Through her 2024, lime green album, Charli XCX transformed the meaning of the word “brat.” Once an ordinary noun, possibly evoking images of the 2000s fashion dolls, XCX turned the term into a common adjective for the playfully defiant and bold.
By this point in 2024—four months after the release of the electropop collection—XCX’s eighth album is omnipresent. From being the inspiration for a multitude of TikTok trends to a means of promotion for presidential candidate Kamala Harris, BRAT has brought an unprecedented level of success for XCX.
Having been a devoted listener of the album since its release in June, my opinions of the tracks have greatly fluctuated throughout the past few months’ course. That being said, I feel qualified to adequately review each of the album’s 18 original tracks in order of quality from worst to best.
The BRAT catalog—excluding remixed versions with features from other artists—is composed of 15 songs on BRAT and an additional three on Brat and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not (released three days after the initial album’s debut).
With a slower-moving pace, “I think about it all the time” (#18) takes last place on my roster for the album. The song isn’t all upbeat, nor downcast, making it a mediocre, slightly monotonous track. While focusing on XCX’s internal conflict around wanting to become a mother, it retains a rudimentary pop beat. As someone who listens to pop music for its element of energeticness, however, this track feels too drawn-out in tempo.
Next comes one of the bonus tracks from Brat and it’s the same but there’s three more songs so it’s not, “Hello goodbye” (#17). Contrasting to “I think about it all the time”, this song feels too bubbly, even though I do generally love XCX’s ultra-pop creations. The track is reminiscent of mid-2010’s radio music and sounds like it would be included as a bonus addition on a new release of the video game Just Dance.
“I might say something stupid” (#16) is undoubtedly the most vulnerable track of XCX’s era, showcasing the duality of BRAT. Specifically, the track directly contrasts with the raging, party girl image XCX creates for herself throughout the album.
The song focuses on the insecurities that run through XCX’s mind in social settings, particularly at parties. As she sings, “I don’t know if I belong here anymore / I don’t feel like nothing special,” she shows listeners her melancholy side that isn’t typically revealed. While this track further dimensionalizes the album, it’s not one I find myself listening to often.
Continuing with this trend of candidness, “So I” (#15) explores XCX’s emotions concerning the death of her friend and fellow musician, SOPHIE. The late pop star remains in XCX’s thoughts, as she sings of SOPHIE, “Always on mind / (Every day, every night).”
Reminiscent of XCX’s “Track 10” from her 2017 album Pop 2, the song’s sentimentality sounds almost like it could belong in pop star Troye Sivan’s discography.
Throughout the entire album, XCX heavily utilizes repetition. On many of her tracks, a certain word or phrase is prevalent throughout the entire piece, serving as a motif of sorts. A prime example of this, “B2b” (#14), brings XCX back to her musically electronic roots. While an upbeat recording that instantly gets stuck in my head, its underlying message centers around the complications of one of the singer’s past, messy relationships.
An unreleased favorite prior to its inclusion on the deluxe version of BRAT, “Spring breakers” (#13) alludes to XCX’s complex relationship with the music industry. In the track, she sings of how her incorrigible, wild personality is unfit for the prim manner of award shows (the Grammy Awards). The song is titled after the 2012 thriller of the same name and sounds like a personified version of Lindsey Lohan’s 2000’s mugshots.
The track, more lyrically complex than the majority of the other fast-paced songs on BRAT, includes references to two of XCX’s previous hits, “Boom Clap” and “Vroom Vroom”.
In “Everything is romantic” (#12), XCX employs BRAT’s pervasive element of repetition, similar to “B2b”. The heavily pop track consists primarily of the phrase “Fall in love again and again,” showing XCX’s romanticist view on life. With so much emphasis on this line, it easily could’ve been an alternative title for the album or the perfect note to end the album on.
Contrary to most of BRAT’s tracks that have grown on me, “Mean girls” (#11) has disillusioned me more as I’ve increasingly listened to it. With a mediocre chorus, the verses are the best-crafted portions of the track, painting a picture of the life of an intelligent, stylish young woman. Regardless, I don’t find the song as a whole to be a prime representation of XCX’s work, though it is catchy and bears resemblance to “Spring breakers”.
A better portrayal of XCX’s talent, through “Guess” (#10), the pop star gives listeners an example of the club classic songs she wants to dance to. While this original version feels incomplete without the Billie Eilish feature, “Guess” is still prime concert music. In the track, XCX shows her trademark bold, unapologetic side, making it one of the most popular of the BRAT era thus far.
While “Apple” (#9) wasn’t an initial favorite of mine, I will admit that my opinion of it has turned more positive due to its pervasiveness online, the reason I consistently find myself with the song stuck in my head. Inspiring a massively popular TikTok dance, the track is presumably the most well-known on BRAT. Nonetheless, even though it’s an upbeat track, it centers around XCX’s complicated relationship with her family and feels akin to “I think about it all the time” in meaning.
While I love the remixed version the most, my love for “Girl, so confusing” (#8) withstands for the original version as well. The song centers around the convoluted relationship XCX has with another, anonymous singer. XCX references that this musician is “all about writing poems,” and that the two women have the same hair. Only later was it revealed, through the remix, that XCX is referencing fellow experimental pop artist, Lorde. While I would love this song regardless, it’s ironic that the singers acknowledge the quasi-rivalry between them, as I’m just as guilty as the music industry for comparing the two peak-Tumblr-era artists.
Although not a personal favorite prior to the remix with Sivan, “Talk talk” (#7) has recently become one of my most listened to XCX songs. It’s one of the most party-esque, cheerful on the album and—with its quick tempo—is easily danced to. The phrase “Talk, talk” is repeated throughout virtually the entire song, leading up to the outro, objectively the best part of the track.
In “Rewind” (#6), XCX shows the contrast between her vulnerability and liveliness. The track has a pop beat but details XCX’s insecurities with her appearance and status as a celebrity that make her wish to return to the simpler past. While melancholy in meaning, “Rewind” is an optimal karaoke track, particularly in its conclusion.
Second to only “360” in representativeness of the BRAT period, “Von dutch” (#5) showcases XCX’s unparalleled confidence. The track starts out with the lines, “It’s okay to just admit that you’re jealous of me / Yeah, I heard you talk about me, that’s the word on the street.” According to XCX, “Von dutch” is the only diss track on the album, as she sings about how the hate she receives just proves how obsessed the media is with her. The song holds a similar air to that of “Club classics” and “Spring breakers” in its candidness and message of—not inherently unwarranted—self-centeredness.
Before seeing “Sympathy is a knife” (#4) live on XCX and Sivan’s SWEAT Tour, the song felt mediocre. However, the danceable melody now plays repeatedly in my head. Its meaning centers around what it feels like for XCX to receive faux-sympathy from those close to her, for they want to “protect” her mental state. However, this dishonesty misleads XCX, as she’s never sure when she’s being lied to.
Most indicative of what the SWEAT Tour is like, “Club classics” (#3) shows XCX’s ultra-party-girl side. Heavily electronic with minimal lyricism, the track is optimal rave music. Accordingly, the best part is the refrain in which “right now” is repeated in the background, overpowered by catchy, techno music.
The track has a message of confidence, as XCX sings about how she wants to dance to her own music when she goes out. However, its brashness contrasts appropriately with the all too many self-deprecating pop songs that are made today.
Absolutely setting the mood for BRAT, XCX kicks off the album with “360” (#2). With lyrics detailing how all-encompassing and widespread her influence is, and an easily recognizable beat, the track’s intro is its best part.
While the song is themed around XCX’s self-admiration, she makes sure to acknowledge those who have come before her. For example, in the chorus, she sings, “I’m everywhere, I’m so Julia,” referencing actress and model Julia Fox. While knowing little about Fox outside of her reference by XCX, “360” has made me wish I was named Julia.
Out of all 18 original tracks, the most unrivaled is “365” (#1), taking the top spot. The track is a faster, even more electronic remix of “360”, and retains many of the intro track’s best elements—just with fewer lyrics. Being an extremely sped-up version of its original, “365” makes “360” seem slow in comparison.
In addition, the track includes XCX referring to herself as a “365 party girl,” which has become one of the album’s most defining phrases.
Even though BRAT may come off as being a conventional pop music album on first listen, its uniqueness is obvious when diving into each tracks’ deeper meanings. While XCX generally makes music leaning on the higher energy side of the spectrum, most of her tracks discuss serious topics, many more than would be anticipated.
Through the duality of her vulnerability and party girl persona, XCX shows listeners that the most congruous, put-together art is made from incongruous emotions.
