Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)

Every Japanese Breakfast album has enabled a space for Michelle Zauner to process life events and emotions, translating into uniquely comforting lyrics emphasised further by her soft and yearning vocal timbre. From the ghostly synths of ‘Psychopomp’ to the hypnotic sci-fi sonnets of ‘Soft Sounds from Another Planet’, the last four years have been spent hypothesising what conceptual route J-Brekkie would travel down post-’Jubilee’; a tenure that brought her bouts of overwhelming joy, accompanied by a rise to the upper echelons of indie stardom. Her newest, ‘For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)’, then, meshes the worlds of music and literature, taking inspiration from the story of Icarus - who, as we know, flew too close to the sun. Themes of lust, temptation, and sadness are key throughout the album, Michelle masterfully guiding us through a swell of desire.

Opening in true Japanese Breakfast fashion, ‘Here Is Someone’ is tender and warm, akin to the first light of dawn that seeps through the windows; as an echoing arpeggio guitar forms the melodic foundation and a whistle-like synth mimics the movement of travelling wind, you can’t help but feel a sense of hope. Lead single ‘Orlando in Love’ is an ode to the great poets of the past who found themselves utterly smitten by their own myths and standards, and as Michelle’s voice travels through the track surrounded by rich strings, a magical atmosphere is created with embellishments of grand harp. It’s a total fairytale.

The dream-like instrumentation of ‘For Melancholy…’ does not cease here, but takes a shift into a moodier realm. ‘Honey Water’, for example, recounts the story of a wife who lives through her husband’s infidelity: “Why can’t you be faithful?” Zauner murmurs, as lines of piano intersperse the verses, and deep bass notes wash over the song, creating a fuzzy wash of electric whirrs that epitomise the wife’s distaste in her husband. As sadness consists of a variety of complex expressions, this portion of the album embraces ennui and longing that has no cure, bar time.

Throughout, ‘For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)’ feels like both a leap in musical maturity and a callback to vintage Japanese Breakfast; her numbingly sad song ‘Boyish’ (from 2017’s ‘Soft Sounds…’) could be somewhat of a grandmother to this album, cementing her knack for writing a brilliant, dejected song. And whilst this record does celebrate the melancholy, there are still nevertheless upbeat moments - take ’Picture Window’, which bears a country-esque approach with chugging, freight train-like momentum. Elsewhere, unexpected duet ‘Men In Bars’ actualises the heartbreaking scenes depicted in country ballads, Michelle’s vocals teaming up with Jeff Bridges’ to expose an emotionally raw timbre, while closer ‘Magic Mountain’ sees her address the narcissism that comes attached to writing music for a living (“Bury me beside you, in the shadow of my mountain”).

‘For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)’ walks us through a beautiful literary ode to our complex relationships with lovers, ourselves, and the toll they may take on us, ultimately manifesting in deep melancholy. And while perhaps more sombre and moody than previous Japanese Breakfast albums, there are still glorious moments of mellow optimism that manage to peek through.

You can buy a copy of our Japanese Breakfast-covering March 2025 print mag here, and read the cover feature below.