Sasha Sloan | Only Child – Album Review
Sasha Sloan was born in Boston. She then moved to Los Angeles and immediately began writing for pop superstars, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello. She has also collaborated with dance stars like Kygo and Odesza. She made her US national TV debut on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in February, 2019 where she performed, “Older,” from her second EP, Loser.
Sasha Sloan released her third EP Self-Portrait on October 18, 2019. She stated that “this EP is more about being OK with the fact that I have a lot of anxiety, and that I don’t want to go to parties.” Twitter. On April 3, 2020, Sloan released single “I’ll Wait” produced by Kygo for his album Golden Hour. This track has over 77 Million Streams on Spotify. She currently has over 10.6 Million Monthly Listeners on Spotify alone, which is impressive.
We also have previously reviewed her single, “Lie,” and “Is It Just Me,” off her new album, Only Child. In honor of this highly anticipated release, we have decided to do a track by track review of this album.
“Matter To You,” is up first on this new album by the incredible Sasha Sloan. It is interesting to start off an album with a sweet romantic song, but it is absolutely beautiful. The acoustic guitar and drums perfectly compliment Sasha’s voice. “But you make me feel, Like I’m someone, you do / ‘Cause I know I’m someone to you / Make me feel / Like I matter, you do / ‘Cause I know I mattеr to you.”
The title track, “Only Child,” is up next. Sasha Sloan does a great job at telling a captivating story in every song that she releases. This one is no different. It is perfectly summed up by the lyrics “It Gets Lonely Being an Only Child.” This song tells a story about what would happen if she wasn’t an only child. Her voice sounds so strong here. She really captures the emotion of the song and makes you feel her loneliness.
“House With No Mirrors,” is a song about self confidence. This one tells a story of how she would be if she didn’t have to worry about what she looked like. This is such an empowering song which also shows a ton of vulnerability. “Maybe my skin would be thicker, if I lived in a house with no mirrors.”
Right off the bat, you can tell that this single is more upbeat than most of her previous work. This actually works with this song. Her vocals pair well with this type of song. Considering she made the transition from songwriter to singer, it is pretty much a given that the lyrics would be the real breakout here. “Don’t sleep on the couch again, even though you took it for the weekend, Kiss me like you wanna stay, even though you’re thinking about leaving.” These lyrics pretty much set the mood for the entire song. It is all about seeking comfort in denial. “Don’t be honest, promise me that you want this.” This song, even with it being upbeat, is on brand with Sasha Sloan and her iconic, sadgirlsloan persona.
“Hypochondriac,” is up next on this powerful new album. This is a song about falling in love and how she suddenly takes care of herself because she has something to live for. A beautifully dark song about the realistic part of falling for someone. The lyric video was just released last week and already has almost 250,000 views alone!
“Is It Just Me,” is a beautifully written song, about standing out from the crowd, or blending in. Wondering if everyone feels the same way, or “Is It Just Me.” Basically, it is a song about saying things that maybe everyone else is thinking. It is a catchy song, with an infectious melody and beautifully written lyrics.
Next up is “Santa’s Real,” which is a fitting title right before the holidays. Although the title suggests otherwise, this isn’t a Christmas song. This is actually a song about wishing that she lived in a fantasy land, where no-one gets sick, hurt and everything is okay. This is such a powerful song, especially with everything in 2020. “I want to live in a world where Santa’s Real.”
“Someone You Hate,” is up next. This song is driven by the acoustic guitar, which pays off in a big way. “Someone You Hate,” is about about how people grow apart at the end of a relationship. “Someone you held, you held when you were lonely / Someone you called, you called your one and only / I threw it all away / I went from someone you love to someone you hate“
“Until It Happens To You,” is a very emotional song about experiencing things bad things personally. This really puts you in the drivers seat, attempting to navigate your emotions. Instrumentally, this is a bigger song than the rest. She still does a great job at telling her story here as well. “But you’ll never really know what it’s like/ ‘Til you wake up to some real bad news / You’ll never really know how it feels / ‘Til it happens to you”
Last up on this album, is “High School Me.” This is an empowering song about looking back on the trying times of High School. Such a cool story about the way most people feel when looking back on their High School years. “If high school me could see me now
I bet high school me would be so proud, she’d find out / The cool kids, they ain’t everything / The world is so much bigger then her town / If high school me could see me now“
All in all, Only Child is an absolutely beautiful work of art. This album is an emotional rollercoaster that you just want to keep riding over and over again. Sasha Sloan has proven with this album that she is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. She has a unique storytelling ability that not many artists have. One of the best albums of the year. If you are a fan of Sasha Sloan or just a fan of music in general, check out Only Child, below. Now Available on all major streaming platforms.
Follow on Facebook | Instagram | Official Website | Twitter