Pitchfork critic reassess low rating for Charli XCX's Vroom Vroom EP

[genbu_no_miko24]

Music critic Laura Snapes expresses regret over her 2016 Pitchfork review of Charli XCX's ‘Vroom Vroom’:

“Charli was ahead of her time, leaving me gratefully eating her dust.” pic.twitter.com/bbQU6JNX8K
- Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 8, 2023
Context: Back in 2016, Laura Snapes listened and reviewed Charli's Vroom Vroom EP. She gave a low rating of 4.5 (

Comments

[palmsread]

agreed. i'm still marvelled by this song after the hearing it for the first time just earlier this year. like where was i in 2016?

[genbu_no_miko24]

First time I heard it I was like "wtf is this hyperactive mess?" now I'm like "LET'S RIDE DOO-DOO-DOOOO!!".

But truthfully I *get* why some people don't immediately click with Charli's music cause it's verrrry hyperactive(?) pop that either you like or don't. I'm not completely into her music even though I can appreciate that she experiment A LOT with sound and is not afraid of playing around with it.

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[genbu_no_miko24]

[rihaty]

If you listen to Vroom Vroom enough you realize it’s actually a really pretty song. Idk why but it’s lowkey gorgeous?

But really though, a lot of Charlie’s music grows on me after a couple years so, I mean she really is ahead of her time

[genbu_no_miko24]

"But really though, a lot of Charlie’s music grows on me after a couple years so, I mean she really is ahead of her time"

Hard same! A lot of her music always leaves me "🤨🤨🤨????????" on first hearing, but years later I get it.

LOL but maybe Charli is clairvoyant (she's a leo) cause she called it on herself back in 2019!!

honestly, i’m fucking iconic
- Charli (@charli_xcx) August 11, 2019

I remember laughing (non-snarky) at this tweet but NOW WE LOOK WHERE WE ARE!

(sorry about the edits D:)

[babygivenchy]

Agree completely. The little chime(???) Things that come in during the "boom boom boom hear me coming thru the radio" outro are completely gorgeous and transcendent

[geneforrester]

i def agree on her music growing. i particularly felt this w/ how i'm feeling now, i was very meh upon first listen but then i ended up connecting with certain songs and then revisiting the album in full and being like "wait, no, this album is actually great".

[varioussaints]

I can appreciate someone circling back to an album when they’re in a different place/time and changing their mind. honestly I think that’s just one of many, many reasons why I’d flop as a music critic. my taste in music is so deeply tied to where I’m at mentally and sometimes physically and having to set that aside (at least in part) and try to give a more objective review (how does it work within the genre? how does it work within the artist’s discography? etc.) would do me in.

I think reviewers are valuable but still highly personal. I wish we placed less stock in reviewers and critics generally (especially since now people are scared of being seen as out of touch or wrong for their personal tastes and opinions on art) but there have definitely been reviews that have made me pick up certain books and albums. maybe if we didn’t have to score everything?? I don’t know

[donaestrangera]

i think it's tough to be a critic these days so i have sympathy. there pretty much isn't any money in it anymore, plus you have to deal with pressure from stans to give their faves a high score, pressure to write up an accurate review on a deadline, pressure to be on the "right" side of history, etc... it's nice that laura was able to acknowledge how and why her opinion on vroom vroom changed.

that said vroom vroom is a masterpiece and def deserved higher than a 4.5!!!!

[genbu_no_miko24]

"pressure to be on the "right" side of history, etc"

IA. I feel like this is stronger now more than ever. I get the desire to labeled as "ahead of the game" but it has been effecting a few critics. Plus I've heard some other critics say it's almost taboo~ to reevaluate previous reviews cause the idea is to maintain that was said first, stays forever...which is not realistic for everyone.

[asnindie]

I rarely ever connect to their Next New Music reviews. So music is really subjective anyway, but pitchfork esp just doesn't align with my tastes.