Rating: 4.5/5
Odie Leigh breaks free from her previous relationship’s bad habits in “No Doubt.”
Unveiled on Jan. 25, “No Doubt” is LA-based singer-songwriter Odie Leigh’s first recording under her new label Mom + Pop. This alternative labelled track is the artist’s first stab at something other than folk music, a genre that Leigh made her name from. “No Doubt” has a scratchy, head-bopping rhythm that will likely continue this upward trajectory.
The song opens with a hollow acoustic guitar line which underscores Leigh’s husky vocals. But before the listener can acclimate to the song’s apparent simplicity, a tight bass line and muddy electric guitar rhythm are added to the stripped-back acoustic sound. Their introduction, along with a snare-heavy percussion section, perpetuates Leigh’s departure from her folk roots and builds tension that grows through the rest of the track.
Lyrically, “No Doubt” is one of Leigh’s happier songs.
While performing live, Leigh explained that many of her songs were written during an extended period of sadness. But when discussing “No Doubt” on Dec. 4 at TD Music Hall, the singer noted that the song, which was unreleased at the time, was an interesting departure from her usual sound. She then joked that the track was a “headbanger,” asking the crowd to whip their hair around with her.
“I’m not used to people actually liking me for me, to people meaning what they say and standing by it,” Leigh went on to say about the song’s meaning in an interview with BroadwayWorld.
The opening lyrics “I’m not too used to anyone being so sweet on me / I’m not too used to all these words being used seriously” outline this thought process perfectly. Leigh simply isn’t able to comprehend that the person she is with could be truthful in their conviction for her.
In the first verse, the singer wants to know if this strangely secure connection is something that she should learn to let go of, not knowing if her partner loves her. This line highlights Leigh’s unsteady footing in the relationship she is singing about. “When I found this [connection], I couldn’t help but feel like the rug was about to get pulled out from beneath me,” Leigh said in an interview.
By the time the song reaches its first chorus, the artist’s vocals have become more urgent, singing “and if you want me to be there / Then I’ll be around / If you wanted to have me / You’d have me no doubt / If you wanted to ask me / Ask me right / Now.” These lyrics, which are the song’s first introduction to its title, show that Leigh will do absolutely anything for this person.
As the song continues to build, this sense of urgency grows as well. By the time Leigh reaches the final lyrical stanza, her background vocals start to overlap with the main vocal line. While they are both singing the same lines, the background vocals race through the verse, urgent and panicked. But the main vocals remain calm and collected, holding longer notes and meandering their way through the verse.
This musical choice is a great representation of the different roads Leigh could travel down during this period of uncertainty. She could rush through it, panicked and unsure, making mistakes as she goes. Instead, she chooses to take it slow and see where things could go.
“I always overthink the details [in relationships], but sometimes it’s just simple: He’s got me,” said Leigh. The vocal representation in the final stanza highlights this. Leigh is breaking free of these racing thoughts and choosing to acknowledge the simple truth: her partner loves her, no doubt.