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Charm (Clairo album)

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Charm
Studio album by
Clairo
ReleasedJuly 12, 2024 (2024-07-12)
Studio
  • Allaire (Shokan, New York)
  • Diamond Mine Recording (Queens, New York City)
Genre
Length38:02
Producer
Clairo chronology
Sling
(2021) 		Charm
(2024)
Singles from Charm
  1. "Sexy to Someone"
    Released: May 23, 2024
  2. "Nomad"
    Released: June 28, 2024

Charm is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Clairo, released on July 12, 2024. The follow-up to her second album, Sling (2021), it is her first self-released studio album after her previous two albums were released by Fader and Republic respectively. Clairo produced the album alongside Leon Michels with musical contributions from Nick Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, Marco Benevento, and Dave Guy, among others.

Charm received critical acclaim, with music critics praising its production, songwriting and Clairo's musical expansion.[3][4][5] Commercially, it debuted at number 8 on the US Billboard 200, becoming her first top 10 album.[6] Although never released as a single, the track "Juna" topped the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in early August, after gaining traction on TikTok upon the album's release.

Background

On July 16, 2021, Clairo released her second studio album Sling to critical acclaim, appearing on numerous "best albums of 2021" lists.[7] Critics praised Sling for Clairo's artistic progression and thematic songwriting that ponders future motherhood, domesticity and the responsibility of becoming a caregiver.[8][9] Clairo embarked on the Sling tour in 2022 in support of the record.[10] During the tour, she suffered from sinus infections and an ear injury, before finishing the tour on October 4, 2022.[11][12] In 2023, aside from collaborating with artists like Phoenix and Beabadoobee,[13][14] Clairo also released two charity singles on Bandcamp, "For Now" with all proceeds directed to Everytown for Gun Safety and For The Gworls,[15] and "Lavender" to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders during the Israel–Hamas war.[16] A live EP, Live at Electric Lady, was released on May 12, 2023.[17]

In January 2024, Clairo started teasing a new album with a post on Instagram, captioning it "maybe this year".[18] In March, she shared an Instagram post captioned with emojis depicting the number three, a check mark, and a purple heart.[19] The post was interpreted by music publication The Forty-Five to mean that her third studio album was complete.[19] On May 7, she revealed a release date of May 23 for her new music via Instagram Stories.[20]

On May 23, Clairo announced that the album, titled Charm and produced by Leon Michels, was scheduled for release on July 12, while releasing its lead single, "Sexy to Someone".[21][22] A press release accompanying the announcement of Charm described the album as "a collection of warm, '70s-inspired grooves that move lithely between jazz, psychedelic folk and soul".[2]

Recording

Charm was recorded at Allaire Studios in upstate New York near Woodstock and at Diamond Mine Recording in the New York City borough of Queens.[23] Cottrill previously worked with producer Jack Antonoff on Sling at Allaire Studios.[24] On Charm, production is instead undertaken by Leon Michels who had previously produced for jazz and soul artists such as Norah Jones, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Liam Bailey.[22] The album was recorded live on analog tape.[25]

Release and promotion

Clairo performing at the Fonda Theatre, September 2024

The first single from Charm to be released was "Sexy to Someone" on May 23, 2024.[26] Uproxx described the track as "flirty" while Rolling Stone said it was "a summer stunner with cozy production and whimsical instrumentation".[27][28] "Nomad", the record's second and last single, was released on June 28, 2024.[29]

On May 29, Clairo announced two residencies for September in support of the album.[30] The Los Angeles residency took place at the Fonda Theatre, while the New York residency will take place at the Webster Hall.[31]

On July 17, to promote the album, Clairo performed "Juna", the seventh track of the album, live at The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[32][33] On the same day, she also announced the dates for her upcoming North American tour that will be held from September to November 2024.[34] The tour is supported by singer-songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou as the opening act.[35][36]

On August 4, the music video for "Juna" was released.[37] It marked Clairo's first music video in six years and is wrestling-themed.[38] After gaining traction on TikTok, "Juna" topped the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in early August.[39]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.9/10[40]
Metacritic82/100[41]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[42]
Clash9/10[43]
The Guardian[44]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[45]
NME[46]
Paste8.1/10[47]
Pitchfork7.5/10[48]
Rolling Stone[49]
The Skinny[50]
Slant Magazine[51]

Charm received critical acclaim upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 82.[41]

Slant Magazine writer Nick Seip described the record's production and instrumentation as "its secret weapon", and favorably compared the voice of Cotrill on the track "Terrapin" to her "early history of singing over lo-fi beats".[52] Marissa Lorusso, for Pitchfork, also noted the album's resemblance to her earlier work, while sentencing that it doesn't have the "dramatic shift" in the manner of the singer's sophomore record, Sling, nor "Immunity's kinship with bedroom pop", yet a "successful but polite soft-rock outing."[4]

The Daily Tar Hell's Alexis Clifton highlighted Charm's "whispery jazz, soft rock elements, groovy orchestral motifs and undeniable warmth", and stated that it is essentially a "falling in love" album which "lies in between" of the themes of its predecessors: Immunity's youth and Sling's "multifacetedness of growing old".[53]

On a more mixed-to-negative review, Paulo Rogasa, writing for Consequence, felt that, although the record does show Cotrill's music maturity, specifically on its "musical arrangements", her "pillow-soft" vocals strip some of its songs "of their emotional exterior", exemplifying it with "Sexy to Someone", a track that, he said, is "devoid of desire" in its delivery.[54]

Track listing

Charm track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Nomad"
3:45
2."Sexy to Someone"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Steinweiss
  • Movshon
3:27
3."Second Nature"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Steinweiss
  • Movshon
  • Dylan Nowik
3:47
4."Slow Dance"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Steinweiss
  • Movshon
  • Nowik
3:54
5."Thank You"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Steinweiss
  • Movshon
  • Kevin Martin
3:25
6."Terrapin"
3:00
7."Juna"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Benevento
3:15
8."Add Up My Love"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Steinweiss
  • Movshon
3:25
9."Echo"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
  • Nowik
  • Movshon
3:49
10."Glory of the Snow"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
2:50
11."Pier 4"
  • Cottrill
  • Michels
3:25
Total length:38:02

Personnel

Musicians

  • Claire Cottrill – lead vocals (all tracks), Wurlitzer electric piano (track 1), piano (2, 8, 10), flute (4), percussion (5), guitar (9–11)
  • Leon Michels – percussion (tracks 1–4, 8–10), flute (1, 2, 4, 5, 8–11), synthesizer (1, 2, 5–10), guitar (1, 6, 8–10), organ (2–5, 9–11), piano (2–5, 11), Mellotron (2, 5), clarinet (3, 4, 11), vocals (3, 9, 11); bongos, Wurlitzer (4); saxophone (7, 8), bass (7, 10, 11), drums (9, 10), vibraphone (11)
  • Nick Movshon – bass (tracks 1–6, 8, 9), upright bass (1), percussion (3, 5), guitar (5), mo tuck (1–3, 8)
  • Homer Steinweiss – drums (tracks 1–6, 8), percussion (2, 5)
  • Paul Castelluzzo – slide guitar (track 2)
  • Dylan Nowik – slide guitar (1), electric guitar (tracks 1, 3), fuzz bass (3), acoustic guitar (1, 4, 9)
  • Marco Benevento – piano (tracks 6, 7)
  • Dave Guy – trumpet (tracks 7, 8)
  • Lee Falco – drums, percussion, saxophone (track 7)

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for Charm
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[55] 4
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[56] 23
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[57] 38
Irish Albums (OCC)[58] 28
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[59] 12
Scottish Albums (OCC)[60] 3
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[61] 81
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[62] 81
UK Albums (OCC)[63] 13
US Billboard 200[64] 8

References

  1. ^ Lorusso, Marissa. "Charm". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Taylor, Sam (May 23, 2024). "Clairo Has Announced Her Third Album with Early Teaser Single 'Sexy to Someone'". Dork. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  3. ^ Hawthorne, Katie (July 12, 2024). "Clairo: Charm review – deeply human songs of desire and distance". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Lorusso, Marissa. "Clairo: Charm". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  5. ^ "Review: Clairo – Charm - SLUG Magazine". www.slugmag.com. July 19, 2024. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Garcia, Thania (July 22, 2024). "Eminem Unseats Taylor Swift on Album Charts With 'The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)'". Variety. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2021". The Guardian. December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  8. ^ Singh, Jay (July 16, 2021). "Sling is a true testament to Clairo's masterful songwriting talents". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Daly, Rhian (July 15, 2021). "Clairo – 'Sling' review: meditations on motherhood inspired by '70s greats". NME. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  10. ^ Aubrey, Elizabeth (February 18, 2022). "Clairo debuts new song 'Nomad' on first night of US tour". NME. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  11. ^ Robinson, Ellie (July 30, 2022). "Clairo cancels last three shows of tour after tech mishap leads to ear injury". NME. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Ross, Gemma (October 5, 2022). "Clairo live in London: a triumphant end to a trying tour". NME. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Zemler, Emily (March 16, 2023). "Hear Clairo Join Phoenix for Atmospheric Remix of 'After Midnight'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Ruiz, Matthew Ismael (April 20, 2023). "Clairo Joins Beabadoobee for New Version of "Glue Song"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  15. ^ Bloom, Madison (April 3, 2023). "Clairo Shares New Benefit Song "For Now"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  16. ^ Pilley, Max (October 21, 2023). "Clairo releases new track 'Lavender' to raise aid funds for Gaza". NME. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Martoccio, Angie (May 12, 2023). "Clairo Takes Her Intimate Indie Gems to Electric Lady for Live EP". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  18. ^ Graves, Shahlin (January 12, 2024). "Clairo teases new music for release this year..." Coup de Main. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Daly, Rhian (March 4, 2024). "It looks like Clairo has finished her third album". The Forty-Five. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  20. ^ Jacob, Lola (May 7, 2024). "Clairo announces new music out on May 23rd". Coup de Main. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  21. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 23, 2024). "Clairo Announces New Album Charm, Shares New Song "Sexy to Someone"". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  22. ^ a b "Clairo Announces New Album Charm, Shares New Track: Stream". May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  23. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 23, 2024). "Clairo Announces New Album Charm, Shares New Song "Sexy to Someone": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  24. ^ "Clairo: 'This industry drains young women until they're not youthful any more'". The Guardian. July 13, 2021. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  25. ^ Kelly, Tyler Damara (May 23, 2024). "Clairo announces her third studio album, Charm". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  26. ^ DeVille, Chris (May 23, 2024). "Clairo Announces New Album 'Charm': Hear "Sexy To Someone"". Stereogum. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  27. ^ Armstrong, Megan (May 23, 2024). "Clairo Announced Her 'Charm' Album While Declaring She Just Wants To Be 'Sexy To Someone' In The Flirty First Single". Uproxx. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  28. ^ Martoccio, Angie (May 23, 2024). "Clairo Returns With Summer Stunner 'Sexy to Someone,' Announces New Album 'Charm'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  29. ^ Jacob, Lola (June 18, 2024). "Clairo announces next single 'Nomad'". Coup De Main Magazine. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  30. ^ Sharpe, Josh. "Clairo to Play Los Angeles and New York Residency". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  31. ^ Strauss, Matthew (May 29, 2024). "Clairo Announces New York and Los Angeles Concerts". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  32. ^ Zemler, Emily (July 18, 2024). "Watch Clairo Showcase Intimate Song 'Juna' on 'Fallon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  33. ^ Bloom, Madison (July 18, 2024). "Watch Clairo Perform "Juna" on Fallon". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  34. ^ "Clairo Sings A Laid-Back "Juna" On 'Fallon' & Announces North American Tour: Watch". Stereogum. July 18, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  35. ^ "Clairo Performs Enchanting 'Juna' On 'Fallon'". JamBase. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  36. ^ Skinner, Tom (July 18, 2024). "Clairo performs 'Juna' on 'Fallon' and announces 2024 North American 'Charm' tour". NME. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  37. ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (August 4, 2024). "Clairo Shares New Video for 'Juna'". Our Culture. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  38. ^ Kreps, Daniel (August 4, 2024). "Clairo Makes 'Juna' Her First Music Video in Years". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  39. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (August 1, 2024). "Clairo Rules TikTok Billboard Top 50 Chart With 'Juna'". Billboard. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  40. ^ "Charm by Clairo reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  41. ^ a b "Charm by Clairo Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  42. ^ Sendra, Tim (July 13, 2024). "Clairo - Charm". AllMusic. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  43. ^ Bannikov, Igor (July 11, 2024). "Clairo - Charm". Clash. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  44. ^ Hawthorne, Katie (July 12, 2024). "Clairo: Charm review – deeply human songs of desire and distance". The Guardian. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  45. ^ Julia, Adele (July 12, 2024). "Clairo dives deeper into soulful introspection on Charm". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  46. ^ Daly, Rhian (July 12, 2024). "Clairo – 'Charm' review: delving into desire". NME. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  47. ^ Small, Sam (July 11, 2024). "Clairo Finds Her Charm on Psychedelic, Colorful Third LP". Paste. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  48. ^ Lorusso, Marissa (July 11, 2024). "Clairo: Charm Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  49. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (July 11, 2024). "Clairo Finds Liberation in Lush Seventies Melodies on Charm". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  50. ^ Inglis, Toni (July 10, 2024). "Clairo- Charm:Working alongside producer Leon Michels to create a mini-universe, Charm is a grower of an album, Clairo growing with it". The Skinny. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  51. ^ Seip, Nick (July 11, 2024). "Review: Clairo 'Charm' Review: A Soulful, Confident Coming of Age". Slant. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  52. ^ Seip, Nick (July 11, 2024). "Clairo 'Charm' Review: A Soulful, Confident Coming of Age". Slant Magazine. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  53. ^ "Review: "Charm" by Clairo explores ups and downs of love". Review: “Charm” by Clairo explores ups and downs of love -. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  54. ^ "Clairo's Charm Album Review: Pretty, Yet Strangely Numb". July 11, 2024. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  55. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  56. ^ "Billboard Canadian Albums: Week of July 27, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  57. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Clairo – Charm" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  58. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  59. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 22, 2024. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  60. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  61. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Clairo – Charm". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  62. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Clairo – Charm". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  63. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  64. ^ "Eminem Achieves 11th No. 1 on Billboard 200 With The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
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