Goodbye 'brat' summer, hello Clairo autumn
After a fulfilling summer of "bumpin' that" with the windows down, Charli XCX has officially proclaimed the end of "brat summer" on social media platform X. The whirlwind club-pop album "brat" was a chart-topper that resonated with many, as it set the tone for Zoomers to live out their hedonistic fantasies.
The album introduced many to the realm of electronic funk music and expanded the diversity of their Spotify playlists and general music repertoire.
But with the announcement of the end of "brat" summer, the neon green aesthetic needs to go into hibernation in favor of a softer, calmer fall season — it's time for Clairo autumn.
Indie-pop artist Clairo, most known for her 2019 song "Sofia," recently released her third studio album, "Charm," in July. While the album has its fans, the focus on Charli XCX's imagery of rotten apples and references to Julia Fox may have unfairly overshadowed the beauty of "Charm."
But with the chill in the air and the colorful change of leaves, now is the moment for "Charm" to shine — the album serves as a fitting backdrop for the season. The 11-song album displays Clairo's iconic calming vocals, guitar string picking and dreamy beats.
Autumn holds a jarringly different atmosphere from summer, not just due to the colder weather but also due to where most people tend to be emotionally. It's a complex transitional period that requires your body to slow down and reflect. With the beginning of school and the end of summer break, autumn is a tangled time of beginnings and endings, of life and death.
Clairo's music is the perfect album to capture this feeling because she sings of love and loss and of happiness and sadness. The duplexity of these themes, all under the umbrella of soothing, breathy vocals and rich instrumentation, create the ultimate album for walks under the orange fall foliage in a cozy sweater.
The opening track, "Nomad," immediately captures this feeling of uncertainty as Clairo contends between her conflicting emotions of wanting to be loved and wanting to accept loneliness to protect herself from pain.
In "Juna," she wrestles with the comfort of being in love, trumpeting, "I don't have to think / With you, there's no pretending." But in "Glory of the Snow," she tries to forget, singing, "I pull on the string that binds me / To memories of the way I loved you."
Clairo continues to charm her audience in "Sexy to Someone" by describing the relatable feeling of wanting to be desired.
The vulnerability Clairo expresses throughout "Charm" fulfills the listener's need for comfort during the frightening transitional feelings associated with autumn and its uncertainties.
Even the title, "Charm," describes the fleeting, erratic feelings of autumn, for to be charmed is to feel suddenly enchanted and allured. Listeners have to grapple with not knowing how long the feeling will continue. It's a confusing feeling.
Although it's difficult to move on from the chaotic energy of the infamous "brat" summer, it's time to transition to new responsibilities and embrace change. But let us never forget our collective energy and may we always revisit our club classics.
