Overview
- Puth has released his fourth album, Whatever’s Clever!, and days later issued an extended edition that adds a thirteenth track titled “Reply to This.”
- The record pivots to jazz-tinged, ’80s and yacht-rock textures with layered horns, slap bass, and glossy keys, featuring Kenny G, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Hikaru Utada, Jeff Goldblum, Ravyn Lenae, and Coco Jones.
- The Loyola Phoenix praises the album’s throwback sheen and intricate arrangements, calling it an energetic showcase for Puth’s production and vocals.
- The Miami Hurricane finds the songwriting thin and familiar despite the musical craft, pointing to tracks like “Beat Yourself Up” and “Don’t Meet Your Heroes” as examples.
- Puth links the album’s more candid tone to recent life changes and, in parallel, he has taken a chief music officer role at AI firm Moises, saying AI should help musicians sketch ideas for human players rather than generate finished songs.