Charli XCX : "BRAT"

On her 6th album, there are 12 co-writers on 15 tracks and only 4 additional producers, which means she is doing better than the bulk of artists on the radio, though she falls on the more fringe side of pop, with only one foot on the mainstream despite having shared the bill on some high profile tours. First off I recommend listening to this album with headphones as you can get the full range of sounds, as they are meticulously mixed. It is an audiophile's dream, production-wise it is dialed in tighter than even a Taylor Swift. She does not have the pipes or lyrics of Swift but does what she does really well. Her vocals are put under more of a microscope on "I might say something stupid" which is the first ballad this album does not need. It's the fourth song so it feels like it drops a little too early in the album and is like a needle stretch killing the momentum. 

Things are more experimental on "Everything Is Romantic" which I can appreciate, but her one-two punch is the hooks and this song does not have them as solidly as some of the bangers before it.. "Rewind" is pretty upbeat, but still works well for what it is. Lyrically there seems to be a theme of her self image vs the public image portrayed by her pop persona and the world that persona exists in. On 'Rewind" even digs into how she feels about her place in the music industry. 'So I" is another song that leans into being more of a ballad and while her voice sounds better on this one, it could use a groove to hold up against the other songs. "Girl, So Confusing' might take a few listens to grow on me, it thinks out of the box when it comes to pop music so you can not help but support that. 

"Apple" has a stronger bass to lead a groove that conforms to the expectations of pop music while having a slight 80s feel. 'B2B" has similar strengths that keep the party going. "Mean girls" is lyrically smart and deserves to be the anthem it does not intend to be. The piano line that pops up in it is unexpected, which is not something you can say of most pop music that is all too often predictable. "I think about it all the time", takes the mood down without becoming a ballad which is a smart move. She considers being a mother in this song, which has more depth than most pop as well. I guess at 31 she feels her clock ticking. The last song is a perfect example of how to best blend electronic music with pop. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. Right now it might give Swfit a run for her money at the end of the year. 

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