Photo by Daniel Dorsa
The only thing that’s bubblegum about Mitski is the color scheme in her new music video. Featuring floating, animated tampons and birth control, the peachy video for “Townie” embraces the agonies and pleasures of growing up female in a small town. The video is animated by the former Bostonian and forever talented Faye Orlove, whose work you may recognize from The Media.
Adorable and just as face paced as the spitfire lyrics in the song, the video is rife with feminine imagery. As the song itself climbs to unstable heights, the video flickers and shimmers as we watch, images distorted and fuzzy. It levels out about two minutes in, just in time for the guitar solo and break, only to fall more deeply into distress and distortion. It closes out with the closing lines flashing neon pink in elegant cursive- “I’m gonna be what my body wants me to be.” A self-proclamation, as well as a reclamation of ownership over the female form- or so it’s suggested. “Townie” is as multi-faceted and fascinating as Mitski herself. The video is ever so fitting in its overwhelming pinkness, yet increasingly dark imagery.
Check out the video below and catch Mitski on her tour.
03/05 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg #
03/13 Orlando, FL @ Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts #
04/11 Philadelphia, PA @ The Attic Youth Center
03/06 Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall #
03/07 Chapel Hill, NC @ Local 506 #
03/08 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl #
03/10 Miami, FL @ Grand Central #
03/11 St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre #
03/14 Gainesville, FL @ The Woody #
03/16 New Orleans, LA @ Republic #
03/17-21 Austin, TX @ SXSW
04/04 Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes %
04/05 Providence, RI @ Spark City %
04/06 Worcester, MA @ The Firehouse %
04/07 Portland, ME @ Space Gallery %
04/09 Ottawa, ON @ House of TARG %
04/22 Boston, MA @ The Sinclair &
04/24 Hamden, CT @ The Space &
04/25 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom &
04/26 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
05/08 Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Music Festival
%= w/ Screaming Females
#= w/ Hundred Waters
&= w/ Speedy Ortiz