Charli XCX trades dance floor for guitar on new album 'Music, Fashion, Film'

Charli XCX's seventh album 'Music, Fashion, Film' marks a deliberate departure from her era-defining 2024 record 'Brat,' swapping synthesizers for guitar-driven, often brief songs that reflect on post-fame anxiety and artistic identity. The 11-track, 30-minute album was written quickly after a period of acting roles and marriage, and features an album cover that places icons John Cale, Marc Jacobs, and Martin Scorsese in a kitchen — a deliberate gesture of curation and cool Source: CNN.

Reception

Critics are divided. The AP praises the 'coherent collaborative vision' with producers A.G. Cook and Finn Keane, and highlights tracks like 'Card Declined' and 'SS26' as standouts Source: AP. Euronews, however, finds many songs 'underdeveloped' and criticizes lead single 'Rock Music' for 'performative provocation,' calling the album 'frustrating' Source: Euronews. The BBC notes the album is 'smart, self-referential, funny, antagonistic' and quotes Charli saying she avoided a dance-leaning follow-up because it would have felt 'really sad' Source: BBC.

Key points

• The album cover features John Cale, Marc Jacobs, and Martin Scorsese, with an alternate cover including Charli Source: CNN.
• Songs are mostly under two minutes; themes include fame, creativity, and performance Source: AP.
• Charli described the album as 'guitar-based' and inspired by Lou Reed Source: BBC.