Charlotte Sands has made a name for herself with her catchy and relatable songs about love, heartbreak, and self-acceptance for a few years now. It’s almost unbelievable that can we start over? is only her debut album. Sands has spent most of her career so far collaborating with acts like The Maine, Taking Back Sunday, and Sleeping With Sirens. Besides that, the Nashville based singer has been releasing music independently since 2018. With her energetic debut finally hitting the shelves this year, this blue-haired powerhouse is making the next step into the scene. On the back of the success of her last EP, Good Now, she is poised for a favorable outcome by adding ten bulletproof songs on can we start over? to her collection.
The album displays her dynamic and comprehensive work of songwriting talent. The record effortlessly combines rock and pop elements, including a subtle homage to the beloved 90s + 00s alternative genre. The album drops just ahead of Charlotte Sands’ worldwide headliner tour through the US, UK, Australia, and Europe, which starts on March 7th. Tickets are available for purchase now.
can we start over? kicks off with the self-love anthem ‘use me’ and shows Charlotte’s powerful vocals as a punchy introduction to the journey of the album. Moving onto the bisexual hymn we didn’t know we needed, ‘pity’ captures strong guitars, hard hitting drumbeats and the aching feelings of jealousy. On the track Charlotte sings, “It’s about the feeling of jealousy and comparing yourself but also the experience of being captivated by someone else’s existence.”
Next is the 90s-reminiscent track ‘get over it’, which feels like it could belong to alt radio heroines like Alanis Morrisette and Avril Lavigne. ‘spite’ is a big “f*** you ” to people who didn’t believe in her success, as she repeatedly belts that “she’ll get famous out of spite” and shows up for herself. “F*** it, I’ll get famous out of spite” is one of my favourite lyrics on the whole album. It’s a brave statement from a young artist who is making waves in the music industry.
Half way through the album, listeners are met with a mixture of mid-tempo rockers like ‘teeth’, that features head bopping hooks and engaging lyrics, whereas ‘blindspot’ is a playful ballad about the downfall of a one-sided relationship. The emotions then take a turn towards a more angry, middle fingers up, narrative during ‘dead body’. Here Charlotte sings about what happens after the one sided relationship ends, admitting she’d only “take her ex back over her dead body.” The start lyrical differences on songs like this bring light to Sands’ impressive and fast growth. For an artist that became a marquee name through featuring on songs like ‘Loved You a Little’, it comes naturally to include at least one collaboration on her debut album. ‘on the outside’ features Point North’s Jon Ludin, singing in perfect vocal harmony with Charlotte paying homage to her beginnings.
By the time the listener reaches the final song, a memorable power ballad about longing to correct past mistakes, they are likely spellbound by ‘can we start over?’. The track features the best vocal performance from Sands till now. If the answer to “Can We Start Over” is in association with the album as a whole, I’d recommend putting the album on a loop – again and again.
Charlotte Sands has created a masterpiece of a record, that takes her audience on a journey of power, vulnerability, and relatability. With songs that rock your socks off, a mix of feisty and heartbreaking lyrics, rhythms that pop, rock, and scream, can we start over? has a song for everyone.
Written by: Laura Finkler
Edited by: Lee Klaver
