Claire Cottrill, also known as Clairo, has enchanted listeners with her newest album, Charm.
The album features a soft rock sound, with light vocals and jazz-like instrumentals. Though similar to her past albums Immunity and Sling, Charm has a confidence never seen before in her discography.
Upon first listen, the album invokes a strong sense of calm, much like the feeling you might get while relaxing in a quaint cafe. You could see yourself sipping your favorite cup of coffee, doodling on your homework and watching passersby — all while the album loops over and over in your earbuds.
On the fifth track, “Thank You,” Clairo flawlessly encapsulates a multitude of mixed emotions while she reflects upon a past relationship. Gratitude and humility, though both feelings don’t commonly coexist, combine into a beautiful and intimate song, “Sometimes I want somebody to see me / How you opened my doors and left them wide open / Why doesn’t this happen more naturally?”
On one of the most remarkable songs on the album, “Echo,” Cotrill describes feelings of one-sided love as she expresses her desire for reciprocation in an imperfect relationship. “And if I told the world I needed you / Would you hear your name echo?” The lyrics, while interesting, are easily overlooked by the haunting background vocals. Hums ring in the background as a nod to her feeling like her relationship is empty and insubstantial, while also serving as an allusion to the name of the track.
Charm, unlike Clairo’s other albums, excels in instrumentals. She uses backing tracks to tell her stories, so much so that she could ignore the need for words entirely. Her voice complements each song’s unique sound and contributes to the overall mood of the album
At the end of the day, no song is perfect and no creation is perfect, and that is exactly what makes Charm an impeccable album. Each track is exceptionally human. Everyone can relate to Cotrill’s feelings in some way, shape, or form.
Most listeners just want to feel seen and want to know that they aren’t alone in their experiences. Clairo understands and acknowledges those desires by creating relatable songs, which is why so many teens across the globe find her new album quite charming.
