Be the Cowboy
Be the Cowboy is the fifth studio album by American indie rock musician Mitski, released on August 17, 2018, through Dead Oceans. Produced by longtime collaborator Patrick Hyland, the album widens Mitski's palette with a return to the piano featured on her first two records alongside synthesizers, horns and the guitar that became her signature instrument.[1][2][3] Upon its release, Be the Cowboy received widespread acclaim from music critics, who later ranked it among the best albums of 2018. It was preceded by the singles "Geyser", "Nobody", and "Two Slow Dancers". Be the Cowboy was Mitski's first album to chart on the Billboard 200, and also entered the charts in Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
Be the Cowboy
August 17, 2018
- Retro City, Philadelphia
- Gradwell House, Haddon Heights
- Red Bull, Los Angeles
32:28
Patrick Hyland
Writing and recording[edit]
In a statement, Mitski said she experimented in narrative and fiction for the album, and said she was inspired by "the image of someone alone on a stage, singing solo with a single spotlight trained on them in an otherwise dark room."[4] She recorded the album with longtime producer Patrick Hyland, and stated that "for most of the tracks, we didn't layer the vocals with doubles or harmonies, to achieve that campy 'person singing alone on stage' atmosphere."[5] She also said the album is about her reconnecting with her feelings: "I had been on the road for a long time, which is so isolating, and had to run my own business at the same time. A lot of this record was me not having any feelings, being completely spent but then trying to rally myself and wake up and get back to Mitski."[6]
Composition[edit]
Be The Cowboy has been characterized as a "genre-defying"[7] pop,[8] pop-punk,[9] indie rock,[10] art pop,[11] electrowave,[12] disco,[13] and alt-pop[14] record, with elements of rock, chamber pop, funk, synth-pop, punk, techno-surf, country rock, and Eurodisco.[9][15][16][17][18]
Release and promotion[edit]
The album was made available for pre-order on May 14, 2018, without prior announcement. "Geyser" was released as the lead single from the album on the same day along with a music video directed by Zia Anger, who also directed the music video for "Your Best American Girl" from Puberty 2 (2016).[19] The song was previously performed in 2014 on WNYU Radio and Hampshire College.[20][21] On June 26, Mitski released "Nobody" as the second single alongside a music video directed by Christopher Good which was shot over five days in Kansas City.[22] The third and final single to precede the album, "Two Slow Dancers", was released on August 9.[23]
In support of the album, Mitski embarked on a tour including North American and European legs called Be the Cowboy Tour.[24]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Be the Cowboy.[64]