Chronicles of a Serial Idealist
Words by Simon Kelesidis
The word Chronicle carries a storied reputation. One would think of the Narnia series or even the niche Spiderwick Chronicles. You wouldn’t attach it to an up-and-coming musician’s work, let alone their debut album! But Sydney sider Charley, has been honing her craft for years and has gone through the trials and tribulations of loving with your heart on your sleeve. As a result, her first LP The Chronicles Of A Serial Idealist is a sum of her experiences both as an upcoming pop star and a human being laying her emotions bare.
In case you don’t know what a Serial Idealist is, the song of the same name explains it. Charley not only falls in love with someone for their personality and looks, but also for the potential they possess. ‘Honey I’m a 5-star dreamer, I’mma make wine out of water,’ she professes over the light synths in the background, also incorporating a nod to Taylor Swift’s Dress in the build to the chorus, capped off with what sounds like magic glitter falling down around her as she gets lost in the thoughts of her dream relationship.
Despite this, she realises that by over investing in connection, she also invites her own downfalls. ‘I got killer instincts, yes. Still I treat the bad ones best,’ is one of the very first lines and it sets the course for the album. It’s the classic battle of head vs heart with Charley the warrior bedecked in rose coloured glasses and we’re all front row spectators. But rather than inhaling through our teeth as we watch an inevitable curb stomp, Charley’s earnestness and determination is present in such a way that you easily root for her despite the circumstances and so we’re locked into this journey to find love in all its forms.
That’s the thing about the album — it isn’t your generic run of the mill record structured around romantic ballads alone; it also discusses platonic love and sometimes weaves the two together. Take for example Bite My Tongue. In this track Charley is still head over heels for a former lover but is keeping her true feelings at bay, which come to a head when she is blindsided by the news they’ve moved on with someone new.
It’s the worst nightmare of any hopeless romantic who has unspoken feelings for someone who has fallen in love with another. Her internal monologue of thoughts like ‘Gotta tread so carefully before I speak, or I might just end up screaming “I’m the one,”’ feel as if it’s been plucked from the heartstrings of yearning listeners and given voice. It’s liberating as much as it’s heartbreaking.
It could come across a bit melodramatic as the two had been separated for a period of time and there seemed to be no bad blood between them moving forwards as friends prior to the big reveal. Closed mouths don’t get fed after all, but love can’t ever be looked at that simply. It’s never rational or straightforward, but instead is complex, versatile and confusing.
Boys Scare Me highlights the tricky nature of dating, as Charley develops a case of bisexual panic when she starts going out with a man after a spell of dating women. ‘If he looks in my eyes for too long at a time, he might want to kiss but it don’t feel right,’ she confesses, letting her worries out. ‘I get it goes both ways, girls twist your heart and head, but boys start wars and fight until there’s nothing left.’
She puts up a convincing argument on behalf of her anxiety but the production on this song is coming from a different perspective. It continues the synth laden soundscape that defines the album, only pulling back towards the end of the song when she finally admits she’s internally sabotaging herself despite having done this many times before.
Her latest single Other Side Of The Room, sees her getting tangled up in the complex nature of string theory. In this song she attempts to avoid a former partner, not only because her feelings for them will come rushing back, but because the ex’s family will also be brought in with the tide and despite their conversations being pleasant, she feels isolated from them due to the change in dynamic between her and her ex.
‘It is just what it is,’ becomes her mantra she uses to get through the hardship throughout the song, coming to a head in the bridge, which will sound great live as fans passionately sing along and the energy and angst builds throughout until it floods back into the chorus one final time — a production choice which is a theme of the album but works very well here.
While it seems like the record dwells on the inevitable failure that comes with being a Serial Idealist, it only makes the moments of success sweeter. The perfectly picked lead single Cherries, has shades of Katy Perry’s I Kissed A Girl. A certified ear worm, it swamps listeners in its radio-friendly production and mature lyrics. Charley’s vocals ooze sexual tension as she and her girlfriend revel in driving each other so wild that they can’t wait till they get home to engage in some NSFW downtime.
While it’s similar to another standout album track (the Swedish pop sounding Limerence), this song is bursting with energy and confidence as Charley herself takes the lead in love and not her heart moving two beats ahead of her this time. She also utilises her lyrical choices smartly, subtly comparing the two of them to classic combinations. For example, the chocolate eyes of her lover paired with the mention of the titular taste of Charley is a cheeky reference to a Cherry Ripe bar.
Liar, while sounding more somber, also gives an opportunity to look on the bright side of failure as Charley draws a line in the sand between her and a cheating partner, seeing through their weak facade, ‘You went over the top with flowers, like someone died or got you off / Between one of those, I know what it’s not,’ she savagely tears into the empty act, and you can’t help but chuckle a little, both at how ridiculous the gesture is and the utter audacity it is laden with.
She also compares their spine to a dandelion, snapping so easily back once someone else shows them attention which is not only a jagged insult, but it directly references the album cover while also giving listeners the biggest payoff of the whole record. Charley’s good nature of seeing the best in people has ultimately led to her being taken advantage of again and again but now she’s putting her foot down.
Even the final track The End Of Everything, has a somewhat optimistic end, despite elements of the song feeling like they’ve been ripped out of Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia. After giving a former lover space to sort themselves out, Charley has an existential crisis when she sees that they’ve not only moved on like in Bite My Tongue, but they’re also getting married!
As a result, she comes to a realisation ‘Why am I up at 4 in the morning? Crying cause I’m not the one you’re holding / At the end of everything we’re all gonna die so I’m starting to see that you can’t matter to me.’ Amidst the landscape of falling meteors, she puts to bed the part of the Serial Idealist that lingers on the past, as it will only hold her back from finding the love she needs.
It’s been a long time for a girl like Charley to get to this moment. Ever since she burst onto the scene in 2016 as a contestant on The Voice, it took a bit of time for her to fine tune the gift she had and secure a record deal with EMI. Now several droplet singles, one EP, an ARIA Award nomination and a full-length project later, it’s safe to say that Charley has found a rhythm that works for her.
With production styles that are both sonically cohesive to Australian pop and yet also leave room for creating soundscapes to immerse the listener into the story (a heartbeat underlying in Limerence or a rolling in of the waves when she mentions them in Serial Idealist), she pairs it with lyrical content that takes a peek into her psyche and also leaves songs open ended, very rarely disclosing the genders of her muses, creating an accessible album while also remaining unapologetically queer.
This is essential listening for anyone (especially those in the LGBTQIA+ community) who might be in similar situations when it comes to love and relationships and can’t see their own struggle in mainstream media, listening to Charley go in depth about the ups and downs of queer love will be something they can look to as support and a guide to managing their love life. It’s safe to say that with The Chronicles Of A Serial Idealist, Charley is able to take her place amongst fellow mainstream queer icons like Peach PRC and G Flip who are leading the way when it comes to both representation and making great Australian music.