Singer-songwriter Charlie John unveils his new album, CHARLIE, exploring various genres as well as delving into topics such as mental health, unrequited love, romantic attraction, heartbreak, introspection, and the sense of belonging.
Talking about the album, Charlie John shares, “Out of the hundreds of songs I’ve written over the years, these are the 12 I feel closest to.”
Born into a family of musicians, singers, and songwriters, Charlie’s passion for music and melodies seems natural. It’s in his blood. In 2013, 2014, and 2016 Charlie was contacted by the producers of The Voice and invited to audition in Chicago, Dallas, and Nashville. He’s performed throughout the U.S., from Los Angeles to New York.
He won ‘Best Original Pop Song’ and ‘Best Original Singer/Songwriter Song’ in the 2016 Ohio Music Awards, as well as the overall Grand Prize in the Songdoor 2016 International Songwriting Competition with his song “Change Me.”
In 2023, John performed at Austin’s SXSW and Milwaukee’s Summerfest 55, the biggest music festival in the world.
Comprising a dozen tracks, CHARLIE begins with “Cheer Up,” which travels on a contagious indie-pop rhythm tinted with hints of pop-rock. John’s evocative vocals imbue the lyrics with buoyant surfaces.
Entry points include “All I Know,” a personal favorite because of its syncopated, rumbling rhythm, highlighted by John’s tasty vocals, brimming with intense quixotic passion. “Circles” rolls out on sleazy, swirling synths riding a thumping kick drum as John displays the range of his vocal prowess, extending from lush melodicism to clipped inflections.
A song celebrating the adventure of life and love, “The Best Is Yet To Come” features a sparkling, graceful piano atop a delicious mid-tempo rhythm. Initially low-slung and gentle, the harmonics elevate just enough to maintain the tenderness of the tune, while adding mounting expectations.
Reminiscent of Christopher Cross, “Sun Comes Up – Acoustic,” hums with luscious resonance and the exquisite voice of Clara Wilson. There’s a glorious feeling of commitment and adoration flowing through the harmonics.
John’s cover of Phil Collins’s “Take Me Home” ties the album off, delivering a dreamy, kaleidoscopic version that’s innovative yet true to the original. On the chorus, the tune hums with psychedelia-lite textures, forming a thick, shimmering wall of sound.
Taking in everything from indie-pop to alt-rock to soul, CHARLIE is a grand album, parading the songwriting and vocal gifts of Charlie John.
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