Consumer Guide Album

Charly Bliss: Forever [Lucky Number, 2024]
First I noticed that chirpy Eva Hendricks was sounding more chipper than ever on her band's third catchy pop-rock long-player. From "Make it a habit/Love so good it's tragic" and "Hard to believe that you need me" to "It's so easy to love you/I never believed I could trust something bigger than me" and "I forgot somehow I can't do it without you/I'm yours no doubt I was always waiting for you" is a big leap. So I did some due diligence and learned that in real life the "you" in these songs is a Tinder hookup who was so taken with her that five years ago he drove hundreds of miles in Australia to be sure he caught her show—and that soon she'd pretty much broken up said band by remaining down under. Glad they're all still at it a decade after their debut and we shall see. The finale is the true capper, riding one of those indelible lines it's hard to believe no one thought of first so maybe someone did: "I want you to be my last first kiss." (Turns out there a bunch of songs called "Last First Kiss," the most notable by five producers and three members of One Direction.) A