Charlie Puth - Whatever's Clever!

Charlie Puth goes full soft-rock romantic on Whatever's Clever!, his fourth album from 2026, and this LP edition comes packaged with a poster.

Known for meticulously crafted pop hits and an ear so precise it became an internet sensation in its own right, Puth has spent his career chasing the perfect sound. Here he trades some of that precision for honesty, aiming for songs where life comes first and the melody follows. Produced with BloodPop, the record leans into the warm, brassy feel of the late seventies and early eighties, with glossy keys and grooves that never break a sweat.

The guest list is a delight. Kenny G brings his saxophone to Cry, Hikaru Utada joins Puth on Home, and Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, two patron saints of yacht rock, turn up together on Love in Exile. Lead single Changes opens the record on a bright, breezy note, and Jeff Goldblum even makes an appearance with his Mildred Snitzer Orchestra on Until It Happens to You, which is exactly as charming as it sounds.

It's a playful, sunlit record that wears its influences proudly, the sound of a pop craftsman loosening his tie and having the time of his life. Best enjoyed with the windows down and the sunglasses on, even indoors.