Charlie Puth keeps the singles rolling out in advance of his highly-anticipated sophomore album, Voicenotes.  For his fifth teaser track “Change,” he enlists iconic singer/songwriter James Taylor.

“Why are we looking down

On our sisters and brothers?

Isn’t love, all that we got?”

Charlie Puth returns with “Change,” the fifth single from his highly anticipated sophomore album, Voicenotes.  Like the previous two singles from his second album, Puth enlists the services of another artist.  In the case of “Change,” that artist is the legendary James Taylor.

Following the count-off (“1-2-3-4”), Puth kicks off the socially-conscious “Change.” The aforementioned lyrics set the tone.  The production is spare at the onset – acoustic guitar, electric piano, and finger snaps.  Puth continues to deliver smooth vocals.  Even so, he showcases more ‘killer instinct’- more assertiveness – given the messaging of “Change” on the chorus section. The chorus is the centerpiece of the record:

“Why can’t we just get along?

If loving one another’s wrong

Then how are we supposed to

Get close to each other?

We gotta make that change, yeah

Why can’t we just get along?”

Backtracking a bit, James Taylor delivers respectable vocals on the verses.  Historically never a flashy or powerhouse vocalist, that remains true here.  Compared to the other Voicenotes collaborations (Boyz II Men and Kehlani), this one doesn’t quite have the same vocal punch.  Nonetheless, the message is transcendent, if somewhat oversimplified, while the iconic status of Taylor is undeniable. As the record progresses, naturally, the production fills out a bit more. On the bridge, there’s excellent contrast to the verses and chorus, thanks especially to the harmonic scheme.

Final Thoughts

Charlie Puth has every reason to be excited about collaborating with a legend such as James Taylor.  The question is, does this collaboration live up to the hype/excitement that Puth feels about it personally? Eh, not quite.  This is a perfect example of the heart being in the right place, but the song isn’t quite as great as it looks on paper.

Charlie Puth • Voicenotes • Artist Partner Group • Release: 5.11.18

Photo Credit: Artist Partner Group