| The Summer I Couldn't Do Better | |
| Type: | compilation |
| Artist: | Kim Petras |
| Cover: | Kim Petras The Summer I Couldn't Do Better Compilation Artwork.png |
| Released: | 4 August 2022 |
| Recorded: | 2017–2019 |
| Length: | 41:08 |
"Era 1"[1] is a series of eleven songs by German singer and songwriter Kim Petras, each released individually from 1 August 2017 to 7 February 2019 by Amigo Records and Republic Records.[2] It precedes the release of her debut mixtape, Clarity (2019). All eleven tracks feature co-writing credits by Petras, Aaron Joseph and Dr. Luke, as well as co-production credits by Aaron Joseph and Dr. Luke (under his pseudonym Made in China).
The singles themselves received generally positive reviews from critics upon their original release, who mainly praised the overall dance-pop sound, as well as their catchiness. The collection of singles is noted to have contributed to Petras' commercial breakthrough, as a few of the tracks entered various Billboard charts upon their release.
The "Era 1" title was coined by Petras in a 2019 tweet following the release of the last three singles, declaring the project as "complete".[3] Petras also described the project as a "full rainbow", in reference to all the single covers utilizing a gradient of colors, and wished to complete "Era 1" before releasing her debut mixtape, Clarity.[4] To coincide with the release of Clarity, Petras embarked on the Broken Tour in 2019, which also included the majority of "Era 1" on its setlist.
"I Don't Want It at All" was the first single from the project, released on 1 August 2017; a music video co-starring Paris Hilton was released on 30 October 2017.[5] The second and third singles, "Hills" and "Hillside Boys", were released on 22 September 2017. The fourth single, "Slow It Down", was released on 10 November 2017. The fifth single, "Faded", was released on 15 December 2017, and a music video was released on 25 January 2018.[6] The sixth single, "Heart to Break" was released on 14 February 2018, and a music video was released on 26 April 2018.[7] The seventh single, "Can't Do Better", was released on 8 June 2018. The eighth single, "All the Time", was released on 24 August 2018. The ninth to eleventh singles, "1, 2, 3 Dayz Up", "Homework" and "If U Think About Me...", were released on 7 February 2019, marking the final releases from the project.[8]
In 2022, following the inclusion of "Can't Do Better" in season 1 of the TV series The Summer I Turned Pretty,[9] UMG Recordings released The Summer I Couldn't Do Better compilation onto streaming platforms on 4 August 2022, containing all eleven singles in release order, though it has since been delisted.[10]
AllMusic called the song an "'80s-infused dance-pop tune". Galore magazine said it was a "bratty banger", while Entertainment Weekly described it as a "shop-'till-you-drop-anthem". Bakersfield.com labeled the track a "21st-century pop update of Madonna's 'Material Girl'". Noisey writer Colin Joyce called the song a "glitzy paean to consumerist excess".
Billboard ranked the single as the second best Era 1 single, noting: "From the effortlessly cool, synth-heavy intro to the song's bratty lyricism, Petras separated herself from her pop peers by dreaming up an expensive fantasy in this escapist jam."
Billboard ranked the single as the best Era 1 single, calling it "a master class" and pointing out that "if this is the quality of pop music she's able to serve up so early in her career, we're going to be paying attention to Petras for years to come".
Chloe Gilke of Uproxx was positive in their review of the song and cited as "one of Petras' best releases to date" further dubbing it as "a party anthem that clicks and pops with producer Sophie's electro-pop magic." A writer for DIY proclaimed the song as "an addictive pop banger made all the better by Sophie's slick production". Salvatore Maicki of The Fader was also positive in their review, calling the song "straight up beach party music". Robin Murray of Clash Music called the song "supremely addictive" and further added that track is "superbly feminine while linked utterly to digital developments, it manages to be both an outrageous pop statement and a real 'wtf?' moment." Justin Horowitz of All Things Go praised the pairing for being "celebrated faces of women in the trans community and have used their talents to spread awareness and equality regarding LGBTQA+ rights."
The music blog Bit Of Pop Music gave a mixed review, saying that the song might be a bit basic and repetitive in terms of vocals and lyrics" but stated that "the production is impeccable". The Bozo gave the song a lukewarm review but compared it to the sounds of Charli XCX and praised it as their favorite out of the three songs released together.
Billboard ranked the song as the fifth best Era 1 single, noting that "the track has all the makings of a pop hit straight out of 2010, but its bubbly, tropical touches update the sound for the modern era".