On her third album, “Charm,” indie pop star Clairo calls on the ghosts of ‘70s soft rock ballads to swim through memories both tragically and blissfully filled with love.
Soft and fuzzy like a faded photo, “Charm” explores the connections with people held close and the innate reactions that come as consequences. Within the album, love is boundless but smothered by restraint and desire is held back only by unavailability.
On the record’s lead single “Sexy to Someone,” Clairo dives headfirst into the innate want to be wanted and the loneliness she feels in the absence of romantic validation.
“Sexy to somebody / it would help me out / Oh, I need a reason to get out of the house / And it’s just a little thing I can’t live without,” she sings with ironic cheer.
She goes on to explain that “sexy” is something she sees in all the sweet things sprinkled throughout the normalcy of her day-to-day. Through that small appreciation and the track’s airy production, she gets at that nagging feeling – if she can see the beauty in the boring, how come others can’t see anything in her?
The record’s hit track “Juna” sees Clairo find that validation, though, as she drops her hesitation and finds herself falling for someone. The track, infused with fun and playful instrumentation, carves a groove intimating the pair’s quickly intensifying relationship and highlights the warmness of personal connection and trust.
“I don’t even try / I don’t have to think / With you there’s no pretending / You know me / you know me,” she confesses in the chorus. “And I just might know you too.”
For the time being, gone are the days of becoming someone else for the pleasure of their company, and for now she’s all she needs to be.
“Second Nature” unfurls darling chords and endearing details into the breeze as Clairo airs out her desire for someone. She confesses she can’t help but be close to this person, frequently losing track of her own thoughts as she finds herself becoming more and more entranced.
She simply cannot help but be drawn to this person, she says, just like how you can’t control your instincts.
In “Glory of the Snow,” a title that both draws attention to the beauty in the bitter cold and references a flower symbolizing hope and new beginnings, Clairo outlines her life as she grieves a past relationship.
As she sings, it’s as though she’s living through a memory, reflecting on the loss and floating through it all, haunted by the ghosts of what once was. It serves to signify the feeling of taking the first few, excruciating steps forward and the struggle of slowly untangling your life from another’s as you wind it all back.
Through all the discomfort, there are notes of optimism in new beginnings and beauty to be found as she moves on.
In its entirety, “Charm” is all about the little moments where love peeks its head around the corner. It’s all the small things that you catch tiny glimpses of that make you really feel the importance of the people around you and the love they pour into you.
Most of all, it highlights the beauty of connection and makes the question of whether it’s worth the trouble frivolous. Of course, it’s worth it – look at all the warmth that’s been shared.
Comentarios