14. November 2025
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Media Review

Sarah McLachlan – Better Broken

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Sarah McLachlan - Better Broken

Sarah McLachlan - Better Broken
4.5

Rating

 4.5/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Great storytelling and songwriting
  • Characteristic atmosphere

Flyctory.com Cons

  • Here and there, a lack of surprising elements

Sarah McLachlan took a nine year break from releasing new studio albums. The more, there is a focus on her tenth one overall, Better Broken. Here is my review of the 19th September 2025 release.

 

Sarah McLachlan – About The Artist

Sarah McLachlan is a Canadian singer-songwriter in the pop–rock spheres, who is originally from Halifax in Nova Scotia. The 28th January 1968-born holds the Order of British Columbia and Order of Canada. She turned into a professional musician in 1987 and released her debut album Touch in 1988. Her first Top 10 album in Canada was her third one, Fumbling Towards Esctasy (1993). Three albums of her topped the Canadian charts, the last one being the 2014 album Shine On. Thereafter, she just released one album, Wonderland, in 2016.

 

Sarah McLachlan – Better Broken – Track by Track

The eleven track album lasts 46 minutes.

1. Better Broken

The pop music artist kicks off her 2025 album with the title track. Better Broken is a typical Sarah MacLachlan song – not too loud, but therefore rather striking with a fine melody and good storytelling. Some things are better broken, she states, reflecting about a failed relationship. A really nice beginning of this album.

2. Gravity

Sarah McLachlan is not in a hurry. Her songs do neither long for a fast pace nor fit into the (rather short) mainstream music brackets. Nonetheless, she is selling millions of records (or: is streamed that often). The gentle five minute piano ballad Gravity is a lovely example for that. And: it’s a real beauty – on the instrumental as well as on the vocal side.

3. The Last to Go

After the first two Better Broken songs have been released before the album, the Canadian now shares two so-far unreleased track. The Last to Go does continue with the gentle, very personal vocal style. Some synth and rhythmic elements boost the pop character of this track, though.

4. Only Way Out Is Through

I took my soul out to the trees and asked for comfort
Asked they hold me softly underneath their boughs
But the forest whispered time will only ever answer
Once you’ve learned the things you need to carry on and let it go

The lyrics of this track do also have the potential to lead to an angry, more rocking and energetic song. However, McLachlan rather keeps the quiet style, which feels very reflecting, almost meditative. Overall, this is stunning and impressing – don’t miss the intense fade-out of the track!

5. Reminds Me (feat. Katie Gavin)

Chicago-origin musician Katie Gavin is joining Sarah McLachlan for the fifth song of the album. Have two female voices in that song definitely adds to the atmosphere. The melody has a slight Americana touch. Nice one.

6. One In a Long Line

Sarah McLachlan is able to tell metaphoric stories as well as being very straight. The powerful message of this pop ballad is one of the straightest ones of the album. Not only these lyrics turn the song into one of the most present tracks of Better Broken.

‘Cause I am one in a long line, sound of body, strong in mind
And I’ve worked hard to know myself, you don’t get to decide
The way I live, who I lie with, what I forgive
So why’s so hard to take me as I am

7. Only Human

The title Only Human feels being a perfect fit to the message of the song before. Just as the album gained some energy, it is slowing again with this piano ballad. The focus of this record is indeed on the energy spread by the music and the lyrics, not by sending its stories as loud as possible. This fine, fragile sound of Only Human turns the track into an very fascinating listen.

8. Long Road Home

Long Road Home is likely the most atmospheric song of the whole album. The song feels fragile, mysterious, frightening, load and quiet in different passages. However, the Canadian artist understand to link all these thoughts and thus recorded a beautifully flowing track.

Where do I end and where do you begin
I wanna map this world, believe in love again
But I know that most things just come down to chance
You’ve gotta throw yourself against the wind
If everything was easy, it wouldn’t be worth it

9. Rise

Rise is a beautifully flowing and very harmonic track. There are even slight influences of folk music in this one. If you are looking for a harmonic pop melody, paired with a good singer-songwriter story, you definitely should give this one a listen.

10. Wilderness

The penultimate song is another one of these fine, fascinating piano ballad tracks. It does not need too much so that the artist is making you listen to her music. That’s one of the best compliments one may get. And this one is a great song – well deserved.

11. If This Is the End…

Doesn’t this one have the perfect title to close the album. If This Is the End… is also the longest track of the album. It is slowly meandering, before there are louder elements and a catching finale.

 

Sarah McLachlan – Better Broken – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Sarah McLachlan – Better Broken – My View

Better Broken is a beautiful album. Sarah McLachlan underlines that she is an excellent pop singer-songwriter. However, I would love to have more surprising elements in a couple of the songs. This prevents the record to even make it to the higher ranges.

Favorite Song: One In A Long Line

 

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