This is the 8th studio LP from Cambridge, England, United Kingdom singer/songwriter Charli XCX. who one might be remembered for her feature on Iggy Azalea’s biggest hit “Fancy” a decade ago. Her solo material would go on to step leaps & bounds beyond hers with highlights including her 3rd & 4th mixtapes #1 Angel & Pop 2 respectively alongside her 4th & 5th albums Charli & How I’m Feeling Now. Her final Asylum Records offering Crash was ok & brat under Atlantic Records quickly became an indie sleaze revival landmark, coming off the soundtrack of Wuthering Heights to drop Music, Fashion, Film.
“Rock Music” produced by A.G. Cook made for a polarizing lead single blending new rave, indietronica & power pop singing about departing from the EDM style in favor of rock whereas “SS26” fuses indie rock, alt-pop, pop rock, indietronica, slacker rock & post-punk revival critiquing art being commercialized beyond recognition. “Card Declined” splits itself into 2 distinct halves singing about the topic of materialism prior to the indietronica, alternative dance, alt-pop & pop rock single “Camera” finds herself considering pursuing an acting career.
Moving on from there, “2007” looks back at how far she’s come since beginning to make music 19 years previously combining elements of alternative dance & pop rock just before “I’m Afraid” discusses Charli’s engagement to George Daniel & front confessional regarding everything she fears. “Yeah” might be one of the weaker moments partly due to it’s repetitive structuring although I very much understand the concept revolving around yes men while “Wink Wink” mixes pop rock, post-punk revival, power pop, new wave & dance-punk revival sings about people always changing.
“Persona” winds down Music, Fashion, Film’s final act advising for people to not let their egos choke them whenever she’s around them over a fuzzy guitar playing behind her while “Magic Metal Montana” shows some appreciation towards A.G. Cook, considering him to be her best friend & that he makes things easier for her whenever they’re in the studio. The closing track “No One Lasts Forever” featuring a spoken word interlude & outro from David Cronenberg sends off the album singing about enjoying life now since every living being eventually dies.
I fully support the idea of Charli XCX making a complete stylistic departure for Music, Fashion, Film even if I wouldn’t put it in the same category as brat or How I’m Feeling Now or Charli amongst her most celebrated material. However, I’ll still put it above the Wuthering Heights soundtrack & even Crash compared to her other 2020s output. A.G. Cook’s production experiments with indietronica, indie rock, pop rock, slacker rock, alternative dance, alt-pop, new rave, power pop, post-punk revival, new wave & dance-punk revival so Charli can get more introspective lyrically.
Score: 3.5/5
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