WHATEVER'S CLEVER

Charlie Puth has been around making music since 2011 after getting a record deal from his growing popularity posting himself singing covers on YouTube. His first single, "Marvin Gaye", that pays tribute to the Motown legend, was a duet with Meghan Trainor in 2015. And while the song was a popular in several countries, this doo-wop styled track was savaged by many music critics and even found its way on Worst Song of the Year lists.

Puth managed to rebound spectacularly by co-writing, producing, and providing vocals on Wiz Khalifa's single "See You Again" for the soundtrack of the film, "Furious 7". This song, which is in honor of actor, Paul Walker who had died before filming and had been a star in this movie franchise, spent twelve non-consecutive weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100, received three nominations at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song and was the best selling-song of 2015 worldwide.

Puth went on to release his debut album, "Nine Track Mind" which achieved great success as well as his following albums, "Voicenotes" in 2018 and "Charlie" in 2022. And while these albums and the singles went high on the charts and he received more award recognition, I must admit I wasn't overly impressed by his music, finding much of his work far too colorless for my taste.

Now the thirty-four year old New Jersey native has captured my attention with his just released fourth studio album, "Whatever's Clever". Puth has stated that he had charged his approach on how he created his music, opening himself to reveal more and put a personal touch into his songs. And I think it shows with the album feeling far more authentic and I'm able to make more of a connection to him as an artist. Inspired by the easy listening sounds of the 1980's, specifically what is currently being defined as "yacht rock", Puth teamed up with Michael Tucker, who is better known as BloodPop, to co-write and produce this album. "Whatever's Clever" is loaded with guest musicians that range from soft rock pioneers, Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, jazz-pop star, Kenny G; Japanese pop artist, Hikaru Utada and contemporary r&b vocalists, Ravyn Lenae and Coco Jones. The album closes with the brutally honest, guitar driven ballad, "I Used To be Cringe" where Puth acknowledges that he tried a bit too hard to fit in as his idea of a musician. But with "Whatever's Clever", I think it's clear he has evolved and become much deeper as a musical artist.

Puth had previewed a few tracks from the album during a four-night stand at Blue Note Jazz Club in New York late last year and did a follow-up residency at the recently opened Blue Note in Los Angeles. He plans on hitting the road on a world tour that will begin on April 22nd in San Diego and ending in Warsaw, Poland by July.