Album Review: Menace Beach, Be The Cowboy

Mitski Miyawaki is having a moment as years of below-the-radar touring and cultish acclaim build into a critical mass with the release of her fifth album. It’s a deserved breakthrough and one the Japanese-born, New York-raised singer more than justifies on a record that weaves and bobs between flagellating confessionals (‘Me And My Husband’) and big, chugging rockers (‘Geyser’).
She cuts a singular presence throughout, burning with empathy on ‘Old Friend’ and turning on herself on ‘Why Didn’t You Stop Me?”, a complicated break-up dirge (You know me better than I do / So why didn’t you stop me?) that showcases her talent for powerful lyrics and for swooping arrangements.
One obvious comparison is St Vincent and not simply because each is a formidable live performer (Mitski takes it to the next level with her hot-pink bass guitar). They have also both parlayed underground buzz into mainstream acclaim. Granted, St Vincent is further along the line and now a proper pop star. On the evidence of the smart and accessible Be The Cowboy, there’s no reason Mitski cannot likewise step up.

Out now