Upon first listen to Clairo’s latest album “Charm”, released July 12, its simple and sincere tunes could be mistaken for a series of hazy lullabies. However, it is upon a second listen that you grow to appreciate the whispery vocals and overall cohesion of this album. Her lyrics, centered around growth and maturity, are seamlessly woven in with an early 70’s folk sound. It feels like the Clairo we know and love, but more organic than ever before.
Claire Elizabeth Cottrill, known professionally as Clairo, began posting music on the internet at age 13. Raised in Carlisle, Massachusetts, Clairo rose to prominence following the viral success of the music video of bedroom pop anthem “Pretty Girl” in 2017. Her debut studio album “Immunity” was released in 2019 and lead single “Sofia” became her first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Her third studio album, “Charm”, produced with Leon Michels, revolves around the theme of charming and being charmed.
“I had this notebook full of notes about what that word meant to me, what I could do with that word, what lives in that word,” she said in an interview with The New York Times about the record’s title. “I came to the conclusion that, to me, charm is the moment when two people meet, and they have separate life experiences, all their own stories and feelings, and then they tell each other the first layer. ‘I’m from blank, and I do blank.’ There’s this beautiful haze and buzz when you’re still imagining the rest of it. That feeling is so good.”
Singles “Nomad” and “Sexy to Someone” highlight the whimsy and warmth that makes “Charm” the album that it is. “Nomad” centers around heartbreak and longing for emotional connection and desires, no matter how impractical they may be. “Sexy To Someone” is lighter and flirtier, with 70’s soul influences feeling especially tangible. “Sexy to something, I see in everything / Honey stickin’ to your hands, sugar on the rim,” she sings on her lead single. The singles are gorgeous but lack an immediate standout melody, like “Amoeba” or “Bags”.
The way the instrumentation compliments Clairo’s voice makes this album special — from the duh-dums of “Second Nature”, to the crashing cymbals from “Slow Dance”, to the hypnotic use of percussion on “Echo”. The piano on “Terrapin” is particularly memorable – an attempt to capture the electric pulse between two people in love, a reminder to appreciate the beauty in life’s uncomplicated moments. She credits Harry Nilsson, Margo Guryan, Blossom Dearie in an interview with The New Yorker as some of her main influences on the album.
On fan-favorite song “Juna”, she sings: “I don’t have to think / With you, there’s no pretending” through the jazzy instrumentals – she has such a deep level of connection with this person that everything feels instinctual. It features soulful trumpets that encapsulate the energy of an R&B song. “Juna” is followed by “Add Up My Love”, with a catchy, bubbly chorus that feels reminiscent of her earlier work. On the other hand, though lyrically “Pier 4” is the strongest off “Charm”, the indifference of her vocal delivery threw me off. “Thank You” feels similarly lackluster.
“Charm” is all about exploring connection and sensuality. The record feels lived-in, groovy, and subdued. While it’s hard not to miss the variety that made up “Immunity”, Clairo’s era of low-production bedroom pop has propitiously come to an end. Ultimately, “Charm” is a testament to Clairo’s artistry and her ability to push the boundaries of expectation.
