NEW RELEASE: CRASH - Charli XCX

 If you forgot Charli, let me remind you of the one time she was radios darling. She was the girl singing the hook on "Fancy", yeah, we already know. Then everyone was so obsessed with "The Fault in Our Stars", and she happened to have done a soundtrack song called Boom Clap. It was everywhere. Break the Rules also got on the charts from her more major label album "Sucker". It happens to be the only album of hers I am really fond of. I sometimes keep up with what she does now, but she leans very heavily into "hyperpop" trends and that means crap for lyricism and poor structures musically. Most of the songs are short and ridiculous. Nevertheless, biases aside, time for her new album!

"Crash" is the starting track and it doesn't really impress me. It is very forgettable lyrically, and has the rhythm of better stronger pop songs.

"New Shapes" includes two other singers that I am also not super interested in, and I don't think Caroline Polachek fits on the track at all. She is too avant-garde for this. I am not even a fan of her, but she doesn't fit the song. It was like when Lana Del Rey got a verse on Don't Call Me Angel...

"Good Ones" sounds like a catchy contemporary pop song, and considering I like catchy contemporary pop this one did catch my ear. I can also find you 5 other songs that are like it - but hey, I need to add to my trash can of sameness.

"Constant Repeat" falls into the same catchy mindless pop. It is actually kind of nice to hear her return to the more "conventional" sounds of Sucker where she sounds like other pop... It is as forgettable as anything else but it makes for a good 15 minutes.

"Beg for You" will always be disappointing because they ripped off a better pop song. For the better option, see CRY FOR YOU BY SEPTEMBER.

"Move Me" has potential but it doesn't quite grab all of it. Lyrics and beat could be stronger.

"Baby" was so weird as she defined it as her "sexiest" single when it really doesn't even match up with her own descriptions of it.

"Lightning" sounds like another generic regular pop song! I will take it! It is catchy and touches on emotional romance.

"Every Rule" is an okay ballad. There's nothing strongly emotional within her delivery to make me come back though.

"Yuck" sounds immature enough to make me feel less inclined to return to it.

"Used to Know Me" is too filler track feeling to me.

The album closes with "Twice", a track that really didn't elevate the album at all out of generic pop oblivion.

Lyrics: 3/10 - They are relatively generic and say nothing.

Music: 6/10 - The strong suit, the earworm catchy melodies that keep you returning.

Overall: 5/10 - If you like generic pop. This album is good. If you don't , this will bore you to tears.