Superache - Conan Gray
Released: 24/06/22
Natalie Brown
With 5 singles already out ahead of the album release, Gray had a lot to live up to and he didn’t disappoint. His second studio album ‘Superache’, combined pop hits with a raw and emotional feel making for a powerful album.
He opens with ‘Movies’ starting with a yearning theme that’s intertwined throughout the whole album as he longs for a cinematic romance. The dreamy track has a sound you get lost in, joining Gray in his fantasy.
‘Disaster’ adds a catchy pop anthem to the track list similar to ‘Best Friend’. An easy addition to any playlist this summer. To me, these songs particularly appeal to a teen audience discussing romantic struggles, parties’ and relationships with friends, often relatable issues for this age group.
The song 'Yours' feels like a ballad that you could either sit and listen to alone peacefully or scream the lyrics powerfully. The melancholic feeling of the track incorporating anger and sensitivity adds to the album's authenticity, something Conan has never shied away from.
‘Family line’ is the track that really shows how much Gray’s evolved since the 2020 release of his debut album ‘Kid Krow’. In my opinion, this has instantly made the album better separating him slightly from the pop genre and his pop hits as he openly shows his vulnerability. The instrumentals are barely noticeable, to begin with really highlighting the raw, real lyrics as Gray discusses his personal experiences of his difficult childhood.
‘Summerchild’ had a similar effect to ‘family line’ for me, grabbing my attention. As he talks directly to you ‘but there’s darkness behind those eyes/ even when you smile’. Again, this track is honest and emphasises how much Gray’s progressed in the space of just 2 years.
The penultimate song ‘memories’ with its pleading nature once again shows his beautiful vocals, which are somehow even more stunning live (see my review of Gray’s concert: Conan Gray serenaded the O2 Academy in Birmingham (morethanjustmusicblog.com) ).This album evokes such a roller coaster of emotions showcasing how talented Gray is as he takes the listener on a journey.
This personal, pop album incorporates heartache, thought, awareness and honesty for an amazing outcome. ‘Superache’ has took Conan Gray to the next level where you can really feel ‘all the love and emotion’.
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