For Clairo, the third time is indeed the charm. On ‘Charm’, Clairo’s vocal and writing work manages to flourish as Leon Michels’ production provides her the lushness and space that she needs, resulting in her most improved project to date.
Time and time again, Clairo seems to try to find her footing as she darts through her overall career thus far, starting off as part of the bedroom pop scene in the 2010s before eventually using it as a launching for her presence as a writer and musician in the two albums that she has put together during the time. Despite the shift in producers and soundscapes, Clairo’s lyrical and vocal touches never seemed to snap, always providing a lilting edge to her vocals and a quaintness to her writing that, for the most part, tends to end up in a comfort zone. It’s quite a dilemma in itself: as sometimes the production never always snuggly puts her soft timbre into the mix, or the comfortable edge to her vocals and writing will be a double-edged sword as they can waft through with ease when there’s not much-sparking flair into those characteristics. Yet for ‘Charm’, it finally manages to hit the right spot for her.
Following the understated folk tapestry she explored on ‘Sling’, ‘Charm’ manages to pull in Leon Michels as he provides a generally 70s soft rock sound palette for Clairo. A palette that works wonders for Clairo, as there’s a lushness, warmth, and crispness to the overall production, where the mixing finally allows her voice to nestle perfectly. Not submerging the tender compositions and Clairo’s familiar yet much-engrossed hush tone that allows a couple of the songs to become alluring. ‘Sexy to Someone’ brings in shuffling drums, hazy effects, and bright piano accents that complement Clairo’s understated vocal flair, the slow quaintness of ‘Slow Dance’ with the spare arrangements eventually blooms as soon as it goes on the post-chorus segments, ‘Thank You’ and its gentle groove shuffle, woodwinds, and pianos only create a captivating backdrop for Clairo’s charming vocal flutters, the inviting cushions of chimes, keys, mouth trumpets, and nimble grooves on ‘Juna’ just before Clairo’s melodic phrases swoons and coos with a subtle delight, and ‘Add Up My Love’ provides a refreshingly pulsating melody across the rich instrumentation and effervescent vocal melodies from start to finish.
And this quality does knead further towards the writing. Unlike the past albums where there is a meekness that can tend to linger within its meekness, this album has Clairo having a sense of assurance and a sense of awareness towards situations where the queer love she fawns over may or may not collapse, an aspect that Clairo expands upon in detail as she yearns to have that love, doubts when the relationship seems fragile and is close at its endpoint, and accepts the connections made despite the fallout and still continues to put the effort to connect with the people that she cares about. It presents the fluid nature of love that Clairo has described, where its presence is always felt even if things eventually sputter away or just do not work out. It might potentially leave a sense of frustration to find that romance that will resonate long-term, but sometimes, just feeling enamored of someone is enough for the meantime.
While there are perks within the writing, production, and vocals that manage to connect well, there is still a low-key hazy swell to the overall album that might be pretty but can end up rather gentle to a fault as there are parts where the melodies and vocals will become lethargic, and there is a feeling that Clairo could do much more within her vocals and writing. Because as much as there is indeed growth as a vocalist and a songwriter, she is still stepping within her comfort zone, even if she is slowly letting herself adapt and explore within parts of this album. And outside of those cuts where she does manage to stretch out her vocal chops and tones, her usual lilt can get eclipsed by the fuller instrumental melodies, something that unfortunately tends to happen on parts of the record.
But even still, what ‘Charm’ eventually presents is an amplification of Clairo’s flair as a singer and a songwriter, an amplification that works well as Leon Michels’ production work finally allows her vocals to snuggle perfectly within his well-produced and well-textured brand of retro soft rock soundscapes. That, paired with some of Clairo’s best vocal and writing work to date, it’s easy to say that ‘Charm’ sticks the landing for the most part, even if there is another gear that she can do as she continues to expand her writing and vocal flair. Might not exactly go all the way, but sometimes, there’s indeed a charm that’s worth chasing.
Favorite Tracks: ‘Sexy to Someone’, ‘Slow Dance’, ‘Thank You’, ‘Juna’, ‘Add Up My Love’
Least Favorite Track: ‘Echo’