MITSKI'S RETIRED FROM SAD, NEW CAREER IN BUSINESS

Mitski is a highly regarded indie rock artist known for her exceptional songwriting skills and raw emotional expression. The admirable poetry that oozes from each lyric she broadcasts graciously is remarkable. Each of her albums takes the listener on a journey through a range of emotions, providing a unique experience with every listen. Mitski’s ability to make her listeners feel understood is what has earned her a devoted following and a lasting impact on those who connect with her music and she continues to do that in “Retired from Sad, New Career in Business.”

Retired from Sad, New Career in Business is Mitski’s 2nd studio album released on August 1, 2013, written while she was at SUNY Purchase. The album is about anxiety and fear regarding sexuality, relationships, and moving on. The first track is one a fan favorite: “Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart.” The person she was involved with moved on before she realized her love for him. The person got sick of waiting for her to make a move and now she is filled with regret, longing for him to accept her now though she knows it will not happen. She claims that she doesn’t blame him for wanting to forget that she exists because she hurt him, but they should tell their friends about the person she was when they loved her. She worries about her reputation and it causes her to beg towards the end of the song. Her voice starts to break while singing but the hi-hat makes the song seem everything but sad. The album continues and she continues to go through the emotional themes of the album, such as choosing a traditional career path instead of your dreams because of financial burdens and trying not to upset someone with the truth.

She continues to long for this mystery person in the climax of the album, “I Want You.” The soundtrack is one of her emptier pieces, purposefully done so that the audience listens to the lyrics. She explicitly states she wants to pursue a serious relationship with him and it’s unrequited. They split up and Mitski is in agony because they insist on being friends. Mitski masks how upset she is about him moving on by hiding sad lyrics behind happy beats. The stress of everything seems to be the breaking point for her because in “Class of 2013”, she is sorrowful. At this point, Mitski has given up. She is asking her mom for a place to stay because she believes that her music career isn’t advancing. She tells her mother she will “…leave what [she] is chasing for the other girls to pursue.” By the end, she asks her mother for a little more time to chase her dreams a little longer.

The roller coaster RFSNCIB leaves the listener sobbing as they feel seen and find themselves in Mitski’s heartbreak. This album is one of the greatest and a remarkable piece of art.