Known from her previous songs such as “Would You Be So Kind,” “She,” and “Monster,” Dodie is an English singer-songwriter, author, and a well-known YouTuber. On October 3rd of this year, Dodie released her sophomore album Not for Lack of Trying which has been received with positive reviews. However, Dodie has seemed to miss the mainstream listener due to Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl releasing the same exact day. Even though Dodie seemed to be overlooked by the general public, this album is incredibly special with its folky and soft nature combined with harsh and heartfelt topics.
I’M FINE: 9.5/10
The introduction to the beginning of the album is one for the record books. From the ethereal strings to the deep lyrics that Dodie contributes. This song delivers its message by capturing the mental struggle and battle with oneself that takes place throughout our lives. She repeats the exclamation of “I’m fine” within the choruses in an attempt to convince herself and the listeners that she is doing well mentally. However, we know this to be a falsehood. Dodie has stated in the past that she goes through derealization due to her battle of depression and having trouble knowing if something is real or a figment of her imagination. Within the lyrics of the song, she states, “One year left to figure it out now/Big girl, twenty-nine now” which feeds into the idea that everyone must have their life figured out by the age of thirty. Although I am not at her age yet, I relate to this lyric because as a high school senior, people are always asking me what I am going to do for college or what career I have planned for the future. I haven’t figured out what I want to do exactly which is why I relate to this so much. Similar to Dodie, I feel the pressure of figuring everything out before it’s “too late”. But in light of the message of this song, it is okay to not know because no amount of planning can prepare us for the unpredictability of life. This song is attached to this article so be sure to take a look because along with the amazing music, the video provides stunning visuals as to what Dodie is trying to voice with her style.
“Smart Girl:” 8/10
The second track off of this album is “Smart Girl” which relates feelings of extreme jealousy to the point of obsession. The speaker compares herself to another in a way that she starts to question her own identity stating, “Is this envy chronic?/Am I helplessly in love with you or myself?” Caught between jealousy and obsession, Dodie speaks on the blending of these two sides and therefore, the struggle to know herself. The ending of the song repeats the title in a way that demonstrates the importance of the obsession. The haunting feeling that runs through the entirety of this masterpiece didn’t fail to make me enthralled. I haven’t heard a song like this and I am sure that it will grow on me the more I listen to it.
“Darling, Angel, Baby” (featuring Greta Isaac) 9/10
This song is a dedication to Dodie’s one true love in her life…her cat, Mrs. “Darling, Angel, Baby” is repeated throughout the entire song to express her love and feelings for the feline. Greta Isaac’s contribution to the song adds so much to the depth and allows the listener to feel attached to what is being said. Dodie recently created an opening for musicians to contribute to the song in order for her to make a larger video with the many orchestral instruments in the recording. I wanted to submit a video of myself playing the cello part but unfortunately, there was an age requirement. Nonetheless, the purity entailed in this song makes me love it even more. I can relate to the love she has for her cat because I have that same feeling for my dogs: I do not know what I would do without them.
“Hold Fire:” 7/10
“Hold Fire” tells the tale of a relationship that people, including herself, keep holding onto even though it’s not good for them. It talks about setting boundaries and distancing themselves from each other because they are holding themselves back from what is needed. The title in itself shows that they are restraining themselves from anger and rage in order to keep this relationship thriving. The constant usage of reverb on her vocals along with the repetition of the title aligns with the rest of the album and that feeling of being haunted.
“Tall Kids:” 10/10
Personally, I absolutely adore a quiet, slower song. Ballads and emotions make me feel everything that I need no matter what mood I am in. Thus, Tall Kids is my favorite track of Not for a Lack of Trying. The song was released as a demo in 2022 when Dodie would write a song in each month of the year. The track showcases a longing to be liked and popular in which she would “be with the tall kids.” In this sense, tall means popular and she wishes that she is able to join that crowd to be liked. I strongly recommend this song if you want to get into Dodie as an artist.
“I Feel Bad for You, Dave:” 7/10
“I Feel Bad for You, Dave” was another one of the singles released before the album came out. The unique nature of this song illustrates a story of a man with an ego as big as the ocean. The man showcases toxic masculinity and the need to impress women but ultimately fails when Kate, another subject in the song, finds out that he has posted heinous words online. The music video also has a surprise appearance from Jeff Goldblum as he introduces Dodie’s album as a news report. As weird as this song may initially seem, the storytelling of Dodie is incredibly well done. With that said, if you enjoy a good story, this is the song for you.
“Now:” 6/10
This track entails Dodie’s manifestations of the world, looking more on the bright side of where the future will take her. She wanted to shed some light on the dark stuff that holds onto her life. While this song isn’t my most favorite, every lyric has its place and runs for a beautiful three minutes.
“The List:” 8.5/10
The intimate vibe of the song demonstrates the meaning of it with “the list” actually being the many relationships that Dodie has over time and not being able to settle. Dodie has been widely open about her bisexuality and this track showcases this with including both men and women that she has been with. The strings within this song make me so happy because lots of pop artists seem to lack adding live strings into their recordings. Dodie makes sure to include this due to her musical background.
“Different:” 6/10
Reverb is one of my favorite things to hear in a song and this song has a plethora of it. The bird noises within this song connect back to “Smart Girl” and the message is similar to that of other songs. It talks about mental health and social anxiety when it comes to times of loneliness. Dodie asks the rhetorical question “Did I do something wrong?” to try and showcase how someone has changed after the relationship that she and the subject had. Overall, I enjoy the production of the song but it isn’t my taste for lyrical content.
“The End:” 8/10
Once again talking about a breakup, “The End” compares the end of the relationship to that of death. She metaphorically died because they were no longer a pair. There are also male backing vocals in the bridge which adds to the theme of the song. The different layering of vocals tickles just the right part of my brain. Also, when she sings “I will not lose another home” and holds onto the last note, it just makes me ascend. Simply said, it sounds beautiful.
“The Answer:” 6/10
“The Answer” is unlike any of the other tracks on the album with more of an upbeat feel and chopping vocals. She also speeds up the chorus which makes it seem sort of anxious as if running too fast. The song covers the topic of: unhealthy ways to cope with your mental health. Personally, it isn’t my favorite especially because I prefer a slower song with her vocals but once again, this song is sure to grow on me the more I listen to it.
“Not for Lack of Trying:” 8/10
The last song on the album is the title track. Even with it being only two minutes long, it makes a strong impact. Once again, she talks about her struggles with maintaining reality and figuring out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. She tries her best to see the positive and wants to have a successful future, a very relatable intention which makes me enjoy this song even more. It is such a great title track and a great closer to the album.
As an overall album, I would rate it at an 8/10, but I will say that the album cover itself can push that up to a 9/10. It is such an ethereal design and combined with the font, it is truly unique and unlike anything I have ever seen. I love having people look at different artists and Dodie is one to keep an eye on. Her other work like Human, Build a Problem, Hot Mess, and Get Weird are all amazing with Human being my favorite album/EP of her works. Be sure to listen to the album to get a taste for it yourself and thanks for reading!
