Conan Gray performing at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. Credit: Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group via TNS
Conan Gray, a pop singer known for his songs about young love, heartbreak and all the entanglements that come with relationships, released his fourth album, “Wishbone,” Friday.
Gray rose to fame with his single “Heather,” a staple on TikTok during the COVID-19 lock down. He continued to produce standout hits like “Maniac,” “The Cut That Always Bleeds” and “Memories.”
Gray’s signature sound is easy to point out in his work: playing into guitars in the background, electric backings and hints of percussion paired with gut-wrenching lyrics about previous partners. His upbeat songs already hit hard enough — they cut even deeper with the slower tracks in his discography.
“Wishbone” ties heavily back to the sounds of “Kid Krow” (2020) and “Superache” (2022), steering away from the ‘80s techno album “Found Heaven” (2024). These instrumentals feel the most authentic for Gray and the stories he’s telling in his music, which is already a great setup for the album.
The album opens with “Actor,” a track that opens softly with simple acoustic guitar. Gray’s vocals build into the first chorus with the energy only going up from there. This is a great song to use as the opening to the album, especially since it’s so reminiscent of Gray’s familiar style and strong storytelling.
“But the church bells won’t stop ringing / For an undead wedding day / And you’ve spent the summer drinking / While I spent it being erased … Let’s pretend nothing happened, I agree / But you’re a much better actor than me.”
“This Song” and “Vodka Cranberry,” tracks two and three, were released as singles leading up to the album and quickly made a strong impression on listeners. Their music videos have accumulated 4.2 million and 2.8 million views, respectively, and are working their way into Gray’s top songs on music streaming platforms.
The two songs go hand in hand and tell an in-depth story, especially seeing how Gray used the same actor, Corey Fogelmanis, known best for his role as Farkle in the Disney show “Girl Meets World,” in both music videos.
“This Song” portrays the relationship in a positive light, with the chorus consisting of “I wrote this song about you / Something I wish you knew / Something I’ve tried to say / But now I’ll say it straight / I wrote this song about you.”
The music behind the lyrics focuses on softer percussion, pulling away from the guitars used in the previous tracks.
However, the vibe takes a major turn in “Vodka Cranberry,” turning back to guitars and strong vocals screaming “Speak up, I know you hate me / Looked at your picture and cried like a baby … Got way too drunk off a vodka cranberry / Called you up in the middle of the night / Wailing like an imbecile / If you won’t end things, then I will.”
Anything after the duo seems to be the thoughts after a breakup, or at least the middle road when you’re stuck in some sort of situationship.
“Romeo” and “My World” are very similar to “Actor,” with both songs having passive aggressive, upset adolescent lyrics with pop-infused instrumentals. The match up works well and makes the listener less emotional about their ex since the music itself is actively trying to make a breakup seem lighter.
“Class Clown,” the sixth track, is the first slower turn of the album but isn’t quite the ballad of the record. With lyrics like “Everything comes back around / I still feel like the class clown” and “Trying to grow on earth that writhes / And do it all with the biggest smile / Half my friends barely know who I am,” the song gets deeper leading into the sadder and slower songs on the album.
“Nauseous” is its own little world, with the verses being slowed vocals and calm acoustic guitars. The chorus builds into something in the same sphere as “Actor” and “Class Clown.” The lyrics are by far the most deep-cutting of the album thus far, with the bridge being the climax of the emotions.
“Maybe I’m here waiting for someone / To get through my years of trying to trust them / I know that it’s in me to really love someone / But that’s not a thing that I learned from my loved ones.”
“Caramel” is an upbeat break from the back-to-back lyrical assault from earlier, but it doesn’t last long with “Connell” as the following track.
“But deep in my bones I know pain is what I earned / And you remind me of how good it feels to hurt / Yeah, you remind me of how little I deserve.”
If that doesn’t take the ballad spot on the tracklist, then we’re in trouble.
“Sunset Tower” lifts the mood a bit, as does “Eleven Eleven.” Though the latter is on the slower side, the track is not as depressing as its predecessors. “There’s wishbones and clovers and numbers from heaven / Shapes in the stars to invent our connection / As much as I act like I want to forget it / I still wish for you at 11:11.”
“Eleven Eleven” feels very nostalgic, reminiscent of the craze around posting the time with public wishes on your Snapchat story in middle school. The song is also a great beginning to the end of the album.
Thankfully, “Care” is an upbeat end track, with guitars and percussion found throughout the entire song.
“Wishbone” is a comprehensive and cohesive album, telling a complete story that flows seamlessly. It’s also enjoyable to see Gray return to his signature styles and sounds after his breakaway album “Found Heaven” in 2024. It might not be the most peppy end to the summer, but it’s a great segway into early fall days.
Rating: 4/5
