Charm School
Debt Forever
Surprise Mind [2025]
“Charm School’s debut is a rebellious, schizophrenic collage that refuses to play by the rules—and that’s exactly why it works.”
Album Overview: To quote Pennsylvania punks Pissed Jeans from “Sixty-Two Thousand Dollars in Debt” “Every day, I’ll pay it down So someday I’ll be sixty-one thousand dollars in debt.” It seems that Pissed Jeans might have a little bit of hope but, when it comes to Charm School’s new debut it’s Debt Forever. Kentucky’s Charm School is the brainchild of Andrew Sellers (fka Andrew Rinehart) and longtime collaborators Matt Filip, Drew English, Brian Vega, and Jason Bemis Lawrence. After a handful of singles and the Finite Jest – EP, Debt Forever takes shape a near two years later. Grinding, buzzing, and whirring through aggressive post-punk, slacker no wave, and grimy post rock the album puts its mark on the pitfalls of the current culture. What makes the album oddly interesting-and what I could see as frustrating to some- is the middle sea change that gives Debt Forever split personality disorder.
Musical Style: The album saws through the material with a merciless intent when necessary. Andrew Charm’s vocals can blast through a song, cradle it with sullen undertones, or come straight out of college rock radio. The band holds the music together with reckless abandon or careful composition.
Evolution of Sound: This being the band’s debut, there’s not much of an evolution. However, when compared to the band’s more focused Finite Jest – EP, Debt Forever takes a big swing towards experimentation that I feel pays off.
Artists with Similar Fire: Many things that I’ve seen have compared the band to Wire, Gang of Four, and The Fall. From a more modern lens I hear flashes of Omni, Bunny era Mr. Goblin, Protomartyr, Big Dick, Shame, Parquet Courts, Interpol, and Preoccupations.
Pivotal Tracks: The first two tracks make a very strong impression. The title track has its guitar slash down a desert hill as hints of “Better Living Through Chemistry” eke out. “Je t’aime (A Quoi Bon)” which translates to I Love You (what’s the point) is fun with its Shame-like swings and the repetition of “Je t’aime” is a fun way to end. “Crime Time” goes for the jugular and then funks out into a Mars Volta passage near the end. “Break The Waves” beginning serial killer riff goes for lo-fi Deftones and then flies off into a heavier Preoccupations groove. One of the most interesting songs on the album is definitely “Without A Doubt.” It starts the slow down of the album and it starts to answer the question, “What if Interpol wrote a heavier version of Radiohead’s “Let Down”? “Figure 8” is another shock with its western vibes that hint at the Raconteurs. “Happiness is a Warm Sun” is an odd duck on the album but its cruisin’ vibe does seem fitting as the album rides off.
Lyrical Strength: It would be a bit dopey for a band to call the album “Sad Money Times,” so Debt Forever it is. The album not only echoes financial uncertainty but also sexism and a society designed to try and keep money in the rich man’s pocket as everyone treads, trying to do whatever they can to keep their head above water.
Final Groove: Charm School’s Debt Forever is a backwards album. I only wanted to hint at it during the first parts of the review but it’s an album that really caught me off guard. Debt Forever could be likened to a schizophrenic collage that starts up front with a raw punk EP and then delves into college and slacker rock. The momentum starts at the top to then decrease near the middle of the album. This isn’t a dig against the album, in fact I think that it’s actually a bold move to explore a bit more all the while creating interesting hooks. If you’re looking for musical continuity, then Debt Forever isn’t for you. But, if you’re looking for an album that can propel itself based on a rebel idea that the status quo is boring. After repeated listens, this concept should grow on you!
CHARM SCHOOL LINKS
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