Japanese Breakfast’s “For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women)” Explores the Beauty of Sadness 

Japanese Breakfast has always had a knack for turning personal stories into dreamy, immersive soundscapes. With For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), released via Dead Oceans, Michelle Zauner dives into moodier textures, creating an album that feels intimate yet expansive. Following the success of Jubilee, this record shifts gears—trading in bright, euphoric anthems for something more introspective and bittersweet. Or, as Zauner puts it, “the psychic state of poets on the verge of inspiration.”

Recorded at the legendary Sound City Studios in Los Angeles with producer Blake Mills, who has worked with Bob Dylan and Fiona Apple, this is Japanese Breakfast’s first proper studio album. I saw Japanese Breakfast at Primavera Sound in Madrid in 2022, during the Jubilee tour. The energy was electric, the joy contagious. That album was all about joy and celebration, a high-energy, festival-ready experience. For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women), on the other hand, is its cooler, moodier sibling—the crisp fall breeze after a scorching summer. It’s less about big moments and more about the quiet reflections that hit when the party’s over. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less powerful—it just sneaks up on you in a different way, lingering long after it ends. While Jubilee was all about joy and celebration, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) is its cooler, moodier sibling—the crisp fall breeze after a scorching summer. It’s less about big, festival-ready moments and more about the quiet reflections that hit when the party’s over.

The album starts with “Here is Someone,” a soft, airy opener with delicate strings that gradually build, bringing to mind Sufjan Stevens. “Orlando in Love,” the track that inspired the album title, is a poetic meditation on longing and its consequences. “Honey Water” leans into ethereal rock, echoing Kate Bush’s dreamiest work, while “Mega Circuit” has a restless, road-trip energy, packed with cryptic but compelling lyrics.

“Little Girl” strips things down with an acoustic intro, Zauner’s voice raw and vulnerable as she sings, “All I need is understanding.” “Leda” is beautifully poetic, with intricate guitar work and lyrics that feel like a quiet, unspoken confession. “Picture Window” shakes things up with a more upbeat groove, featuring horns and the haunting refrain, “All my ghosts are real.”

Then there’s “Men in Bars”—a song that feels like a scene from a movie, full of nostalgia, regret, and the unexpected yet perfect addition of the iconic Jeff Bridges. The track leans into a country aesthetic, contrasting beautifully with “Winter in LA,” where Zauner sings, “I wish you had a happier woman,” capturing that quiet longing to be someone else. The album wraps up with “Magic Mountain,” a meditation on ambition and self-discovery that leaves you feeling like you’ve just emerged from a hazy dream.

Zauner’s lyricism is razor-sharp throughout. “Honey Water” cuts deep with lines like, “The lure of honey water draws you from my arms so needy / You follow in colonies to sip it from the bank.” Meanwhile, “Men in Bars” delivers one of the album’s most striking moments as Zauner and Bridges sing, “Who could say that I’m to blame for wandering?” with a rawness that lingers.

The visuals for the album add even more depth. The music video for “Orlando in Love,” directed by Zauner, is a surreal, theatrical dream featuring Jungle the Drag Queen, blending vintage aesthetics with modern intimacy. “Mega Circuit” takes a completely different approach, featuring home footage of Zauner riding an ATV and goofing around with a gun—giving the song’s restless energy a raw, lived-in feel.

Literary and artistic influences weave through the album. The title itself was inspired by John Cheever’s The World of Apples, and the record carries echoes of Wuthering Heights and Caspar David Friedrich’s moody seascapes. But despite its gothic undertones, the album never feels heavy. Instead, it finds beauty in sadness, turning longing and loss into something deeply moving.

This is an album that sticks with you. With every listen, new layers reveal themselves, making it the kind of record you want to keep coming back to. If you’ve been a fan, you’ll love the way Zauner continues to evolve. If you’re new to Japanese Breakfast, this is an incredible place to start. For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) is out today—so go listen, let it sink in, and see where it takes you. I know I’ll be making plans to catch the tour, just to hear these songs take on a new life on stage.

For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) is out now.