Charlotte Sometimes’ enchanting debut album, “Wave & the Both of Us“, is kind of hard to define in style–edgy, funky, singer/songwriter meets rockergirl meets pop diva–but it’s easy to define in quality–amazing, topknotch, kickass. Although only 20, Charlotte (not her true first name–she was adopted) has been performing for years and her experience shows. Her lyrics are mature, dark, romantic and edgy but with a strength punchy and spunkiness that suggest she’s no navelgazer but a fighter. Tthe record tells a story of the currents that pass through our lives, some more uplifting or traumatic than others, Charlotte says. “It’s about all the different waves that live inside my head and heart, and how they affect others, myself, and the person I want or pretend to be.”Far from being bitter or cynical, however, the end result is positive and engaging; kind of “life can really suck but, screw it, lets go have some fun.”

It’s difficult to say whether Charlotte’s onstage persona is an outlet from these personalities or just one of them. Probably both. As a performer, she’s flippant and seductive, and as a songwriter, she gravitates toward the shadier elements in life, like spiders and Valium (”Sweet Valium High“), using the eclectic imagery to dissect the dynamics between women and men. “The whole idea of the power struggle between a man and a woman entertains me–the idea of what a woman’s role is, if it’s to be submissive to a man, or if it’s to be in charge of a man, if it’s to be equal to a man.”

Leave it to a Cypress Hill lyric to score one for the girls. On “How I Could Just Kill a Man,” Charlotte reinterprets the refrain of a rap classic, graciously turning male bravado on its head. It’s a disarmingly upbeat and happy song colored with darkness and condescension. Her warm, amber voice isn’t murderous, per se, but you believe it when she says she’s “killed” men, metaphorically speaking. And still, you smile and move your feet–proof once again that dancing and misery are not mutually exclusive.

“It’s almost like you can dance your troubles away,” Charlotte says. Take another rosy song, “Ex-Girlfriend Syndrome,” which digs relentlessly inside an ex-boyfriend’s head. “I always imagine teenage girls in their car on a summer day just dancing around in their car listening to the songs, and being, like yeah, `Fuck you!’ A lot of the record is about getting those kinds of feelings out, but you don’t have to mope about it.” Throughout the album, beats–both instrumental and electronic–are a vital part of the drama, pushing the record forward and allowing the music and stories to pulsate underneath your skin.

Meanwhile, the somber, piano-laced “Pilot,” tells a different story, filling in the unspoken space between two people. Charlotte readily admits she’s not terribly successful at relationships, and this disheartening recollection is just one example. “I feel like, sometimes, people pretend to be so much more connected than they really are.” It’s a beautifully patient, if melancholy, glimpse into a familiar and hopeless situation.

As I said earlier, her style is eclectic–some pop, some alt rock–but her voice, energy and musical prowess make it all sound great. Her sound is a bit of Fiona Apple, Shirley Manson (Garbage), and Gwen Stefani, a pinch of Regina Spektor and Liz Phair, plus a touch of Natalie Walker, Alison Sudol (A Fine Frenzy) and Ingrid Michaelson, but its a voice that’s all her own. Way to go, Charlotte (or whatever your real name is)…you surely have a great career ahead of you!

Waves & the Both of Us
by Charlotte Sometimes
Original Release Date: May 6, 2008
Number of Discs: 1
Format: Explicit Lyrics
Label: Geffen Records
Buy Album: Click Here

How I Could Just Kill a Man - Music Video