Charli XCX’s BRAT is an album that seemingly needs no introduction. The album has started trends and shaped the pop culture of the 2020s. On albumoftheyear.org, a website that rates and reviews music, the album has made its impression with a user score of 85/100 and taking the #3 spot of 2024. Featuring production from notable pop producers such as SOPHIE and A.G. Cook of PC Music, a record label known for boundary-pushing pop music, BRAT will go down as one of the best pop records of the 2020s.
Immediately on the first track, “360,”Charli gives a great introduction to the general concept of the album. Her seemingly surface-level pop lyrics might seem a bit tacky on the surface, but in a way that’s exactly what she was going for. The strong elements of experimental pop remain evident, but it still has accessible mainstream appeal. In a way this is her victory lap, she knows that all she needs to do is make an album full of catchy pop music to be commercially successful.
Following behind the first track, “Club classics” takes on a similar yet notable approach. The structure has been slightly simplified, but it doesn’t take away from the experience at all. Charli’s lyrics here are repetitive and simple yet memorable, and it feels both natural and justified. The production as stated before is simple, but it’s very easy to get lost in. This track doesn’t feel as long as it is in the best way possible. It serves its purpose in the album and ends on a positive note.
“Sympathy is a knife” is a blunt and vulnerable track. This is the first of many times on BRAT that Charli begins giving us insight into her thoughts. The production picks back up sounding jovial in sharp contrast to the self-loathing lyrics, which are more focused on conveying her raw emotions rather than polished delivery. It reflects a darker mood and adds to the authenticity of the project. This differs from the last 2 tracks, which are much more positive.
The next track, “I might say something stupid”, reinforces the message of the previous track while adding much more stripped-back production. Charli reflects on her success, the fears that come with it and if she even deserves it. She describes herself as “one foot in a normal life”, which puts a different spin on the message of the album up to this point. While before she was focusing on life as a celebrity, here she gives a look into being a normal person behind it all. She reflects on feeling like she doesn’t belong anymore, and says “I’m famous but not quite,” which refers to her thoughts about her popularity. Finally, the abrupt ending of the song leaves the listener with unanswered tension.
“Talk talk” takes us back to the mood that everyone wanted to hear. While the production is far more upbeat, you can still hear subtle vulnerability. She wishes that someone would have a genuine human connection with her rather than a celebrity-fan connection. She voices that she wants someone to “talk to me in your own made up language, doesn’t matter if I understand it” which is a line that stands out because it creates a desperate mood. Overall, the track is sanguine on the surface with its repetitive catchy chorus, but Charli is still providing us an unfiltered version of herself.
“Von dutch” is experimental in the most perfect way possible, pairing a catchy chorus with memorable production and somewhat arrogant lyrics. Similar to 360, Charli is letting us know how influential and successful she is, however, unlike other songs that do the same thing, Von dutch comes from the heart. She’s bragging about her success, but has a reason to do so. Putting this after two of the most vulnerable tracks also makes her seem completely genuine even if she’s being in-your-face about it.
The next song, “Everything is romantic,” begins with a calm intro, then immediately throws you into a Bubblegum Bass inspired climax, a nod to close musicians to Charli like SOPHIE and A.G. Cook. The lyrics are far more calculated, while also maintaining the straight-to-the point style that Charli uses on the album. The track ends with atmospheric sound effects and transitions well into the next track.
“Rewind”, similar to “Talk talk,” utilizes an upbeat production in combination with reflective lyrics about Charli’s lifestyle. She expresses the desire to rewind back to a time where she didn’t want to be like others, reflecting on what she used to do back when she didn’t worry about commercial success. Overall, the track is fun with a deeper emotional meaning beneath its surface.
“So I” is a beautiful tribute to the late artist SOPHIE, who passed away in 2021 and was an extremely influential pop producer and artist, pioneering the style that Charli started. The lyrics referencing SOPHIE’s song “It’s Okay to Cry”, are fully reflecting on SOPHIE and how her death affected both Charli’s music career and her personal life. This track is one of the best tribute songs of the 2020s, and is a beautiful addition to the album.
Immediately after such an emotional ballad, “Girl, so confusing” switches up the atmosphere and overall mood. It discusses the complexity of female friendships, and in specific the friendship between Charli and collaborator Lorde. Charli overanalyzes her past experiences with Lorde, wondering whether she’s being genuine or “wants to see her falling over and failing.” It’s similarly honest as the other tracks, but in a different way that leaves an impression on the listener.
“Apple” is similar to “360” in the sense that Charli is completely focused on commercial success. Every element of the album up to this point is combined here, from the lighthearted mood to the simplistic yet effective lyrics as well as the somewhat experimental production. It sums up the primary intention behind this album’s concept. Charli knows she can make a hit song and does so effortlessly.
On “B2b,” Charli’s production shifts yet again to being completely inspired by Acid Techno and Acid House. This song is upbeat and puts you in a positive mood when listening before then switching at the end to create a stripped-back and more relaxed atmosphere. Finally, the track brings it right back to how it was in the beginning. The feel of the track adds to the mood much more than the lyrics do, however the lyrics are necessary to compliment the production perfectly.
Charli starts off “Mean girls” by describing the average modern young woman. This brings up her target audience, as later in the song she states the kind of “mean girls” that this song is for. It’s an anthem for an entire group of people, and does a decent job at it. However, if you aren’t a part of that target audience, the flaws in the writing, such as the repetitive lyrics having little substance to back them up, and its inability to pair well with the production, start to show. The track still has a few redeeming qualities even if it isn’t as strong as some of the others.
“I think about it all the time” circles back to the same feeling that was shown on “I might say something stupid.” The name for the song fits perfectly, as it’s personal and introspective, discussing how often she thinks of her future, similar to earlier tracks which made Charli seem sincere. Overall, the song is beautiful, even if it doesn’t have the same catchy melody that previous ones had. This serves as a perfect contrast from the other parts of the album while maintaining her authenticity.
To end things off on a familiar note, “365” brings us back to where we first started. While many would consider this a remix of the first track, a better way to describe it would be a sample, as it uses elements of “360” as an instrument rather than building on the original. The phrase “bumping that” from said song is used many times, yet it doesn’t feel repetitive at all. Charli concludes with the same party-hard energy as the beginning while also mixing in styles we saw near the end such as Acid Techno. The outro ends off the album strong with an abrasive and experimental sound. The track wraps up the album on the same note it started on.
