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[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,1, 2, 3\NAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi everyone, BRATthony Greeentano\Nhere,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the internet's busiest music nerd.\NAnd it's time for a review
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of this new record "Brat" from Charli xcx.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here we have the 6th official full-length\Nstudio album from pop-singer and
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,songwriter Ms Charli xcx.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One of my most anticipated albums of\Nthe year, why?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, over the past decade in my eyes,\NCharli has grown into one of the most
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,creative, unique, and pioneering forces\Nin current day pop music.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And her evolution has been interesting\Nto watch, to say the least.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm not a fan of her early work, \Ntruth be told, but
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,today it serves as an interesting\Nreference point.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Uh, for what she is doing on this\Nrecord.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The "True Romance" and "Sucker" eras of \Nher career, uh, did bring some of
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,her biggest hits and features to date,\Nthat is true,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but sonically, much of the music she was\Ndropping around this time wasn't...
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very daring or even deep.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At best, you could say it was catchy\Nand of-the-time.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Around the mid-2010s, though,\Nis when Charli's music
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,really began to push boundaries.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Crossing over creatively with writers and\Nproducers from the
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,up-and-coming PC music label.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm talking people like Danny L Harle\Nand EASYFUN, A.G Cook,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the late SOPHIE,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who at the time were gaining\Nquite the reputation for
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,revitalizing a lot of Y2k-era pop\Naesthetics but with a
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,hyper-futuristic, jittery sound.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And our first taste of this new direction\Ncame in the form of
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Charli xcx's "Vroom Vroom" EP in 2016.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which some critics just did not know what\Nto make of at the time,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and while it was my EP of the year\Nthat year,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I could still see how this would have \Nturned a lot of people off if they
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,came into Charli's music having certain\Nexpectations,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,given that she was a pop artist.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because "Vroom Vroom" in tone, is,\Nat points, kind of dark, and visceral
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and groovy in a weird way.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Campy, too, with some tracks varying so\Nwildly from part to part that,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,uh, you could almost take what she was\Ndoing here as, like, a joke or novelty.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, the tracks on this EP are\Ndeadly serious.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And were also a new, bold step for \Npop music as well as in a hot moment,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for both Charli and PC Music creatively.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because at this point, I think Charli became\Nthe perfect conduit for what they were
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,trying to channel this detailed and \Nretro-futuristic, reconstruction
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of 2000s pop music, that blur the lines\Nbetween the satirical,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but also reverent.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Meanwhile, Charli's creative chemistry\Nwith A.G and SOPHIE
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,allowed her, I think, to experiment more\Nand mature as a songwriter.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Allowing her the freedom to drop\Nzany bangers as well as
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sleek-powerful anthems.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Songs with strange structures, or very \Nunlikely features,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A lot of these ideas and concepts were\Nmore or less road-tested on
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the mixtape she dropped back in 2017,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then in my eyes, it was all\Nfully realized on her excellent 2019
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Charli" record.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, over the years, as Charli has\Ndeveloped this new sound,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,her writing has offered more depth,\Nhas become more personal and intimate,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially on her pandemic album,\N"How I'm Feeling Now".
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I think Charli's writing has grown\Nmore conceptual, too.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With her presentation as this posh,\NEnglish party girl on many of her songs
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has more or less become this exaggerated\Ncharacter she plays into.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, in a way, Charli's instantly\Nrecognizable sound and unique place
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the pop landscape, uh, became both a \Nblessing and a curse at the dawn of the 2020s.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because her style had gone from\Nchallenging to kind of definable
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with this newly-minted "hyperpop"\Nterm that was being thrown onto everybody
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who sounded even vaguely like her or\N100gecs.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And she quickly went on to strip away\Nmany of the "hyper" characteristics
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of her music on her next album, "Crash",\Nworking with a totally new team of producers
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And while I can't deny the record does\Nfeature some respectable hits,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I have to ask: At what cost?
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because "Crash" did very measurably have\Nquite a bit less character than
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,anything that Charli had dropped\Nin recent years at the time
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which brings us to today. Charli's \Nlatest album cycle here, "BRAT".
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Where I think she's genuinely reconnecting\Nwith the trajectory that has brought her
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to this point and made her a special artist\Nto begin with.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even EASYFUN and A.G Cook are back\Nin the mix on this production side,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on a whole lot of tracks, uh, numerous\Nothers too.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are even references to A.G Cook\Non some of the lyrics to this record
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as quite a bit of meta-commentary\Nis going on as well.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can really tell that Charli is fully\Nembracing the impact she's had on pop music
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in recent years, and really using it as\Nmore of a strength than a weakness
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that she can be pigeon holed into.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think that's something she can\Ndo confidently because
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,her and A.G Cook aren't just merely\Ntrying to, y'know,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,revive some kind of hyperpop trend on\Nthis LP.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, for sure, Charli's goal and focus\Nis to give us this autotuned, bold,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and hard-hitting homage to 2000s era \Npop music,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but this time around we have a refreshing\Nfocus on dance-pop, on EDM from that era,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on electropop from that era, club bangers\Ngenerally.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With a pretty aggressive edge, making this\NLP very worthy of the title "BRAT".
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because this record is meant to be\Ndanced to.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, at points, cry to.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As I think Charli's writing is more mature\Nand thoughtful than it's ever been.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For one, her party girl persona takes\Na bit of a dark turn,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or at least gets deflated a bit
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as she reveals that it's kind of a\Nmask,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that she doesn't always feel\Nlike she's worthy of being there at the party
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or that her and the party are a bit\Nat odds.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Meanwhile, "i think about it all the time"\Nsees Charli musing about whether or not
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she can continue her career in the way\Nshe currently is,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while also becoming a mother, which she\Nvery clearly has interest in at some point.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Skipping ahead here, it's also kind of\Ncrazy how narratively, this contrasts so hard
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with her going back full into party mode\Non the closing track, "365".
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of course, there are notes of nostalgia\Non this album, too, that is very much
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in line with tracks like "1999", most\Nnotably on "Rewind",
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but this song specifically is more about\NCharli missing the older aspects
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of her life before the fame.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Between sticky choruses on this track,\Nshe delivers her verses in this way that
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kinda comes off like, conflicted internal\Nmonologue, or like
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she's musically journaling.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are lots of tracks on this thing too\Nthat deal in love.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But these songs narratively feel vastly\Ndifferent from previous singles like
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Good Ones", for example.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Tracks where historically, Charli can be\Nseen running away from love
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or being a bit self-effacing and talking \Nabout how she's fucking it all up.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Instead, on songs such as the really\Ninfectious
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}singing{\i0} "Talk talk to me!"
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as, uh, as well {\i1}laughs{\i0}\Nas the very cinematic
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,{\i1}singing{\i0} "Everything is romantic"
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yeah, Charli can be seen accepting\Nlove and doing quite a few shoutouts
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to her fiancé George.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But yes, between this and numerous nods\Nto wanting to have maybe a more normal
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,life at some point, Charli really presents\Nsome interesting internal conflicts
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,throughout this album, which we also\Nhear as well on tracks where she is
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,singing about things like friendship\Nand sharing the limelight with other women.
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, historically Charli is very\Npro-woman,
Dialogue: 0,9:59:59.99,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially when it comes to supporting\Nother artists