Released on Feb. 27, Mitski’s eighth studio album, “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me,” is a relatively quick listen, sitting at 34 minutes and 27 seconds. Through just 11 tracks, Mitski delivers an emotionally loaded piece that absolutely lives up to her previous albums.
Centered around themes of isolation and silence, Mitski tells the story of a woman who holds her tongue, can’t bear to leave, fears being alone and welcomes the dark.
Some songs are more relatable than others, with “If I Leave” telling the story of being afraid to leave a relationship because you don’t think anyone will love you as they do. This album is filled with songs about codependence and self-doubt, and that’s where its strengths lie.
The tracks are certainly emotionally damaging, but they can also be healing for the right audience. Overall, Mitski hits the mark with her album, blending a fresh mix of jazz, blues and folk. Here are my top three tracks from the album.
Track One: “In a Lake”
Starting the album off strong, “In a Lake” is a beautiful ballad that draws on elements of both Blues and Appalachian music.
“In a Lake” feels like a reflection on regrets and facing the consequences of one’s own actions. The song hints at the idea that living in a small town condemns you to a small life, haunted by guilt. Mitski’s lyrics claim she doesn’t want this—who would—especially in the first verse, “I’d never live in a small town / I’ve made too many mistakes.”
The one place she feels like she can be free from judgment is the lake. The line “But in a lake you can backstroke forever / The sky before you, the dark right behind,” shows us how comfortable nothingness is for her and how calm she would be in a faraway place. Even feeling alone in a city sounds comforting for her when she says, “And in a big city, you can start over / The lights all around you, the dark safe in the sight.”
This opening track is easily one of the best on the album and sets the tone for the rest of the piece.
Track Two: “Where’s My Phone?”
The second track, Where’s My Phone, is slightly more chaotic and dives into the classic sad rock sound that Mitski is best known for. Kicking the album up a notch, “Where’s My Phone” feels desperate and full of yearning.
The repeated questions of “Where’s my phone? / Where’s my phone? / Where did I leave? / Where’d I go? / Where’d I go?” directly tie Mitski to her phone.
She strongly implies that she wants a clear mind, to think about nothing, and to live in the nighttime forever. When she says, “If night is like you punched a hole into tomorrow / I would **** the hole all night long,” she means she would love nothing more than to stay in that moment of nighttime: an engaging and humorous metaphor, but a thought-provoking one nonetheless. And yes, it is even bleeped out in the song.
Track Three: “Cats”
Right back into the acoustic folk sound, “Cats” is soft and heartbreaking. Mitski explains the painful experience of loving someone so much that you feel like you can’t leave them. This over-reliance on a person’s presence is co-dependent, and her only comfort is the two cats who sleep with her.
She knows she will be alone if she leaves, so she would rather be unhappy. When she sings, “I won’t leave you ’cause I still love you / So it’s up to you if you choose to go / In the meantime, sleeping by my side / Our two cats, making sure I’ll be alright,” she knows she won’t leave the relationship, so it’s up to her partner to leave her first.
This song captures the album’s main tone, sinking into the idea of reliance on others and the craving for their love.
