by Ebru Yildiz
Some artists seem to emerge from their pupa fully formed. Look at Bjork, Beck, Lady Gaga, Madonna and Tom Waits: Though each has evolved, they introduced themselves to the world with an exclamation point, projecting focus and panache and command of their chosen musical styles from the get-go.
Mitski belongs to this singular group who hit the ground running. Born Mitsuki Laycock, she spent her formative years moving around the world with her American father, who worked for the U.S. Department of State, and her Japanese mother.
by Ebru Yildiz
She was inundated with culture, which might explain the diverse nature of her songwriting and performing. However, her ability to lean into eccentricities set her apart from the moment she released Lush in 2012 and put immediately herself in the company of those newcomers with talent, vision and the insight to marshal both.
While many people strive for authenticity through a quirk, that’s a surefire way to be seen as fake. If you aren’t weird via nature or nurture, you just aren’t weird, man. That’s okay; there’s nothing wrong with being ordinary. The gift of strangeness is to be embraced and celebrated with productive creativity in any form that plucks the strings of its recipient. In this case, Mitski is a musician with a penchant for artsy pop, folk rock, indie-rock, and, in some cases, experimental prog-rock sensibilities.
Her new album, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We,” came after announcing her retirement from music on stage in 2019, which followed her retreat from social media that same year. Like seasons and pant styles, things change, and obviously she reconsidered her withdrawal from music and online fame — a welcome development not just for her fans but for anyone with ears and an open mind.
The reception for “The Land” tells you the retreat didn’t hurt Mitski artistically. “Playing country-inflected orchestral pop with sardonic wit and deep feeling,” quoth The Guardian, “Mitski underlines why she’s one of the very best singer-songwriters working today.” It’s also clear she was missed.
Mitski and opener Tamino play the Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater, 8pm Friday and Saturday, January 26 and 27. mitski.com ~ Tim Moffatt
