Mitski often writes songs about feelings of loneliness and isolation (see Nobody,[5]  Once More to See You[6]) and she certainly didn’t disappoint with this record’s track eight, “The Frost.”  She sings about lost connections as nostalgic instrumentals highlight her voice.  The song’s title is an analogy for feelings of coldness one may feel without having people to share warm memories with.

Favorite Line(s): “You’re my best friend, now I’ve no one to tell / How I lost my best friend.”

I’m Your Man

“I’m Your Man” is the tenth song off The Land, and arguably one of the most heart-wrenching.  Opening with simple guitar chords much like “Bug Like an Angel,” Mitski sings mournfully about betrayal and how she regrets how previous relationships turned out.  The end of the song is once again backed by the gospel choir, who harmonize in a melancholic manner.

Favorite Line(s): “You believe me like a god / I betray you like a man.” 

I Love Me After You

The eleventh and final track on the record, “I Love Me After You” is an ode to self-love and the healing process after the end of a failed relationship.  The song is a parallel to the song “I Will” off her third album Bury Me at Makeout Creek.  In “I Will,” Mitski writes what she longed for a partner to say to her.  However, in “I Love Me After You,” she flips the narrative, loving herself instead of feeling as though someone else needs to.

Favorite Line(s): “I’m king of all the land.”

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We is one of my favorite Mitski albums of all time, and it is my hope that after perusing my review, it can be one of your favorites as well! For more Mitski content, look her up on your preferred streaming service, or visit her website.