Music / Psychopomp

Cover art featuring Michelle Zauner's mother and a friend.

Psychopomp is the debut album by American Alternative Pop band Japanese Breakfast.

Most of the songs refer to frontwoman Michelle Zauner's mother who passed away prior to this album's conception. Outside of lyrics talking about grieving, it also deals about love, whether it is unrequited or not.

Not to confuse with the trope, although the album is named after it as a way to symbolize the death of Michelle's mother.

Tracklist:

1. "In Heaven"
2. "The Woman who Loves You
3. "Ragged Country"
4. "Everybody Wants to Love You"
5. "Psychopomp"
6. "Jane Cum"
7. "Moon on the Bath"
8. "Heft"
9. "Triple 7"

Everybody wants to trope you:

• Dedication: The album is dedicated to Michelle Zauner's mother who passed away prior to its recording.
• Grief Song: A big part of the album is is dedicated to Michelle Zauner's mother who died. "In Heaven" is about the empty space left by her, following her passing.
  I'm trying to believe
  When I sleep, it's really you
  Visiting my dreams
  Like they say that angels do
• Instrumentals: "Psychopomp" and "Moon on the Bath".
• Looped Lyrics: The chorus of "Everybody wants to love you" (which is also the title of the song)
• Lyrical Dissonance: "In Heaven" sounds like an upbeat tune (if you don't pay attention to the lyrics about how someone's death leaves a lot of empty space in your life).
• Meaningful Name: Psychopomp refers to a being who leads souls to the afterlife in various mythologies (and it fits with the death of Michelle's mother being mentionned in a few songs).
• Melismatic Vocals: On " In Heaven" and "Jane Cum".
• One-Woman Song: "The Woman who Loves You" and "Jane Cum".
• One-Word Title: "Heft".
• Rearrange the Song
  • "Jane Cum", "The Woman that Loves You" and "Triple 7" were previously featured in a minimalistic format on an EP called American Music.
  • "Everybody Wants to Love You" is originally a song by Birthday Girlz, a now-defunct rock band Michelle was part of.
• Siamese Twin Songs: Happens two times on the album.
  • "In Heaven" segues into "The Woman who Loves You".
  • "Moon on the Bath" is an instrumental track which transitions into "Triple 7".
• Silly Love Song: "Everybody Wants to Love You" easily stands out, compared to the rest of the album, for its cheaply romantic lyrics.
  Will you lend me your toothbrush?
  Will you make me breakfast in bed?
  Ask me to get married
  And then make me breakfast again
• Spoken Word in Music: "Psychopomp" features a spoken passage in the form of a phone conversation where Michelle's mother tells her daughter that everything will be alright (according to an interview with the band, this phone call happened after the cancer diagnosis of Michelle's mother was revealed).
• Title Track: An instrumental short track featuring the voice of Michelle's mother.