Label: Color Study
Released: 16th July 2021
It’s been clear since the release of her debut EP that Charli Adams is one to keep an eye on.
With last year’s ‘Good at Being Young’, Charli introduced herself as a songwriting talent to be reckoned with: those six impeccably penned songs perfectly captured a teenage spirit that everyone has pined for. Fast-forward to the present day and she’s released ‘Bullseye’, her sprawling first full-length that absolutely cements her star potential.
There’s something for everyone on ‘Bullseye’: the 80s-indebted ‘Remember Cloverland’ shines with an irresistible groove and synths so sleek they’d leave The 1975 in awe, while the Phoebe Bridgers–esque opening cut ‘Emo Lullaby’ is — well, exactly that. If you’re looking for grunge, she’s got you covered with ‘Cheer Captain’ or the title-track, which amplifies her frustration to near-deafening levels, and there’s almost always a trace of country in homage to her Alabama upbringing.
Charli flits between mood just as deftly as she does genre. She’s self-assured and empowered on ‘Joke’s On You (I Don’t Want To)’, brushing off sleazy guys at a bar with a breezy effortlessness, only to turn inwards and divulge her insecurities two tracks later on ‘Bother With Me’. These more sombre cuts are aided immensely by her emotive voice, raw, raspy and breathless as she tries to keep up with her feelings running away from her.
All in all, it’s fair to say that Charli has managed to hit the centre of the target with this one. ‘Bullseye’ is bold and bigger than life, covering all bases while still giving the impression that there’s even more to come — a perfect debut record.
