Strong Debut, Incredible Talent
5
By alsoncole
Somehow I missed this album when it was first released. I only knew Charlie from the "See You Again" smash. After listening to his incredible followup, Voicenotes, I was so impressed and amazed by not only Charlie's musicianship but also his production skills that I went back and listened to this album. I also watched interviews where he said he was proud of this album but that he hadn't gotten to really establish his sound like he has now done with Voicenotes. I didn't take that as an apology for this album, only that Voicenotes shows growth. But I understood what he meant in that songs like "Marvin Gaye" and "Up All Night" were both fresh and nostalgic from a pop perspective but seemed intent on being radio hits, deservably so. And indeed, there's no need to apologize for this album because it's fantastic. He certianly knows how to write a memorable hook, and his range is widespread. I really love "Losing My Mind," "Left Right Left," "Then There's You," and "Does It Feel." Lyricaly, I would say these songs are not as strong as the songs on Vocienotes, BUT that doesn't mean they're not great. They are youthful and, I think, do a great job of documenting where Charlie was in his life at the time he recorded these songs. This is a great debut, and I think Charlie's music can only be compared to itself from album to album because I think what he's doing is a step above most everything else you'll hear in modern music because he has the sognwriting and production skills, the vocals and musicianship, and the charm and relatability. What I think is particularly interesting is that having listened to interviews, I get the impression that while there is a lot of Charlie's life in his songs, as one would expect, there is an element in them that is edgier than Charlie himself is. I think he's a genuinely nice, humbly guy, who is able to both express himself in his music as well as boost his confience through them.
