Famous for playing with a light switch on TikTok, Charlie Puth has grown to make comforting music that many can relate to. His fourth studio album, “Whatever’s Clever!” came out March 27, two weeks after his wife gave birth to their son.
Tackling ideas of love, loss and change, it delivers an emotional reflection on human growth, containing some of his best releases so far. Puth’s creative usage of bright tones and sounds sets the stage for the meaningful topics covered in this album.
His first song, appropriately titled “Changes,” is my favorite because it contrasts a catchy, upbeat tune with lyrics that touch on growing distant from friends, an experience I heavily relate to.
In it, he sings, “there’s been some changes in our life, oh, I can feel the distance,” which resonates with me, as I grew distant from close friends after going to a different middle school. Puth conveys that growing apart is just the way life is, which taught me to appreciate friendship while accepting it as a fleeting experience.
As a whole, the album features many versions of love, including love for friends, family, partners and even yourself.
Reflecting on his past, Puth’s song “I Used To Be Cringe” contains messages about self-love, addressing societal issues of children being performative to fit in. Amid guitar strums mimicking the mood of a heart-to-heart, Puth’s message struck a chord with me, recalling similar experiences and feelings I’ve had.
The song also discusses the naivety of children wishing to live in fictional worlds. While children often dream up these ideal settings for excitement, Puth’s lyrics suggest that on a deeper level, it’s because they feel left out in the real world.
He uses the tone of the music along with thoughtful word choice to paint vivid pictures that help listeners process their feelings and past memories.
Between soft beats and groovy tunes, “Whatever’s Clever!” features deep lyrics to tell an insightful coming-of-age story. Starting off cheerful with a carefree mood, the album gradually explores more mellowed out and sad themes, mirroring the transition from child to adult.
Despite not being Puth’s most popular album, “Whatever’s Clever!” expresses some of his best music, pushing boundaries of emotion and effectively capturing the bittersweet nuances of growing up.
