Jorja Smith’s ‘What Are The Odds’ is not a reinvention; it is a straightforward, perfectly crafted R&B record. Three albums in, Smith builds her sound almost entirely around one producer: P2J. The album emphasises Smith doing what she does best and shows little interest in surprising anyone. This isn't exactly a criticism; it's more the framing that matters most going in. If you want to hear Jorja Smith sound like Jorja Smith, a voice that is smooth and comfortable, that’s exactly what you get.
Smith’s voice is still the star of the album; it is a constant throughout. It’s unhurried, warm in the low end, and turns a simple line into something that lands with weight. The control carried through ‘What’s Done Is Done’ shows Smith as effortlessly cool and cutting towards an ex who is lying to himself. ‘I Lied, You Lied’ rides with the same chemistry that made tracks like ‘Little Things’ work so well a few years ago. The collaboration with Wizkid, ‘Alive’, is the closest thing on the record to a genuine lift-off. The afrobeat pulse loosens the steady sound that the album carries up until this point and gives the tracklist the momentum it's been missing.
There's more nerve in the lyricism of the album than anything we’ve seen from Smith before. This is where the daring nature lies, not in the sound but in the words. The smooth, laid-back production of the album makes these lyrics easy to miss on a casual first listen. The title track is the clearest example of this, as Smith reaches for an Oliver Twist comparison to describe the feeling of being asked endlessly for more by people who’ve already taken plenty. ‘What Are The Odds’ is a sharper, more specific image than what most of the record risks, and sticks more than anything else.
‘This City’ shows nerve differently. Her worn-out attitude alongside the verse about being ready to leave is paired with a returning Devlin, who answers her with his own nostalgic account of London. The mismatch between these two attitudes says more than either verse on its own. ‘What’s Done Is Done’ earns points for its unapologetic bluntness too; Smith flatly tells someone that they’re not who they think they are.
The problem is that the daring and outspoken lyrics do not translate into the album's overall sound. Tracks such as ‘The Way It Was’, ‘Young Heart' and ‘Make It Your Home’ settle into a groove that stays for the entire runtime. Nothing about these songs is bad at all, but simultaneously nothing sticks. There is a cool, consistent pocket running through the album. The groove is enjoyable in the moment, but doesn’t demand much when it’s over.
None of this is a knock on Smith’s ability as an artist. The third-album phenomenon has been disproven by her change in lyrics; her writing is sharper than the laid-back sound suggests. As a front-to-back listen, ‘What Are The Odds’ remains solid - great vocals, a nice groove and some daring lyrics tucked into the margins. It won't turn anyone off Jorja Smith, but it won’t be one of the albums that stands out in her discography either. Sometimes an album acts as exactly what it needs to be.
Mia Samson
Image: ‘What Are The Odds’ Official Album Cover