A year after the release of his third studio album, “Found Heaven,” Conan Gray has once again captivated indie-pop enthusiasts with his newest — and similarly heartbreaking — record, “Wishbone.”
Debuting at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, the album highlights Gray’s poetic lyricism and unfiltered vulnerability through a stunning 12-song display that was released on Aug. 15.
While the artist is most known for “Heather,” his viral 2020 ballad, his newest album wastes no time in showcasing the devastating lyricism and hopeless romanticism that catapulted Gray into fame in the first place.
Opening with “Actor,” his latest album tells the story of a secret romance as he recalls, “Nobody saw us in the hotel lobby / And nobody saw us with your sweatshirt on me.” The chorus later addresses how Gray felt like he was “being erased” as he reckoned with the doomed nature of his love, singing that “the church bells won’t stop ringing / For an undead wedding day.”
“Caramel,” the record’s eighth track, encapsulates feelings of nostalgia. Using the metaphor of burnt sugar to represent how he romanticizes a former relationship, Gray writes, “Yeah, you burn inside my memory so well / You caramel, you’re caramel / And the longer burn, the sweeter that you smell / You caramel, you’re caramel.”
In “Nauseous,” the singer-songwriter shows off his lyrical capabilities once again, noting the downsides of his trusting nature: “Too trusting and loving, depending and kind / Behind every kiss is a jaw that could bite / And maybe that’s why I feel safe with bad guys / Because when they hurt me, I won’t be surprised.”
“Wishbone” undoubtedly has its fair share of grief, but its parallel themes of hope and young love set the record apart from Gray’s prior work. In “My World,” he mentions letting go of others’ perceptions of him, confidently claiming, “It’s my world and it’s my life / It’s my girl and it’s my guy / I’ll kiss ’em if I might like.”
Considering Gray’s notoriety for his passionate, yearning ballads, “This Song” pokes fun at this reputation, directly addressing the song’s subject and revealing in the chorus, “Something I’ve tried to say / But now I’ll say it straight / I wrote this song about you.”
“Wishbone” gives listeners both Gray’s signature heartbreak ballads as well as an unexpected element of hope and growing self-confidence. In an era of pop music that promotes made-for-radio melodies at the expense of intentional lyricism, “Wishbone” consists of thoughtful poeticism combined with a catchy and modern instrumental foundation. In that sense, the record is a delightful anomaly, and its ability to have it all makes it a perfect blueprint for upcoming releases.
