Not For Lack of Trying

No one would accuse dodie of giving anything less than her best effort on her 2025 album, <i>Not for Lack of Trying</i>. The project, which is a “sister” album of sorts to her 2021 full-length debut, <i>Build a Problem</i>, is a cinematic tour of the troubles, joyous experiences, traumas and uncertainties that fill her life. When she sings “Big, brave girl—29 now/I’m fine now, really, I’m fine now” on opening track “I’M FINE”, she seems to be convincing herself of this fact more than asserting it. It’s a vulnerability that animates the entire record, like on “Darling, Angel, Baby”, which takes inspiration from the anthemic, defiant indie rock of songwriters like Mitski. dodie says to her subject that she’ll be awaiting their kiss when they’re ready, and this time the uncertainty is something she finds comfort in. There are, refreshingly, no straight answers and wide-eyed certainties on <i>Not for Lack of Trying</i>. Rather, dodie explores the world, eager to see which questions are worth keeping around and which are better left unanswered.