Be the Cowboy

**Be the Cowboy** is the fifth album by American artist Mitski, released on August 17th 2018 through Dead Oceans.

## Background

Musically, though the use of traditional indie rock guitar and synth is present, synths are more prominent and there is a return to the use of horns seen on *Retired from Sad.* The choice to move away from distorted guitar was deliberate, because “that became something people recognized me for, and I wanted to make sure I didn’t repeat myself or unintentionally create a signature sound.”, as well as there being an effort to "figure out ways to pace a song that wasn’t reliant on classic song form."

Lyrically, the use of characters and metaphors to convey feelings is expanded on significantly from *Puberty 2;* Mitski has expressed frustration several times over the way that people assume (especially of female songwriters) that songwriting "pours out", rather than being a learnt skill. Linked to this, Mitski experimented in the use of narrative on *Be the Cowboy-* though full characters are not described through songs, Mitski has outlined the idea of:

> “a very controlled icy repressed woman who is starting to unravel. Because women have so little power and showing emotion is seen as weakness, this ‘character’ clings to any amount of control she can get. Still, there is something very primordial in her that is trying to find a way to get out.”
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*Be the Cowboy* was written partially while on tour as well as after touring for *Puberty 2* had finished (being recorded “little by little in multiple studios between tours”), and as such Mitski saw the album as a process of reconnecting with herself emotionally:

> "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."
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A strong artistic theme throughout the album is yearning for what cannot be had either because it no longer exists or never existed- notably, in *Nobody* and *Washing Machine Heart,* by making reference to movies (the music video of the latter featuring the character of a "Silent Film Star"). What is desired is represented by the highly glamourised fiction seen in films; Mitski has often talked about the strong influence films had on her early life.

## Singles

**Geyser** - May 14th 2018, along with a music video and album being made available for preorder without any prior announcements

**Nobody** -June 26th 2018, alongside a music video

**Two Slow Dancers** - August 9th 2018

## Music Videos

**Geyser** - Directed by Zia Anger, starring Mitski. Premiered May 14th 2018

**Nobody** - Directed by Christopher Good, starring Mitski. Premiered June 26th 2018

**Washing Machine Heart** - Directed by Zia Anger, starring Mitski and Michael Cavadias (as "Silent Film Star"). Premiered November 8th 2018

**A Pearl** - Directed by Saad Moosajee and Art Camp, co-directed by Danae Gosset. 3D Animation by Saad Moosajee and Cel Animation by Danae Gosset. Premiered January 31st 2019

## Critical Reception

*Be the Cowboy*has a score of 87/100 based on 30 aggregated critic reviews on Metacritic, indicating universal acclaim.

### Accolades:

\*The GRAMMY nomination was for Mary Banas, the designer of the album packaging, rather than the album itself.

## Physical Releases

*Be the Cowboy* was issued on vinyl and CD through Dead Oceans upon release in 2018, including a coke bottle clear vinyl available with the Dead Oceans Mail Order Bundle or just a poster and a deluxe red vinyl pressing available through Vinyl Me Please which included a 12 page full color booket and a 12x12 inch art print by Charlotte Mei. In 2019 a bonus track edition was released exclusively in Japan on CD and a "Wine Red" pressing that comes with a download code for the bonus tracks.

The Dead Oceans Mail Order Bundle included:

* 'Be The Cowboy’ LP on limited edition “Coke Bottle Green” vinyl in a gatefold jacket, packaged with 27” x 39” poster.
* One 100% silk handkerchief, randomly selected from 2 limited edition Mitski designs. (corresponding sets of lyrics from "A Horse Named Cold Air")
* 'Be The Cowboy' on CD in 6-panel wallet
* Instant download of “Geyser"

100 copies sold by Newbury Comics came with a signed poster and Polaroids. In 2021 a white cassette and a smoke cassette varient were released exclusively through Retrospekt. On July 26th 2023 a Urban Outfitters exclusive gold vinyl (limited to 5000 copies) was released.

Back coverCDStandard black vinylWhite CassetteSmoke CassetteCoke bottle clear vinylDead Oceans mail order bundleRed vinyl with alternate coverWine red vinylUrban Outfitters exclusive gold vinyl
## Album photoshoot by Bao Ngo (2018)

* Credits
* Look 1
* Look 2
* Look 3
* Look 4
* Look 5
* Look 6

* **Photography** Bao Ngo
* **Stylist** Annika White
* **Lighting Design** Carl Knight
* **Makeup** Marika Aoki

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## Credits

* Songwriting, Performance - Mitski
* Performance, Production, "Ripping Sax Solo" on track 6 - Patrick Hyland
* Horns (except sax solo on track 6) - Philly Phatness: Thor Espanez, Ian Gray, Vince Tampio
* Bass (track 9) - Evan Marien
* Mastering - Ted Jensen
* Packaging Design - Mary Banas
* Photography - Bao Ngo
	+ Carl Knight – lighting
	+ Annika White – styling
	+ Marika Aoki – makeup
* Recorded in Retro City Studios, Philadelphia, PA, Gradwell House Studios, Haddon Heights, NJ and Red Bull Studios, Los Angeles, CA

## Trivia

* The album title comes from Mitski jokingly saying “Be the cowboy you wish to see the world” to herself as a reminder not to be subservient and people pleasing above her own needs, instead to sometimes ask “Well, what would a cowboy do?”
* Mitski started to write Geyser while in college, making it the song she has spent the longest writing
* Geyser has also been performed live as early 2014
* The attention to detail in the packaging is seriously impressive, resulting in *Be the Cowboy*'s designer Mary Banasgarnering a Grammy nomination for best album packaging (losing out to St Vincent's *Masseduction* designed by Willo Perron).

## References

1. ↑ https://mitski.bandcamp.com/album/be-the-cowboy
2. ↑ https://theoutline.com/post/5810/mitski-be-the-cowboy-interview?zd=1&zi=i7zp3lt4
3. ↑ https://uproxx.com/music/mitski-be-the-cowboy-new-album-geyser-song/
4. ↑ https://mitski.bandcamp.com/album/be-the-cowboy
5. ↑ https://www.readdork.com/news/mitskis-new-album-be-the-cowboy-is-obviously-great-and-you-can-hear-the-whole-thing-now
6. ↑ https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2018/05/14/610868651/mitski-shares-and-talks-about-new-song-and-album
7. ↑ https://deadoceans.com/news/mitski-nobody-single-video/
8. ↑ https://www.spin.com/2018/08/mitski-two-slow-dancers-listen/
9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdFZJf-B90&list=OLAK5uy\_kPXuJ0JHp9Vg9Zi-hGZIgpSq0y0i9Q0ow
10. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qooWnw5rEcI
11. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vjkh-acmTE
12. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8FDl\_tMs4Y
13. ↑ https://www.metacritic.com/music/be-the-cowboy/mitski
14. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/photos/8489227/best-albums-2018-staff-picks
15. ↑ https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/12/top-50-albums-of-2018/6/
16. ↑ https://ew.com/music/2018/12/06/the-20-best-albums-of-2018/
17. ↑ https://www.flavorwire.com/615311/the-25-best-albums-of-2018/14
18. ↑ http://floodmagazine.com/55575/the-best-albums-of-2018/
19. ↑ https://www.fopp.com/bestalbums2018/
20. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/dec/17/best-albums-2018-mitski-be-the-cowboy
21. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/albums-of-the-year-2018-arctic-monkeys-christine-queens-the-1975-janelle-monae-a8661091.html
22. ↑ https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/features/listomania/best-albums-of-2018
23. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/arts/music/best-albums.html
24. ↑ https://noisey.vice.com/en\_us/article/7xyex4/the-100-best-albums-of-2018
25. ↑ https://nowtoronto.com/music/features/best-albums-of-2018/
26. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2018/12/04/671242319/the-50-best-albums-of-2018-page-5
27. ↑ https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/11/the-50-best-albums-of-2018.html
28. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-50-best-albums-of-2018/?page=5
29. ↑ https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-200-best-albums-of-the-2010s/
30. ↑ https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/mary-banas
31. ↑ https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/12/218904/best-albums-of-2018
32. ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-best-albums-2018-764071/mitski-be-the-cowboy-764127/
33. ↑ https://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/opinion/albums-of-the-year/the-skinnys-top-50-albums-of-2018
34. ↑ https://www.slantmagazine.com/features/article/the-25-best-albums-of-2018/P4
35. ↑ https://www.stereogum.com/featured/the-best-albums-of-2018/
36. ↑ https://time.com/5455075/best-albums-2018/
37. ↑ https://uproxx.com/music/best-albums-of-2018-ranked/
38. ↑ https://www.vulture.com/2018/12/best-albums-2018.html
39. ↑ https://www.villagevoice.com/2019/02/06/pazz-jop-the-top-100-albums-of-2018/
40. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Mitski-Be-The-Cowboy/release/12339557#images/35483482
41. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/Mitski-Be-The-Cowboy/release/13381817
42. ↑ https://yesismore.us/Mitski-s-Be-The-Cowboy
43. ↑ https://theoutline.com/post/5810/mitski-be-the-cowboy-interview?zd=1&zi=i7zp3lt4
44. ↑ https://genius.com/15210512
45. ↑ https://yesismore.us/Mitski-s-Be-The-Cowboy