Contributing Author Sample: 20th Anniversary of “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill”

I contributed to a track-by-track review, organized by Pittsburgh radio station 91.3 WYEP, of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in honor of its 20th anniversary in 2018. Though the article itself was taken down, a tweet from the station’s official account advertising/linking to it can be found here. I would be interested in participating in something like this again.

20th Anniversary – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Song Blurb: “When It Hurts so Bad”
By Melanie Stangl

When someone as soulful as Hill takes on a tried-and-true topic like heartbreak, the pain makes the notes vibrate as much as her vocal cords do. “When It Hurts so Bad”’s subtle, midtempo groove mirrors Hill moving through the emotional aftermath of loving a man who “wasn’t even concerned.” A pronounced bassline, textured percussion, floating background vocals, fingerpicked guitar, and harp strums frame Hill’s voice. Even in her wounded state, she moves, she speaks—she isn’t stagnant. And her vocal runs shine—remarkable and clean but drawing from something obviously raw and real: valleys of lament (“I loved real, real hard once/but it wasn’t returned…”), peaks of anguish (“Gave up my power/I existed, for you…”), and the introspection in between.

At this midpoint of her Miseducation, it makes sense that some lessons need learned the hard way. “When It Hurts so Bad” is strikingly vulnerable. It’s mourning in motion, and it’s gorgeous.