Album Review: "I'm Only F**king Myself" - Lola Young

Photo Credits: Pitchfork

Being one of the most recent up and coming artists that this generation has seen, we have so much to uncover with Lola Young. In her newest album, "I'm Only F**king Myself" shows us so much more about the artists range, musicality and how smart she really is when it comes to making choices that create sounds we've been lacking in the music industry.

Track List:

how long will it take to walk a mile? (interlude)

F**K EVERYONE

One Thing

d£aler

SPIDERS

Penny Out of Nothing

Walk All Over You

Post Sex Clarity

SAD SOB STORY! :)

CAN WE IGNORE IT? :(

why do i feel better when i hurt you?

Not Like That Anymore

who f**king cares?

ur an absolute c word (interlude)

2024 was Lola Young's break into the music industry. No one was able to escape her hit song "Messy" which started trending on TikTok allowing viewers to be exposed to the unique artist. She is a singer songwriter from London, England who started performing music at the ripe age of 15. Now, at just 24 years old, she has 3 albums to call her own that have broken barriers in so many areas.

how long will it take to walk a mile? (interlude)

The beginning of this album is unlike any other with a really sweet interlude which also strangely feels topical with the point of view of the songs to come. The question of "how long will it take to walk a mile?" makes me think of walking in another persons shoes but also how there's not really an exact time that you can put on this experience to really understand what another person is going through. It's a gentle start to an album that feels so loud.

F**K EVERYONE

Almost immediately, this song went on my favorite songs playlist. It starts off with such a grungy sound, choppy technology aligned with indie style lyrics and a punk chorus. The lyrics are incredibly freeing to listen to with the idea of just sleeping around with absolutely no strings attached and genuinely being so ok with that. This song feels more like an anthem than anything else and it's one of the best starts to an album that I've ever heard.

One Thing

The first single to come off this album that we can't escape from (making it like "Messy" 2.0) has taken over social media in the best way. Bringing Lola's sound to a R&B/pop sound and rhythmic lyrics that give the song the main character moment it deserves. This song's point of view is very similar to the first song in terms of just trying to appreciate how sex fits into life. It doesn't have to be something that is taboo but something that will gladly be given without having to make it a big deal.

d£aler

There are certain songs that artists will put out that feel like it's more for them than writing for an audience and that's what this song feels like. The first of multiple incredibly vulnerable songs from this album speaking to wanting to just up and leave. My favorite lyrics is "Tell you, "No," make it clear" which is so perfectly topical. Setting clear, direct boundaries is so hard to do but somehow easier if you're uprooting your life. Maybe because of the idea that you'll never have to face this situation again? Specifically what I love about this song is how Lola would want to make sure her dealer knows she'll miss him while she's away. I love bringing that character into a point of view for a song.

SPIDERS

This is the next extremely vulnerable song from the artist that sounds absolutely beautiful. This song reminds me so much of Radiohead which is something that Lola even mentions later on in the album being a band that she likes to listen to when feeling down about life. This song is raunchy. It's loud in the chorus and a perfect break-up song with notes of "I'm doing my own thing" written all over it. The passion that we hear in Lola's voice is what we really love about this artist. This is another song that went on my playlist.

Penny Out of Nothing

I don't think of optimism too much when I think of Lola Young's music but this one gives us that little glimmer of that sprinkled with ego. The song feels like it's straight out of a Tears For Fears album but with Lola's voice being so hypnotizing. This song is a lot more chill than the rest of the ones we heard before this. I really love the line, "I'm not done lying to your face." There's something about the self awareness that really struck a chord with me. The magic is really in the chorus with an enchanting sound. The lyrics are so fascinating and feel so large that only listening to it will do it justice.

Walk All Over You

Bringing the indie vibes back, this song makes you feel like you're driving down a street next to water. The lyrics in this are empowering and speaks to anyone who has dealt with a partner treating them like a parent or just not really wanting to be an adult. This song is Lola's way of speaking up for herself and letting this person know that she is more than happy to walk all over this person. There's nothing ok about this behavior and this song feels empowering to think and feel that.

Post Sex Clarity

This song feels extremely personal for Lola but the way she wrote it is in a way that feels extremely relatable. The first time I heard it, it feels like when you're really obsessed with a person and have a crush on them - you end up creating this illusion of who they actually are. Once the two people sleep together, it almost brings you all the way back down to reality and you're able to see this person in a much different way. But what this song is touching on is even after all that - she still wants this person at the end of the day.

SAD SOB STORY! :)

If any song is relatable, it's gotta be this one. The lyrics in this song really do all the heavy lifting to get Lola's point across. This song talks about how it really is to be with the wrong person. The lyrics really paint the whole picture by showing us little snippets of what Lola clearly went through with this person but also how relieving it is to not care what they're actually doing anymore. It's not your problem anymore but in the most freeing way.

CAN WE IGNORE IT? :(

Another perfect punk song coming from Lola Young. Probably one of the best on the entire album since the lyrics really meet the music on this one. It's so honest, hard to hear in some parts but so true. It's a song listing off all of the things that Lola thinks she needs to work on but just wanting to ignore it. How we just start going through the motions but we really know there is an underlying reason to why things are happening in our lives and not feeling able to deal with it.

why do i feel better when i hurt you?

A very honest song that also I feel like really speaks on a subject that we don't hear enough of. There are so many couples out there who show each other love by being mean to one another. I feel like it stems from when we were younger and people telling us that if someone is being mean to you, it means they like you. Something that has built so many bad relationships on a foundation of people being treating poorly. Lola perfectly captures what it's like to become self aware of herself doing that to another person.

Not Like That Anymore

Another song that instantly became one of my favorites. Starting off with a perfect guitar part that brings back the indie feel which has now carried all throughout the album. This song is all about that self-empowering feeling of doing what's absolutely best for you. It's freeing in the sense that it feels like we're so connected to Lola at this point from her being so open and honest throughout the entire album. She really does such a great job at making it feel personal while allowing listeners to connect on an intimate level.

who f**king cares?

This song is so different from everything else on the album. It gives the album the gentleness that it deserves and what seems like Lola really needs for herself. The other parts of the album are very loud and fun - almost even scream worthy but this one is so soft. It's just Lola and a guitar so we're able to hear the raw talent in her voice and truly how great she is as a singer. This is all tied up in a bow with an amazing point of view covering a lot of what we hear in the album about not really being happy exactly in this moment but having an optimistic approach to things coming at her.

ur an absolute c word (interlude)

Tying the whole thing together, the album ends almost the same exact way that it starts with not a song but someone talking. This time it feels like they're reading a poem of sorts that feels really cute and sweet all while being a bit existential.

Overall, this has to be one of the best albums that is yet to come out of 2025. I think it can be really hard to not only go through the trouble of breaking through the music industry but then there's the pressure that we see all the time of what the artist will do next. A lot of times too - it has to be bigger and better than the last thing. Lola Young has not only kept her voice and sound which grabbed our attention in the first place, but has really double downed in finding it as well as giving us some amazing, heartfelt incredible songs.

Written By Breanna M.

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