“What if there was a song that…” is the opening of the question Charlie Puth is known for asking on his social media accounts, as he reveals a behind the scenes look of his creative process while producing his music.
Ahead of March 27, his latest studio album release, however, his platforms went quiet, his teasers were more cryptic, and his fans were in the dark as to what sound his fourth record would embrace.
That was until, October 16, when he released the lead single, “Changes.” The song makes sense as the opener for the album. It’s an obvious theme given the obvious “change” in his personal life as a recent husband to Brooke Puth and father to newborn son Jude Puth.
The instrumental transitioning into the bridge is the first proof that the album is about its musical composition above all else.
When it first dropped, I wasn’t the biggest fan, and I took this as a sign that this new era may not be for me. I’m a fan of all of Puth’s previous works, but find the most quality in his first two records, “Nine Track Mind” and “Voicenotes.”
His third body of work, “Charlie” was enjoyable to me, as someone who was simply excited for any new music from him, with the help of its infectiously catchy melodies. However, the artistic direction was a bit generic and lacked both lyrical depth and sonic experimentation.
“Whatever’s Clever!” is has the same lyrical weakness. Nearly four years after the release of “Charlie,” Puth does take more advantage of his endless music knowledge to seamlessly include instrumentals and integrate the styles of the artists featured on some songs.
But when it comes to delivering a message of his own, “Whatever’s Clever!” falls short.
“Beat Yourself Up” follows as the second single, revealing the cliché tone of the album, as Puth sings about how mistakes don’t define you.
“Cry” featuring Kenny G reminds listeners that Charlie Puth isn’t just a musician. It’s not just his job. It’s his passion.
As both an admirer and an engineer of music, and a 2013 graduate of Berklee College of Music, Puth having the name Kenny G on his work is his “I made it” moment.
This song steers focus away from the lyrics as it repeats the title often, drawing attention to Kenny’s smooth saxophone playing layered with Puth’s serene, comforting vocals.
The beginning of “Washed Up” hints to me it’s about to be one of my favorites. In this song, his voice reminds me of his early songs like “One Call Away,” but with the maturity of his developed production skills.
I love the verses, and the chord progressions make the transitions from verse to prechorus to chorus effortless and clean, feeling like a wave gently washing up the shore. With the title being “Washed Up,” it’s a synesthetic experience.
“New Jersey” featuring Ravyn Lenae and “Don’t Meet Your Heroes” are more songs that feel boxed in by clichés. His epiphanies in the lyrics don’t delve a layer deeper than any pre-existing concepts. It just doesn’t feel new.
“Home” is easily the best song on the album. A collaboration with Hikaru Utada, this song veers off from Puth’s usual rhythm and embraces Utada’s style, unlike the rest of the songs with features on the album.
The song proves it would be beneficial to his art for Charlie Puth to step out of his sound, as when he emulates other artists’ sounds and creates something of his own out of the inspiration, it creates some of his best work.
“Hey Brother” is another strong track on the album, and its transition into “Sideways” mimics the chronological progression of his sound.
As the gentle drums in “Hey Brother,” reminiscent of “Left Right Left” on “Nine Track Mind,” begin to quiet, the groovy RNB “Sideways” featuring Coco Jones begins, resembling his shift into the widely-loved “Voicenotes” era.
“Love In Exile” is accompanied by McDonald and Kenny Loggins. It feels like a sort-of-80s-style song to match the nostalgic aesthetic of the album’s visuals, but it was forgettable.
The second to last song, “Until It Happens To You” features Jeff Goldblum (a bit randomly) who speaks about empathy, carrying into Puth’s singing.
The album closes with “I Used to Be Cringe,” Puth’s intention for it to be candid. Inspired by Taylor Swift’s lyricism that features storytelling, vulnerability and depth, Puth only scratches the surface of his truth.
His personality does come through in it, but it just doesn’t feel like a serious enough topic to write into a ballad.
Less than a week after the record’s release, Puth dropped an extended version of the album, with a thirteenth track: “Reply to This.” This one’s for the fans who have been waiting for its release for six years – its style and lyrics fitting right into “Voicenotes” more than “Whatever’s Clever!”
It doesn’t feel like there’s a target audience for this album. For someone who enjoys lighthearted pop music or even his past records, like myself, this album doesn’t feel like it’s for me. For someone who enjoys jazz, it doesn’t feel like there’s enough of that either.
Puth has an excellent understanding of music, but is trapped by the pop-sound he has committed himself to producing.
The scattered elements of jazz feel like attempted saves at making “Whatever’s Clever!” unique, but at the end of the day, it’s not enough to outweigh the one-dimensionality of everything else.
Rating: 2.5/5