I haven’t been the biggest fan of Charlie Puth’s work in the past and thought I wouldn’t enjoy his new album, “Charlie,” but as one of the songs is called, “There’s a First Time For Everything.” 

Despite some of my hesitations going into it, Puth’s album is incredible. 

The singer dually portrays genuine perseverance and pain throughout the record, which is his first release in four years.

Puth grabbed my “Attention” with his vivid storytelling in “That’s Hilarious.” The pop beat that pervades throughout a majority of the song after the somber intro doesn’t correlate to the lyrics but still works perfectly. The song clearly indicates the singer’s pain, with him expressing: “You didn’t love when you had me / But now you need me so badly / You can’t be serious / That’s hilarious.” 

What makes “Charlie” stand out is the singer’s incredible awareness and power of his vocals and the incorporation of a wide variety of genres. 

Puth doesn’t box himself into one type of music. Each song spans over many genres, whether that’s the rhythm of R&B, catchy pop beats, and the heartfelt and passionate tone of soul. 

As an avid pop fan, I expected to hear the typical music singing points of sex, alcohol, and bad decisions. Some of these themes make an appearance, but the emotional context of “Charlie” reigns supreme. There is a significant emotional impact in each song that elevates the album as a whole. 

Songs like “Light Switch ”and “Left and Right” bring an upbeat spin to the album and are your typical dance songs. However, they’re not absent from the weight of navigating complex relationships.

Puth drops a gut-wrenching piano ballad near the latter half of the album titled “When You’re Sad I’m Sad.” This anthem holds just as much, if not more, power than the other songs on the album. In the song, Puth showcases how hard it is to leave a relationship, singing, “It’s the last, it’s the last time / Oh, that’s what I keep sayin’ about us / In the past, put you back there / I try movin’ on, but I just give up.”

Even if you’ve never felt the push and pull of a romantic relationship, “When You’re Sad I’m Sad” transcends experience and grants listeners insight into the finer details of the experience. Puth is able to connect even those of us who have never gone through experiences as he has to his music in a powerful and catchy way, which is a rarity in modern pop music. Puth turns on the “Light Switch” and exposes what sincere pain and struggle are. From dance songs to power ballads, “Charlie” shines a light on what often is a dark time. 

Most albums are able to tell a story, but “Charlie” feels like pages of Puth’s diary. The singer reveals how relationships have ups and downs through different tempos and lyrics. Puth brilliantly executes both a cohesive story and a memorable album. 

There is a first time for everything, and this will not be the last time that I listen to “Charlie.” Don’t be a “Loser” and go take a listen.