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So much of Charli xcx's pre-Brat career presented concepts of what a pop star -- and pop music -- could be, it's only natural she responded to fame by turning it into art. Her examination of her success started with the mockumentary The Moment and continues on Music, Fashion, Film, another project that confirms that whether or not she's a main pop girl, she'll always be a provocateur.
The cover to her seventh album is the first of many head fakes: Thanks to Brat, she had the clout to call up Wuthering Heights collaborator John Cale, designer Marc Jacobs, and director Martin Scorsese for a photo shoot. She may be claiming her place among these icons or indulging in some hero worship, but Music, Fashion, Film's imagery implies she's striving for artistic depth -- which she is, but not in typical fashion. Raw and spontaneous, these fleeting impressions prove some of her most daring and thought-provoking music.
Within Music, Fashion, Film's short songs, there's a lot to unpack. On "Rock Music," xcx skewers reactionary musical trends, including her own, in less than two minutes. After pronouncing the dancefloor dead, xcx, A.G. Cook, and Finn Keane deliver sounds that are as blatantly artificial as any of the hyperpop they made in the 2010s, processing the guitars until they sound like toys -- an irony topped only by xcx's deadpan description of musical catharsis: "Wow. I'm really banging my head." This is Charli xcx's wittiest music since Crash, but it's never merely funny. Beneath the satire lies insecurity, fear, desire, and on "SS26," hopelessness and dread. Over chic synths, xcx blends nihilism and escapism, describing an overarching powerlessness that destroys accountability and reduces art to aesthetics. Along with its sister song "Card Declined," it's a moment of self-aware pop genius that rivals Cristina's Sleep It Off.
Aside from "2007"'s flash of nostalgic innocence, Charli xcx's feelings run just as deep on Music, Fashion, Film as they did on Brat. As shoegazing riffs tear themselves apart on "I'm Afraid," she acknowledges that she's used her status as an artist "to act selfishly." It's a mood that extends to Music, Fashion, Film's keen questioning of how much honesty an artist owes their audience. It seems truthful when xcx confesses, "I'm always craving an experience that feels dangerous" on "Camera"'s celebration of momentarily real identities, but less so when she insists "Here's the truth/and I gotta be honest" on "Wink Wink," a song whose sugary chug recalls Wet Leg as much as Cale's time with the Velvet Underground.
The few moments on Music, Fashion, Film that aren't as conceptually dense suffer slightly; "Yeah"'s expression of self-doubt is as close as the album comes to feeling truly tossed-off. However, David Cronenberg's tribute to artists creating for the moment on "No One Lasts Forever" is a surprisingly moving finale that rejects seeking immortality through fame, looping the statement, "They are dead/They are gone/No one lasts forever" into an unexpectedly deep, strangely comforting mantra.
Charli xcx probably wouldn't have attempted to replicate Brat even if it had been a commercial failure, but it's still heartening to see she didn't succumb to the expectations of another huge album and tour cycle that would take years of precious creative time. There's a lot to be said for capturing inspiration while it's still raw, especially when it sounds as inquisitive and invigorated as Music, Fashion, Film. - AllMusic Review by Heather Phares
Tracklist
1. Rock Music (1:55)
2. SS26 (2:47)
3. Card Declined (3:27)
4. Camera (2:31)
5. 2007 (2:04)
6. I’m Afraid (2:11)
7. Yeah (2:17)
8. Wink Wink (2:02)
9. Persona (2:37)
10. Magic Metal Montana (2:30)
11. No One Lasts Forever (ft. David Cronenberg) (5:42)
Cat no: 75678584206
So much of Charli xcx's pre-Brat career presented concepts of what a pop star -- and pop music -- could be, it's only natural she responded to fame by turning it into art. Her examination of her success started with the mockumentary The Moment and continues on Music, Fashion, Film, another project that confirms that whether or not she's a main pop girl, she'll always be a provocateur.
The cover to her seventh album is the first of many head fakes: Thanks to Brat, she had the clout to call up Wuthering Heights collaborator John Cale, designer Marc Jacobs, and director Martin Scorsese for a photo shoot. She may be claiming her place among these icons or indulging in some hero worship, but Music, Fashion, Film's imagery implies she's striving for artistic depth -- which she is, but not in typical fashion. Raw and spontaneous, these fleeting impressions prove some of her most daring and thought-provoking music.
Within Music, Fashion, Film's short songs, there's a lot to unpack. On "Rock Music," xcx skewers reactionary musical trends, including her own, in less than two minutes. After pronouncing the dancefloor dead, xcx, A.G. Cook, and Finn Keane deliver sounds that are as blatantly artificial as any of the hyperpop they made in the 2010s, processing the guitars until they sound like toys -- an irony topped only by xcx's deadpan description of musical catharsis: "Wow. I'm really banging my head." This is Charli xcx's wittiest music since Crash, but it's never merely funny. Beneath the satire lies insecurity, fear, desire, and on "SS26," hopelessness and dread. Over chic synths, xcx blends nihilism and escapism, describing an overarching powerlessness that destroys accountability and reduces art to aesthetics. Along with its sister song "Card Declined," it's a moment of self-aware pop genius that rivals Cristina's Sleep It Off.
Aside from "2007"'s flash of nostalgic innocence, Charli xcx's feelings run just as deep on Music, Fashion, Film as they did on Brat. As shoegazing riffs tear themselves apart on "I'm Afraid," she acknowledges that she's used her status as an artist "to act selfishly." It's a mood that extends to Music, Fashion, Film's keen questioning of how much honesty an artist owes their audience. It seems truthful when xcx confesses, "I'm always craving an experience that feels dangerous" on "Camera"'s celebration of momentarily real identities, but less so when she insists "Here's the truth/and I gotta be honest" on "Wink Wink," a song whose sugary chug recalls Wet Leg as much as Cale's time with the Velvet Underground.
The few moments on Music, Fashion, Film that aren't as conceptually dense suffer slightly; "Yeah"'s expression of self-doubt is as close as the album comes to feeling truly tossed-off. However, David Cronenberg's tribute to artists creating for the moment on "No One Lasts Forever" is a surprisingly moving finale that rejects seeking immortality through fame, looping the statement, "They are dead/They are gone/No one lasts forever" into an unexpectedly deep, strangely comforting mantra.
Charli xcx probably wouldn't have attempted to replicate Brat even if it had been a commercial failure, but it's still heartening to see she didn't succumb to the expectations of another huge album and tour cycle that would take years of precious creative time. There's a lot to be said for capturing inspiration while it's still raw, especially when it sounds as inquisitive and invigorated as Music, Fashion, Film. - AllMusic Review by Heather Phares
Tracklist
1. Rock Music (1:55)
2. SS26 (2:47)
3. Card Declined (3:27)
4. Camera (2:31)
5. 2007 (2:04)
6. I’m Afraid (2:11)
7. Yeah (2:17)
8. Wink Wink (2:02)
9. Persona (2:37)
10. Magic Metal Montana (2:30)
11. No One Lasts Forever (ft. David Cronenberg) (5:42)
Cat no: 75678584206
