To celebrate the repress of Lola Young’s “This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway” I thought I’d give this album a little review.
(If you’re looking for the review of I’m Only F**king Myself – it’s here.)
Now, the backstory here is that I tried to get this album from my local vinyl store on the first day of my holidays and missed out on their only copy by half an hour. I’ve literally been waiting ever since for my vinyl to arrive (over 2 months) and now it’s finally here, and widely available so you can get your hands on one too! And you should.
This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway is Lola Young’s sophomore studio album and it’s hard to believe she’s only 23 as you listen to the powerful, sultry vocals on this record. She’s Gen Z’s Amy Winehouse (hopefully without Amy’s ongoing personal issues). Her brutally honest lyrics speak to you and are illustrative of the strong sassy woman she is while at the same time allowing you to empathise with her moments of weakness and heartbreak. My generation cried out their break ups on the kitchen floor with Amy blaring in the background, 20 year old’s will do the same thing with Lola.
Most people are discovering Lola Young now through her blow up single Messy, and it’s hard to argue that the little rise in the song around “don’t say hello, because I got high again and forgot to fold my clothes” isn’t one of the most stunning little musical snippets from a pop/r’n’b song ever. However, for me it was Big Brown Eyes that first captivated my attention on the album. I loved its rawness, the interplay of the complex emotions, the “fuck you” vs. “You rub away all my boundaries”. It’s hard to convey so much in one song, but she does it beautifully.
Musically, I love that the album isn’t scared to simply highlight Lola’s voice. This stripped back approach is becoming more and more a feature of 20’s music and I’m here for it. It’s the moments like “it’s me or the weed” in Good Books that make you just pause and go “yup, that’s what I’m talking about”, you don’t need a million things going on in the background, just let the girl sing.
I love the variety of genres on the songs, I think ultimately, if we’re looking to define it, it’s an r n b album, but tracks such as Fuck have a much rockier feel, there’s notes of jazz dancing throughout and other tracks (I Wish You Were Dead, Messy) drift to more of a pop feel at times.
It’s rare I find an album where I love every song on it and want to listen over and over. Aforementioned Amy’s Back to Black would be one, Lana’s Born To Die, Erykah Badu’s Baduism are others. And now Lola Young’s This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway is added to that list.
Listen to This Wasn’t Meant For You Anyway here.
Find out more about Lola Young here.