Dig into this week’s Saturday Alternative playlist. The Fitting Room album was Be The Cowboy by Mitski, out now on Dead Oceans.
Honesty is often the key to unlocking a truly great song – one that demands a universal kind of resonance and understanding. Even if our circumstances aren’t the same as those of the songwriter, we all feel the joy, sorrow, heartache and struggle of the human experience, and sometimes it takes an artist like Mitski to draw it out of us through song.
Following her critically acclaimed 2016 album, Puberty 2, Mitski has arrived with Be The Cowboy, and as the title might suggest, the album grapples with the idea of becoming a symbol, with womanhood and what it means to maintain control. Beyond the depth of the lyrics, it’s impossible not to be lifted up and swept away by the musicality of Mitski’s work. Every song – though most just over two minutes in length – is a sonic adventure in itself. Surprising melodies that are at once challenging and catchy, sharp synths melded with crunchy guitars, pulsating rhythms, sweeping ballads and powerful indie rockers all sound right at home on Be The Cowboy.
–hour 1—
Roll On – The Rassle
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Centerline – Ava Luna – Moon 2
Nervous Young Inhumans – Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy
Disaster (Is What We’re After) – Death Valley Girls – Darkness Rains
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J.Z.O.K. – Mass Gothic – I’ve Tortured You Long Enough
Break-Thru – Dirty Projectors
The Spider and Me (feat. Mild High Club) – King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Sketches of Brunswick East
Direction – Bird Streets – Bird Streets
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Coming Around – Matt Costa – Santa Rosa Fangs
High Flying Faith – EZTV – High In Place
Tightrope – Petal – Magic Gone
Heaven Hell Anywhere Else – Chastity – Death Lust
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Annihilation Son – Rubblebucket – Sun Machine
Prior Things – Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog
–hour 2–
Masseduction – St. Vincent – MASSEDUCTION
Des Bisous Partout – MUNYA
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Sober Motel – Dilly Dally – Heaven
MDM – Jo Passed – Their Prime
Fanny Dog – Ty Segall – Freedom’s Goblin
Chokehold – Slaves – Acts of Fear and Love
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True Dark – Murder By Death – The Other Shore
C – Oh Sees – Smote Reverser
PINK – Mothers – Render Another Ugly Method
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Do You Love Your Company? – Ron Gallo – Stardust Birthday Party
Double Down – Slothrust
Disarray – Low – Double Negative
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Summer Years – Death Cab For Cutie – Thank You For Today
A Trick of the Light – Villagers
–hour 3–
Golden Wings – Gabriel Garzon-Montano
Ache – Trevor Powers – Mulberry Violence
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Angels – DeVotchka – This Night Falls Forever
Don’t Leave It In Our Hands – The Essex Green
High School Kids – Lonas
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—-FITTING ROOM—-
Why Didn’t You Stop Me? – Mitski – Be The Cowboy
A Pearl – Mitski – Be The Cowboy
Remember My Name – Mitski – Be The Cowboy
–50
Nearer My God – Foxing – Nearer My God
Secret of Life – Lord Huron – Vide Noir
Watching From A Distance – David Ramirez – We’re Not Going Anywhere
The Somnambulist – Echo & The Bunnymen – The Stars, The Oceans & The Moon
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Bite The Hand – Boygenius
