★★★★☆
Thirty-four-year-old singer Charlie Puth inserts himself back into the music world with the release of Whatever’s Clever!, marking his first LP in over three years. His fourth studio album, Whatever’s Clever! brings to fans a collection of 12 tracks, introducing a more mature Puth while still maintaining the ingenious pop the New Jersey native is known for.
The album centers around Puth’s understanding of what it means to grow into yourself and what that entails—acknowledging your faults but also giving yourself due credit. With recurring references to his parents, siblings, and hometown, Whatever’s Clever! is an homage to the singer’s roots and a statement to where he’s going—both musically and in regards to the family he’s building with wife Brooke Sansone.
The opening track, titled “Changes,” sets the tone for the rest of the album and its content as it discusses this new chapter in Puth’s life. Musically, the track has a Troye Sivan-esque quality—with Puth bringing a synth-pop element that is new to his discography.
“There’s been some changes in our life, oh / I can feel the distance / Space and time, has made everything different,” sings Puth.
“Beat Yourself Up” carries a deep message executed through a bubbly sonic construction: you’re still growing, try not to be too hard on yourself. Puth once again shows a newfound wisdom that comes with age, as he learns how to navigate life while understanding his purpose on this Earth. A definite dance-to-me tune, the song establishes the upbeat character that follows throughout the rest of the album.
“Since you were a boy, you took the weight of the world / And held onto it ’til you fell to the ground,” sings Puth. “Like you had no choice, you did it for your little girl / So she would never feel the way you do now.”
Embracing his soon-to-be father persona, Puth introduces dad-style ’80s/’90s-inspired sounds in tracks like “Cry (feat. Kenny G).” The artist revealed in a press release that “Cry (feat. Kenny G)” is about “allowing yourself to feel things fully.”
Puth goes on to say how, growing up, he watched his loved ones carry emotional weight quietly. He crafted this tune as a reminder that expressing emotion is not a weakness, and that oftentimes it is the one thing that’ll prompt growth in your life. Though not lyrically complex, Kenny G’s masterful saxophone skills successfully make the track stand out.
“And through the ebbs and flows / Life is a push and pull,” Puth sings. “But for a tree to grow / Sometimes it just has to rain.”
Far removed from the dad-world but still in the ’90s realm, “Washed Up” has a sprinkle of retro girl band pop, with the first 30 seconds resembling “Stop” by the Spice Girls. The track is flooded with ocean-related metaphors and emphasizes the importance of asking for help during hard times.
“Even when you’re washed up on the lowest tide / You never ask for help even when it’s time,” sings Puth.
The love song resembling “Don’t Meet Your Heroes” delves into the realistic yet disappointing side of immersing yourself in the Hollywood scene and realizing your “heroes,” too, are regular people. The song starts slow but takes an unexpected turn, introducing a piano bar jazz-style solo halfway through. Soon after, the piano is joined by synthetic vocals—showcasing Puth’s gift in merging messages with layered melodic varieties.
“Don’t meet your heroes, they’re not as they seem / I just should’ve kept you on my TV screen,” sings Puth. “Oh, I learned my lesson when they put me through hell / No don’t meet your heroes without knowing yourself.”
That Puth is a musical master is a known fact. His new album, however, showcases a whole new side of the artist. With elevated harmonical compositions and the blending of unexpected instruments, Whatever’s Clever! is a testament to Puth’s growth and ever-evolving endeavors.
