Review: Conan Gray's “Superache”

By Radika Tan ('24)

Superache, a cathartic album by Conan Gray was released on June 24, 2022. It is a continuation of his debut studio album, Kid Krow, delving into Gray’s yearning for love, childhood trauma, friendship, and his unique approach to processing emotions. 

The album opens with "Movies," a track featuring a dramatic introduction akin to the start of a film, setting the stage for a series of heartbreak stories unfolding in a cinematic setting. The introspective lyrics of “Movies” bring the listeners to experience Gray’s delusion and longing for a cinematic romance. Leading to the second track, “People Watching”. Another song by Gray expresses his bystander view of love, highlighting subtle interactions in romantic relationships that often go unnoticed by casual observers. “That wasn’t funny but she laughed so hard, she almost cried / They’re counting months they’ve been together, almost 49 / He’s making fun of how she acted around the holidays / She wears a ring, but they tell people that they’re not engaged”. 

Continuing on, Gray expresses his contradictory mind transition to the third track Disaster. From "People Watching", that expresses Gray’s longing for love, “Someday, I’ll be falling without caution,” to his overthinking in “Disaster,” he sings, “This could be a disaster, there’s so many factors / Like, what if you freak out and then we’re losin’ it all / At the critical chapter where I say, ‘I love you’ / And you don’t say it after.” This internal conflict resonates with listeners who may have experienced similar anxieties in new relationships. 

“Best Friend” is a song about Gray’s and his listeners’ “ride or die,” resonating with a person that we’ll sacrifice anything for. However, the subsequent track, "Astronomy," delves into the fear of growing apart from loved ones. The beautiful analogy of the relationship to planets creates a sense of loneliness within the song, as people grow apart and free-floating in the substantial universe, will possibly never meet each other again.

The next track “Jigsaw” starts off soft with howling behind and slowly leading to an intense emotional chorus. In the chorus, Gray compares himself to puzzle pieces that no longer fit one another, as he sings, “I’ve changed every part of me / Until the puzzle pieces aren’t me at all / I look in the mirror, now I’m just a jigsaw-aw.” The catchy melody and lyrics, along with the intense pouring of emotion, capture the heartbreaking emptiness we feel when we look in the mirror - no longer the same - as we’ve changed so much to earn the love we’ve desired

“Family Line” is the eighth track of the album. It is a beautiful, aggressive, and melancholy song Gray wrote that unpacked his struggles in his childhood. The lyrics bring the listeners along to dive into Gray’s innervoice, “How could you hurt a little kid? / I can't forget, I can't forgive you / Cause now I'm scared that everyone I love will leave me.” Despite the difficult subject matter, Gray provides solace and hope through his music and live performances.

“Summer Child”, the next track, continues the ongoing juxtaposition, highlighting the darkness and pain hidden behind a facade of joy and innocence in a child (refers to Gray). Like an accompaniment, the song comforts listeners’ intense emotions that we try to bury.

Third from the last track, “Footnote”, another melancholic song. Like the novels, depict the melancholy, yearning tragic love story of Gray’s, which in ways resonates with listeners’ teenage bittersweetness of unrequited affection. Similar to the following track “Yours”, and “Jigsaw,” “Footnote” convey the time when we do everything for a person because of our desire to be on someone’s mind. His voice echoes over this desolate track, complemented by panging acoustics. 

Memories, the eleventh track on the album, is a cathartic, powerful piano ballad. It depicts the pain of Gray moving on from a relationship, where the memories of the person kept on emerging like torture. The song with the scream-along chorus “I wish that you would stay in my memories / But you show up today, just to ruin things,” and the bridge “I can’t be your friend, can’t be your lover / Can’t be the reason we hold back each other from falling in love / With somebody other than me,” brings the listeners together to experience the bruised heart with heavy sonic and exasperation. 

Finally, we reach the last track of the album - “The Exit,” a fitting conclusion to the album that ties together the themes of heartbreak and vulnerability. Like “Yours”, “The Exit” has a longing melody, echoing his emotions with the contrasting rock background. Although the song lacks closure as Gray sings “You already found someone to miss / While I’m still standin’ at the exit / I’m still standin’ at the exit.'' It suggests that Gray has opened up to his vulnerability, and will continue his healing of open wounds. 

In conclusion, this album captivates not only Gray’s vulnerability but also the unique, yet common experiences that he and his listeners have. It stands as a comforting companion for those navigating the complexities of love and loss. Superache is undoubtedly a must-listen album for all.