Mitski – Puberty 2

Mitski was such a huge part of my life from 2016-2019ish. In the editing of my Masters (which became my book) I listened to this album non stop on the university computers on bandcamp. Soon after that I bought the record. In my spotify end of decade wrap up Mitski was my number one artist (I think I only got Spotify in 2017).

When I did my reading of 2000ft Above Worry Level in the 2018 Fringe Festival I used a Mitski song as the closer (Townie). Mitksi has an incredible gift for making music which feels personal to every person listening, which has contributed to a really creepy response from her fans who seem to think Mitski’s experiences belong to them. They don’t. They belong to me 2016-2018. I haven’t listened to Mitski much in the past few years and now when I do it takes me back to the feelings from those years, which feel a bit foreign to me now. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to separate this record from that era of my life, which in some ways is good for nostalgia purposes but also makes me not really able to appreciate it without bringing up all this other stuff.

Mitski released a new album last year and I just couldn’t get into it. I’m sure it’s just as good as everything she’s done but I guess my Mitski era is over.

On a side note, this is maybe one of the worst pressings of records I own. I can’t start the record properly, it always slips as it’s starting a few seconds in, and it also slides into the label at the end of side 1. It also feels like it has less dynamics than the digital version and quite a lot of noise. Looking at the discogs page for the pressing it seems like there are quite commonly a lot of faults with it.

Fave tracks: A Loving Feeling, Happy

Sinead O’Connor – The Lion and the Cobra

Sinead O’Connor has spent most of my life being a joke. I didn’t remember any of the controversy first hand, only from cultural references to her. I never really questioned whether or not she deserved it. Eventually it felt like she was reevalutated and (in the media I was consuming) it was accepted that she was incredibly unfairly treated. She was right about the catholic church and had her career and name destroyed and we just let it happen and turned her into a joke.

Even when I read about all the terrible things that happened to her I didn’t once consider to listen to her music.

The first time I actually listened to her was when I read The Number Ones column about Nothing Compares 2 U. I was kind of aware of the song and had probably heard it but had never actually considered listening to it as if it could be good. Anyway that song rules. I found the CD of I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got at an op shop and listened to it quite a bit, but it wasn’t until I found a copy of The Lion and The Cobra at an opshop that I really got into her.

Anyway this album is incredible. Big studio sounds and uses the pop sounds of the era, but uses them to make music that doesn’t fit neatly into pop music. It feels really angry without losing control or beauty.

Listening to this is what I love about records. I doubt that if I hadn’t picked this up I would have properly given it the time of day. I might have put it on streaming in the background while I browsed the internet but after that was done it would just get lost in a sea of things I had listened to. It also really benefits from being played through a stereo and taking up the room rather than headphones.

Fave tracks: Just Call Me Joe, Mandinka, Drink Before the War