Bibliographic Information


Album: Nine Track Mind

Artist: Charlie Puth

Label: Atlantic

Producer: Charlie Puth

Date: January 29, 2016

Number of Tracks: 12

ASIN: B0147Y0JSM

 

Album Summary

Charlie Puth’s Nine Track Mind album has been on the radio for weeks and is skyrocketing up the charts. According to the blog Pitchfork, “Puth lives for retro flourishes: doo-wop rhythms, sock-hop melodies” and “Finger snaps” (http://pitchfork.com). His music is filled with classic Jazz and modern pop melodies meant for young listeners. The album includes 12 calming melodies that are perfect for a break-up playlist. His most recent top of the charts song “We Don’t Talk Anymore” featuring Selena Gomez was nominated for the 2016 Teen Choice Award Break-up song of the year. The song is also “The third straight hit from Charlie’s debut album” Nine Track Mind (http://www.idolator.com/). According to Entertainment Weekly Puth’s album and songs have “Chewed through YouTube records for the better part of the year” and his music videos are easily hitting over a billion streams (http://www.ew.com/). The album is comprised primarily of “G-Rated tales of love (songs about beautiful girls and boys who love them) drowning in an ocean of power-pop gloss” (http://www.ew.com/).

 

Critical Evaluation


After listening to the album I have decided the best song on there is “We Don’t Talk Anymore” featuring Selena Gomez. The blog Album Confession describes the song as “Acoustically-driven, tropical beat-influenced duet” (albumconfessions.com/). The song isn’t about blaming someone, but about moving on, wishing them the best, but still missing them. I felt like I was listening to a break-up song meant for a millennial listener. It was not filled with inappropriate language or content, but was a sad and sweet song about lost love. This song specifically speaks to the teen listener who may have lost their first love or experienced a painful break-up. Throughout the chorus Puth eloquently sings, “We don’t talk anymore” over and over. This one line was so simple and yet emotionally very powerful. The song is sweet with pop beats and a calming jazz melody. It’s a very soothing song that makes you feel sad and makes listeners feel reminiscent of the past and what once was.

 

Reader’s Annotation


An album of break-up anthems and songs for the millennial listener.

 

Artist Information

The following information was taken from the artist’s website,

http://www.mtv.com/artists/charlie-puth/biography/.

 

“You may not know his face (yet), but you probably know his work. Charlie Puth is a singer, songwriter, and producer who has written and produced songs for an array of A-list pop and urban artists, including Jason Derulo, Stevie Wonder, Meghan Trainor and Trey Songz among others. Most recently, Puth co-wrote, co-produced and sings the hook on Wiz Khalifa’s chart-topping hip-hop anthem “See You Again,” which plays in the final scene of the motion picture Furious 7 and is a highlight of the soundtrack. “See You Again” has reached No. 1 in over 90 countries across the globe including the U.S., with the coveted No. 1 positions on the Billboard Hot 100, Shazam, iTunes and Spotify.”

 

Genre

Music, Pop, R&B

 

Curriculum Ties


Evolution of pop music

 

Booktalking Ideas


N/A

 

Reading Level/ Interest Age


Grades 9-12

 

Challenge Issues


 Mature Content

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Challenge Issue Resources (for usage in a challenge situation)

• Active Listening

• Explanation of why it was chosen for the collection (Rational)

• Awards

• Reader Advisory Reviews (Students, Parents, Educators)

• Positive and Negative Reviews

• National Council of Teachers “Right to Read”

• ALA Strategies and Tips for Dealing with Challenges to Library Materials

• ALA Bill of Rights on Intellectual Freedom

• Library Selection Policy & Library District Reconsideration Form

 

Why I choose it

I choose to listen to this album because it was nominated for the 2016 Teen Choice Award Break-up song of the year.