finally getting around to my Charli review/opinions so if u dont care im sorry for the long post!! ignore this but id love to hear everyones thoughts!
as a longtime fan, this album is everything to me. im so glad charli was able to officially release this body of work even though we all know she has the potential to make an AMAZING “classic” pop album that is unique but also approachable to the gp (i hate to say it, but XCX World was a good example, still kills me Down Like Wow, Good Girls & I Wanna Be With U will never be officially released… 3 of her bestT) anyways, i love the album. but do wish 1999 and BIOYL werent included. they obviously dont fit, and i also feel like the album is not very cohesive. Number 1 Angel might just be my favorite Charli project because all of the songs are amazing and the sound of that mixtape is everythingggg, whereas on Charli, Cross You Out is a completely different vibe than Click for example.
I love every song almost individually, so I’m going to add my thoughts song by song:
Next Level Charli - an ANTHEM. when i heard people saying that they expected more, i can understand that perspective. it falls a tiny bit flat to me but it is just such a classic XCX banger that I can forgive. 7/10
Gone - one of her best songs like, EVER. angels love this song, locals love this song, its everything. i lose my SHIT to the end breakdown bit every time like wow ag snapped. honestly a 10/10 for me and a standout track on this album
Cross You Out - LOVE. im also a huge fan of sky so this collaboration was everything to me, it feels like this song was ripped straight out of night time, my time though which is a bit off-putting imo with the pc sound of the rest of the album, but i love this song nonetheless. 8/10
Click - Wow. miss Kim petras bodied charli tbh, which is sad because we ALL know choli is a RAPPER. (re: a recent post in here lol) ex. her XXXTC verse….. why wasnt that charli on this song. still amazing tho. tommy cash is rly not that bad, i just do not understand the last 30 seconds. i will never be able to play that in the car w friends because they will legitimately bully the song so ima just enjoy this one in my airpods. 8/10
Warm - not a HAIM fan so i was off-put by their presence on the song at first. really was not vibing with this song my first few listens when it was released which was disappointing, but thank GOD i have seen the light… this song is an absolute MASTERPIECE. the only thing im left missing is some kind of climax in the song, hard to explain but i feel like the beat sort of goes nowhere and the song falls kind of flat, i still be jamming out tho. V the 1975 vibes with this instrumental, love the whispery tone in cholis voice in the beginning. 8/10
Thoughts - LOVE. when i saw a post in here that said the ending autotune but sounded awful and you can tell that the original vocals were horrible, i lowkey agree and sometimes do not understand why charli takes autotune to the extent that she does, bc i believe she has a beautiful voice. still love this song tho. its so bittersweet and honest. it gives me CHILLS and it is a bit overwhelming but such an experience. this one will def grow on me. 7/10
White Mercedes - i was not expecting a song like this from charli WHATSOEVER! i also have been MIA from leak news/ this forum for the past 2 years or so, so i never heard the white mercedes demo or whatever. i think this song is beautiful and POP like wow its such a good song…also the locals love it and we know charli will have 0 chart success whatsoever with this album but idk if this is a single i could see it picking up momentum. 8/10
Silver Cross - hate for this song will NOT be fucking tolerated. She snapped. She went off… she did what she had to do. this song absolutely goes off and when i first heard the album the other night i couldnt stop doing coke and just JUMPING AROUND TO IT. it slaps, periodt. classic charli banger, 10/10 in my eyes.
I Don’t Wanna Know - was NOT expecting a song like this to be officially released by charli ever again. I live for her soft whiny vocals and the twin peaks soundtrack type instrumental, this song is soooo dreamy and nice. its a bit sad so it definitely is not one of my go-to plays off the album but it is definitely a gem and will come in handy for sad girl hours. 8/10
Official - I dont even want to start. Her voice, the instrumental, lyrics, everything about this song is perfect. I love the rawness and layering in her voice and I can feel the emotions of each word as she sings them…. I am obsessed with this song. I truly never thought charli would release a song like this EVER, i feel like its so different and stripped down than any song shes released, even off sucker. Her breath before the second verse, WHEEEEEEEEEW…. “these are the things that could make us official so tell all your friends that we’re goin official” FUCK!!!! 10/10
Shake It - questionable, but it still is hella stuck in my head. Dont understand why pabllo vittar is even on this track, big freedia is probably the best verse followed by brooke candy but im so fucking salty that choli didnt even give herself a verse OR A PROPER CHORUS like what??? this shit bops but im mad at her cause i feel like it couldve been better, and again i rly only care about charli soooooo…. 5/10 (i know itll grow on me tho ima be stanning this song in a week)
February 2017 - beautiful but again i dont understand the features. Yaeji is beautiful in the end but I feel like its just unnecessary length to the song when it shouldve been more verses/instrumental/relevant charli vocals. also clairo is nonexistent and charli couldve easily sang clairo’s parts? dont understand why she didnt just do that/ give clairo a “verse” but also, i respect charli’s vision and i think this song is brilliant. its definitely one of my favorites on the album, and i think the way she explores guilt here is so relatable…. when the beat drops omfg the gays ar4e jumping 8/10
2099 - wow. didnt expect to love this song as much as i do. its a pleasant surprise here that tr*ye sivan doesnt have his own part, bc i feel like his background vocals actually sound great on this song. u know by now that i love rap choli so this song is everything 2 me. the other night i was on facetime w my man and he literally asked me to stop singing the same part over and over (I PULL UP ROLL UP FUCK UP FAST LIKE A NASCAR NEVER TOUCH US) lmfaoooo. 10/10 on this one, a sis made POINTS and this song is just so IT!
not even gonna bother writing a summary for 1999 and BIOYL bc i just feel like they should NOT have been on this album.
OVERALL THOTS:
it was shocking for me to see just how personal charli got on this album. obviously i love her and feel closely connected to her/indentify with her heavily but being able to see this much more into her mind and feelings just felt like a blessing. I’m still mad at charli for the ugly ass album cover (her hip bones & the crop weirdly bother me, if i didnt use apple music now the cover would be changed to the pic of charli facing kind of sideways IMMEDIATELY) and for being too generous with features and collaborations (sometimes i feel like she just isnt confident enough in her own talents) but overall i am so so SO proud of charli and this album and just to be a fan of hers honestly. i met her the other day at rough trade and i was such a shaky mess but just being able to tell her how much this album meant to me was amazing .. “XCX3” IS HERE!!! overall rating: 9/10 (n1a to me is a 10/10)
