2026 Album #005: girli - it's just my opinion

This is my 5th album review of the year, featuring girli's third studio album 'it's just my opinion'. I got into girli's music around when Matriarchy, her last album, was released. I was quite impressed by that album, and there were lots of good songs, although it was a bit rough in places. So let's see what I think of this album!

girli - it's just my opinion

Blue Sky: My favourite social media website! Some nice production so far, not entirely sure about girli's singing here though. Feels like in some lines a bit too much is going on. It feels a bit messy? Yeah, I'm afraid this is a bit of a mess. Too loud and not in a good way, there's too much going on. I do kinda like the synths but yeah. The chorus was not it. Yeah, this is really not it. Sorry! 4/10

Slap On The Wrist: A nice message (if a bit depressing). It's a good feminist song. Some of the layered vocals are cringe though. I think the singing is the main issue here, again. The chorus production is nice. I really like the message and the lyrics. Some of the notes are too long, and it just feels a bit...off with girli's vocals. That scream? That was...unnecessary. I can't emphasise enough that I really like the production of the chorus especially, but then girli's singing ruins it here and there! Argh!!! The message of this song is so important, of course, and I think it does that well. Very well. It's the singing! 6/10

Pedestal: Not sure about the start here. Both the singing and the production are not working at the start. Thank god it went to something. The chorus is good. The background vocals are not it really. Singing is a bit clunky again (not a fan of the vocal effects too). Too many words in places and it just doesn't sound that good in places too. It's catchy though, especially the production! Some of the background sounds in the bridge...girl, no. 6/10

Don't Make Me Cry: This is some nice production. Really like it. The singing in the fast bits...not so good. Not really feeling the lyrics as much on this one. And the 'nice production' got a bit too loud and messy again. The start was a false promise! There's just too much going on and it does not work coherently. 4/10

Bones: OMG, it's MUNA! The production really reminds me of a MUNA song at the start. I think I like this? Some of the lines again...too long, singing is hit or miss. I really did like that pre-chorus but the chorus is a bit of a letdown by comparison, and again I think it's doing a bit too much. BUT this is better overall! EH...the bridge ruined it again. But, overall, this was a pleasant listen, even with a few...less good elements. 6/10

Lifestyle: It's...okay? I guess? The vocals being prominent at the start is not really it. Some of the singing in that prechorus...nope! Don't like the singing in the chorus too! The song has an interesting theme to it...I like it, but the singing, the lyrics, the production. Eh... It's not great. 4/10

Romantic Sadness: Some nice synths here! Could this be my favourite? Other than some of the singing... This was decent! It was boppy, the production was fine, the singing wasn't awful. We'll take it! 6/10

Squirm: What the HELL?! NO! STOP! THE EARS! KILL IT! Oh thank god that was just the intro. The rest is...not great, but it wasn't that bad. Oh that's the CHORUS? STOP! NOW! Sorry, this is just bad. BAD! BAD! Anyway, that happened I suppose. Moving on. 3/10

Light In The Dark: What's Going On? Not sure about the vocal effects here but it's okay I suppose. Not fantastic though. Not that chorus....oh dear. This is just a bit...dull, I guess? And too repetitive for the chorus but in a good way. Bridge was okay. Oh, that was an abrupt ending. Alright then. Mehhh. 4/10

Traces: Eh, I'm just not feeling this either. Production is...interesting enough, I'm not sure why we've randomly got the pew pew lasers and all. It's an...interesting vibe. The chorus is kinda catchy but also kinda not? Help... That talking is kinda interesting and something. But again, meh.... 4/10

Better Undressed: This feels like more of the girli I remember. Singing is good, the production is good. Like was I just a hater until this point? The chorus is not quite there again but honestly...it may be the best one yet. I like the post-chorus hook repetition. That's good. All of it all comes together quite well here! This is definitely the best song, and honestly...the only one I realistically want to listen to again. Where was this in the rest of the album? Great stuff! 8/10

The Answer: This does have really closing track energy. It's not too bad. Well, the chorus kinda ruined it honestly. Not sure that was the right chorus for this. It just doesn't meet the moment here. Anyway, it was decent other than that....which was a large part of the song sadly. So meh. This song was not the answer to the question "what makes a good song?" (well, some of it was, partially, maybe, but too much was not). 5/10

Overall Verdict: I was deeply disappointed by this album. If we could list examples of albums that were truly mediocre, this would be one of them. As ever, it's not entirely negative. There are hints of great girli songs in here, such as Better Undressed. In a way, it feels like it's completely divorced from the rest of the project. However, a lot of the songs are just actively bad. A lot of the choruses just don't work, and the singing was often grating to me and did not work either. It may be the mixing (unsure) but a fair bit of it sounded actively bad to me and too 'loud' in a bad way. So this was just mediocre. I wish it could have been better. Again, Better Undressed shows what was possible. Where was that throughout the whole thing?

Favourite lyric: "All that I want is the right to exist / And all that I want is to walk with no risk / All that they said was my case was dismissed / And all that he got was a slap on the wrist" (Slap On The Wrist)

I like the lyrics for the whole song, as mentioned, despite other problems I have with it. I think it's a great feminist song that rightfully highlights the problem with men in society and how women feel continually unsafe and nothing is really done about it, and many men get off lightly or just completely face no consequence whatsoever. I think it's a great song that highlights those problems and also the impacts it has on all the women who have to experience constant harassment, abuse and worse from men.

Least favourite: "It's chemical, not logical / Improbable but possible / Fantastical, impractical / Sounds corny but it's magical" (Bones)

Yes, it does sound corny. Sorry!