Clairo has come a long way since making pop in a Syracuse dorm room. Listening CharmOn her third album, the only vestiges of those early viral days are Clairo's steady, smooth voice. Everything else has been transformed: her synths and electronic beats have been replaced by naturalistic instrumentation. SlingHer intimate, quiet retreat, produced by Jack Antonoff, in the Catskill woods, was a change of pace. Charm, She's fully embracing an organic, earthy sound.
This time, Clairo recruited Leon Michels of The Michels Affair and Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings behind the boards, who recruited a handful of session musicians to record. Charm (mostly) live to record. The resulting record is undeniably beautiful, with moments of majesty and tenderness. But Charm'Passivity can be a challenge; despite the continued focus on analog instrumentation and recording, Charm It doesn't seem like a risk to Clairo. It doesn't seem like anything, really.
It's almost surprising to hear that the album was recorded with a massive emphasis on live instrumentation, because it seems human error was not allowed into the equation. There's not a hair out of place on Charmand this is no doubt due to the experienced ears of Michels and the session musicians, as well as Clairo's decisive arrangements. Charm It attempts to convey a sense of life through record scratches, comforting vocals and nostalgic period instruments. But those elements suggest an Urban Outfitters-style sense of life, not in a way that reflects Clairo’s personal and professional transformation.
Charm It shows some maturity: for one thing, it definitely brings more specificity to its musical arrangements. There’s a delicate balance between syncopated instrumentation and broader legato modes; “Terrapin” features jazzy piano flourishes that dance across the track, “Second Nature” adds some cartoonish, monotonous choruses to the mix, and “Echo” finds a satisfying interplay between a swirling vintage synth and plucked guitar.
Apart from “Echo”, there is almost no guitar on Charmlike the indie rock tone of their debut. Immunity and the crazy Antonoff style guitar in Sling are removed from the mix. Instead, Charm It’s a piano album through and through, helping Clairo achieve the kind of classical sound she was going for. Michels’ work also features prominently throughout the record, and his ability to infuse soul into a variety of genres adds some much-needed character.
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