Charlie Puth has spent the better part of four years teasing what his next move would sound like. With Whatever’s Clever!, his fourth studio album released March 27 via Atlantic Records, the answer is equal parts nostalgia trip and personal diary entry. The result is a polished, listenable project that shows real artistic growth, even if it rarely takes the swings it sets up.
Co-produced with BloodPop, the 12-track album leans hard into ’80s soft rock, yacht rock, and blue-eyed soul, drawing clear lines back to Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, and Toto. It works more often than not. Lead single “Changes” opens with warm synths and shimmering piano, setting a tone that feels genuinely lived-in. “Beat Yourself Up” keeps the momentum going with a self-aware emotional honesty Puth hasn’t always let himself sit in.
The collaborations are where the album earns its most interesting moments. “Cry” with Kenny G is exactly what you’d expect and somehow still delivers, Puth’s polished pop instincts meeting that unmistakable saxophone in a moment of pure nostalgia. “Sideways” featuring Coco Jones is a standout, a smooth ’90s R&B groove where the two find genuine vocal chemistry. “New Jersey” with Ravyn Lenae is tender and understated, and “Home” with Hikaru Utada carries a quiet, cinematic weight that hits differently. Then there’s “Love In Exile,” a duet with both Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins that doubles down on the yacht rock premise so completely, it almost feels like a bit. It works, mostly because everyone commits.
The outlier is “Until It Happens To You” featuring Jeff Goldblum, a spoken word and melody blend that’s either inspired or indulgent depending on your patience level.
Where the album stumbles is in the spaces between the features. Several solo tracks feel like well-crafted demos searching for a stronger identity. The retro aesthetic is consistent, but it can flatten the emotional range, making the more personal moments feel smoothed over rather than raw. Puth has said this is his most honest work yet, and you believe him on the better tracks. On others, the production sheen gets in the way.
Whatever’s Clever! is a genuinely enjoyable listen and a clear creative step forward. It just doesn’t always trust itself enough to be the bold statement it’s reaching for.
