I wasn’t planning on reviewing any albums this semester, since I’m abroad in Prague. While music may be providing the soundtrack for the commutes, night walks and pregames I’ve had in the past few months, I didn’t feel the need to message back across the pond and ask if I could pepper in a review into the daily newspaper.
That said, this review isn’t about me. It’s about Lizzo.
Lizzo is a Minneapolis-based pop-rap crossover artist who has been making waves in the modern music world for the last couple of years, recently dropping bops like “Boys” and “Juice” — both of which would make welcome additions to your in-process summer playlist that I hope you’re currently curating. Her energy and positivity have pushed her from underground phenom to one of the hottest names in modern music, and if you don’t know her now, get used to her, because Lizzo just dropped one of the best albums of the year.
“Cuz I Love You,” the album and the opening song, opens with an enthralling horn section,
and sounds like a marching band got dropped into my phone. “I thought that I didn’t care / I thought I was love-impaired / But baby, oh baby / I don’t know what I’m gon’ do / I’m cryin’ ’cause I love you,” rings the chorus of the titular song, showcasing Lizzo’s range in both emotional depth and vocals. When a song tugs at your heartstrings and rocks your head, you know it’s special.
The album goes from a fierce, yearning love track to a catchy-yet-strong female anthem, appropriately titled, “Like A Girl.” Backed by bouncing synths, Lizzo leaps onto the track, announcing that she “Woke up feelin’ like I just might run for President / Even if there ain’t no precedent.” As the title suggests, the chorus flips “like a girl” from its traditional negative connotation to something to live by.
Near the end of the album, the gospel-adjacent “Heaven Help Me” lets Lizzo show off two of her usual talents, her beautiful singing and her fire rap skills, but near the end we’re peppered by one of her lesser known talents: The flute. That’s right — the last 45 seconds of the song are a delicate flute solo performed by Lizzo herself. This album has everything.
The only thing that isn’t absolutely great about this album is that sometimes there isn’t enough of it. Some of my favorite tracks on here, like the empowerment anthem “Better in Color” and the Gucci-Mane-backed track “Exactly How I Feel” don’t even hit the two and a half minute mark. That in itself isn’t a problem, but I want more because I’m selfish and it’s just so great.
This album has turned my monotonous tram rides to lip sync videos. It’s turned my walks into power struts. It’s turned my life into a non-stop party.
I can’t say enough about this album. LIZZO IS THE TRUTH.
Rating: 4.5/5
Daniel Cohn is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at daniel.cohn@uconn.edu.
