Review: Sophie Lloyd – Imposter Syndrome

Autumn Records (November 10^th 2023)

Reviewer: Jason Hopper

Sophie Lloyd is a name that even superficial fans may have come across, having amassed quite a following in the last few years by showing off her guitar prowess with relative ease, covering songs and showcasing originals on social media sites like YouTube, where her talents have drawn over three million followers. I had come across her playing one day and subscribed to her channel, being impressed with her ability to effortlessly cover technically proficient classics. I was looking forward to hearing what she would come up with for her debut album.

After several listens, I am left quite disappointed. There were two approaches Sophie could have taken with this album. She could have constructed a shredfest album along the lines of Yngwie Malmsteen or Steve Vai. She certainly had the chops for it. Instead, her playing here can only be described as basic. She goes for a modern rock feel that is not dissimilar from countless bands occupying the social media realm. There’s nothing distinct about it.

That would not be an issue if what she was going for was catchy, memorable grooves that would stick with the listener. Unfortunately, she falters at that as well. After several listens, I did not distinctly remember any songs or had the desire to return to them.

The singers involved are certainly impressive and bring some life to this mediocre work.  Opening track ‘Do or Die (feat. Nathan James)’ has some great energy and Nathan can sing the phone book as far as I’m concerned. Other talents like Lzzy Hale and Michael Starr bring their charisma to their tracks, but not even that can fully bring to life material this mundane.

The problem for me is the lack of sustained energy and change ups that make a song great.  There’s not much of a build up in the tracks. What you hear in the opening chords is what you get throughout with no surprises. There’s nothing particularly thrilling or innovative. There are a few spots that show some variety, especially tracks ‘Fall of Man’ and the instrumental ‘Lost’, where Sophie throws her skills around just enough to showcase why she has amassed such a following in just a few short years.

I get the feeling that she attracted so many talented singers not so much because she constructed great melodies but because of her social media status and how it might boost their own careers. The press release does not indicate if she had any outside collaborations for this material, but I suspect she wrote everything herself. She could use some help with composing melodies and hooks that elevate her talents. She has the ability to become one of Gen Z’s first great guitar virtuosos but needs music that captures attention. This material is simply something young kids will put on for background noise while they scroll on their phones. She’s young and even the best bands out there have debuts that are subpar compared to future material. I hope that’s the case here for her.

Tracklist:

1. Do Or Die (feat. Nathan James)
2. Pressure (feat. Brandon Saller)
3. Imposter Syndrome (feat. Lzzy Hale)
4. Let It Hurt (feat. Chris Robertson)
5. Runaway (feat. Michael Starr)
6. Fall of man (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)
7. Lost (feat. Cole Rolland)
8. Hanging On (feat. Lauren Babic)
9. Avalanche (feat. Trevor McNevan)
10. Won’t You Come (feat. Marisa Rodriguez)
11. Judge and Jury (feat. Tyler Connolly)