Mitski – Lush

Review

'Lush' introduces the world to Mitski's voice - both literally and figuratively - with a cocktail of raw emotions served in a chamber pop glass, stirred with splashes of lo-fi and punk rock. This 2012 debut album feels like reading a diary left open on a rainy windowsill, where tracks like 'Liquid Smooth,' 'Wife,' and 'Eric' dance between vulnerability and fierce independence. The production might be rough around the edges, but darling, that's part of the magic - like how a scratchy old record sometimes tells a better story than those polished modern things!

What makes this album shimmer is how Mitski's expressive vocals waltz front and center, painting pictures with words that stick to your ribs long after dinner's done. She tackles beauty, relationships, and the whole messy business of finding oneself with the confidence of someone twice her age but the fresh perspective of youth. It's like watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis - beautiful in its awkwardness, yet undeniably powerful in its transformation.

The storytelling on 'Lush' has all the hallmarks of what would later make Mitski a critical darling in the indie music world. Her narratives curl around your ears like wisps of smoke, sometimes comforting, sometimes stinging the eyes. The melancholic undercurrents throughout the album don't weigh it down but rather give it substance - like good whiskey versus that watered-down punch at college parties. This debut serves as a fascinating first chapter in the novel of Mitski's artistic journey, written in a hand that was already remarkably steady and distinctive. - Clementine