CRASH
by Charli xcx
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Mar 18, 2022
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 333 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 297 out of 333
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 333
  3. Negative: 18 out of 333
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  1. brunoleonlo
    Apr 16, 2023
    8
    Making a pop record is not easy as it looks but Charli is an expert at making pop music, this album has a lot of club anthems and it shows that she was born to be a pop-star. 8 out of 10.
  2. All_ButTrU4
    Mar 18, 2022
    7
    Crash:7.8

    Charli xcx has been great at capturing a mood and riding for the feeling. I should've kept faith even as the slew of singles failed to stick and instead felt Charli xcx imitations but now the full body of work is out I can say it left the exact same imprint Caprisongs left earlier this year,meaning an artist commonly known for reinventing and grasping new sounds is leaning    Crash:7.8

    Charli xcx has been great at capturing a mood and riding for the feeling. I should've kept faith even as the slew of singles failed to stick and instead felt Charli xcx imitations but now the full body of work is out I can say it left the exact same imprint Caprisongs left earlier this year,meaning an artist commonly known for reinventing and grasping new sounds is leaning towards a pop inclined accessibility. Despite her marketed and self proclaimed "sell out era" CRASH is anything but! It's a heady adrenaline rush of pop gems sequenced with admirable care. Even in the space of the record CRASH lead singles still stand as it's weakest tracks although the background of the full track list makes them appeal more than they had. "Constant Repeat " is a thrilling almost 80's inspired admission of not being able to move on,it like the title suggests repeats with an almost coy but desperate observation of not being forgotten. The Rina inspired "Beg for you" is a club ready banger I appreciate more now. It's such a shameless bop so is the synths heavy "new shapes " that denies permanent truths but given it is followed by "good ones" goes to show reality hit sooner than we thought. There title track is a Janet Jackson wonder child that despite listing it's own self destructive or toxic tendencies it pulses with a self assured confidence that they're only like that because they aren't afraid to crash. There is not a bad song on here like the electric" baby" sounds like a sweaty workout on the dance floor and I went from hearing it's single once and being bored to repeating. "Baby" has a confidence we last saw on "next level charli" in 2019. But my two favorites come when charli channels her past selves around long standing "True Romance " era producer's like Ariel R,like on the album pinnacle " Lightening " which comes down with a near perfect critique of the parasitic dependency between pop stars and their fandoms and it's truly elevated when the production (like the album title already suggests) crashes into itself, falling together and apart with nearly visible sparks of electricity. Truly phenomenal stuff here closed off by the repetitive bliss of "twice" that seeming breaks in two towards the end as if charli is floating away at the end of the world and given how fantastic the record was you'll be happy to go with her.    … Expand
  3. MusicGuyMack
    Mar 30, 2022
    7
    Charli's voice is undeniably well-suited to the slinky, impeccably produced New Wave/dance-pop grooves of "CRASH," but the loss of her more experimental hyperpop tendencies sadly results in an overall pleasant yet heavily sanitized listen that's ultimately a big step down form her prior few efforts.

    Choice Cuts: "New Shapes [feat. Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek]," "Every    Charli's voice is undeniably well-suited to the slinky, impeccably produced New Wave/dance-pop grooves of "CRASH," but the loss of her more experimental hyperpop tendencies sadly results in an overall pleasant yet heavily sanitized listen that's ultimately a big step down form her prior few efforts.

    Choice Cuts: "New Shapes [feat. Christine and the Queens and Caroline Polachek]," "Every Rule," "Yuck," "Twice"    … Expand
  4. PEDROMFR
    Nov 27, 2022
    7
    Charli XCX shows how strong she can be in the pop field. Nevertheless, it's just not as good as it should be.
  5. LISOCHIKOTOSA
    Apr 7, 2022
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Not as interesting as her previous releases but still has some nice collaborations. But i think futuristic Charli has done better work… Expand
  6. AlienGuo1119
    Mar 19, 2022
    7
    More pop comparing with the two last album. Gain something while lose something...
  7. Pickycriticx
    Mar 20, 2022
    7
    This album is not bad but not very impressive. The album has ups n downs, there are 3 songs that uplift the album itself and it would probably be Beg For You, constant repeat, Good Ones. Good Ones is an excellent track, this album just gives me generic pop vibes though, nothing special. There are way better pop albums like planet her etc.. but this is definetly charlis best.
  8. daniflag
    Aug 20, 2022
    7
    the best work of Charli's carreer, so great songs and visual of album artwork and style, so creative, not the perfect album but is on the way.
  9. patp
    Mar 2, 2023
    7
    Very nice dance album, pretty cohesive. Not perfect tho but with nice songs and bops.
  10. MetacriticOnur
    Mar 30, 2022
    6
    admirable
    [ ad-mer-uh-buhl ]

    adjective
    worthy of admiration; inspiring approval, reverence, or affection.
  11. FreddySam_
    Jul 15, 2022
    6
    Charli XCX, The queen of Infectious electropop music, is back with her next big full length LP "CRASH". With one of the more polarising rollouts for an album this year, due to the very lackluster and disappointing singles, I was still quite looking forward to this. I've always been hyped for music from her, ever since Pop 2. Her unmatched pop opus "Charli" has only grown to be one of myCharli XCX, The queen of Infectious electropop music, is back with her next big full length LP "CRASH". With one of the more polarising rollouts for an album this year, due to the very lackluster and disappointing singles, I was still quite looking forward to this. I've always been hyped for music from her, ever since Pop 2. Her unmatched pop opus "Charli" has only grown to be one of my favourite albums ever. But, what do I think about Crash?

    Well, I kinda enjoy it. The album still has that very infectious energy that the rest of her music really had, and the production here is really enjoyable too. The album starts off with one of the more stronger cuts, being the title track filled with some instantly catchy hooks and production and a ton of personality. Or the song "Baby" which is an absolute bop, with some fantastic production and engaging vocal performances. The song "Good Ones" features a very hard, bassy and thick beat with pulsing synthesizers that feel very full.

    But, other than that, Yeah. The album is home to some of the worst, weakest and blandest and unexciting material Charli has ever made. Let it be the very run of the mill, redo of Cry For You, being "Beg for you, or the very average production and unengaging performances on tracks like "Constant Repeat", "Move Me", or the track "Lightning" which might just be my least favourite work she's done since her earliest material, thanks to it's very thrown together production and bland vocal performance and awful processing.

    Overall, CRASH feels like a mixed bag that wants to push through the future and pay tribute to the past sonically, but falls completely short in a weird middle ground between these two sides.    … Expand
  12. Sweetestxava
    Mar 19, 2022
    5
    This amazing is absolutely amazing, I fully recommend listening to this album as it puts a blend of pop/electric/disco into one combined album.
  13. Kirarizinho
    Mar 19, 2022
    5
    "Crash" is a good pop album, but it's really generic, it cannot be compared to "Pop2" or "how i'm feeling now", it's such a big change, however, the album is not bad.
  14. LeChvck
    Mar 20, 2022
    5
    'Crash' sounds generic and forgettable, an album who only her core fans will like, which tries to re-sell sounds from the past but doesn't improve them. It's difficult for me to understand how this is the same artist who released albums like 'Number 1 Angel', 'Pop 2', 'How I'm Feelin Now' or the 'Vroom Vroom' EP. If I could tell something to her it would be to stick with what she is'Crash' sounds generic and forgettable, an album who only her core fans will like, which tries to re-sell sounds from the past but doesn't improve them. It's difficult for me to understand how this is the same artist who released albums like 'Number 1 Angel', 'Pop 2', 'How I'm Feelin Now' or the 'Vroom Vroom' EP. If I could tell something to her it would be to stick with what she is excellent at. It's a bit frustrating to see other artists going hard, experimenting and overshadowing Charli while she decides to just play safe.… Expand
  15. SmashingReviews
    Mar 18, 2022
    4
    If there was someone that would take the 80's synth-pop revival, that has recently become a trend, and make something great out of it, that person would be Charli. And we actually got that with tracks like "Crash" and "Good Ones". But the album isn't full synth-pop, instead it's a mix of that, classic Charli's hyperpop, and sometimes modern pop production. It's a mess, and not a good oneIf there was someone that would take the 80's synth-pop revival, that has recently become a trend, and make something great out of it, that person would be Charli. And we actually got that with tracks like "Crash" and "Good Ones". But the album isn't full synth-pop, instead it's a mix of that, classic Charli's hyperpop, and sometimes modern pop production. It's a mess, and not a good one I'm afraid. I was left feeling the album lacked a real identity. Lyrically, Charli has adopted since the start of her career simple and naive lyrics that would better compliment her hyperpop style, sometimes it feels right because it's funny and sincere, but in this album half of the time it doesn't feel anything but bad and cringy.… Expand
  16. Lucia89
    Mar 20, 2022
    0
    No me ha impresionado nada la verdad, tiene talento pero este álbum no creo que merezca la pena.
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Most Discussed Album of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Variety
    Apr 1, 2022
    80
    So, whether she means “Crash,” as some sort of elaborate art joke or her most direct-ever (potentially) hit-filled work, Charl XCX is going out from her longtime label with a bang.
    Read full review
  2. Resident Advisor
    Mar 30, 2022
    60
    Though not without its charms, the floundering moments of Crash suggests that Charli XCX may be most comfortable making subversive music.
    Read full review
  3. Under The Radar
    Mar 25, 2022
    75
    Crash, while certainly not for everyone (what is?), is Charli XCX’s own translation of wounds—ahead of its time yet delivered somehow at the appropriate moment.
    Read full review
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