A classic R&B ballad requires the absolute loss of pretense: not trying to convince the listener of what you don’t yet know — that everything will end well — and striking the heart-wrenching, guttural center of a primal feeling of the very moment, whether in the throes of falling in love or in the pitiful depth of loss. “Lost One” is devoid of anything but pure sorrow, wherein Sullivan gets drunk, has sex with strangers, and loses all restraint in the name of coping with the consequences of her actions. “Please don’t forget about me, try not to love no one [else],” she wails, before reconsidering her request. “I know that’s too much to ask,” she says. “I know I’m a selfish bitch.” —Terron Moore
