On Feb. 21, popstar Tate McRae released her third studio album “So Close To What,” featuring 13 brand new songs on top of three singles she previously released.
Full disclosure, I heavily gravitate towards songs with a slower melody. It’s just what I fall for. I like the aesthetic. For reference, my two favorite songs from McRae are “stay done,” and “messier,” both of which appear on her previous album “THINK LATER.”
This entire album is something new for McRae. She has been in the music scene since 2017, when she released her original songs on YouTube to gain a following. It wasn’t until her first big hit “you broke me first,” that she elevated herself into mainstream pop music. The song is still her most popular on Spotify, as it blew up on TikTok and fans became accustomed to her soft vocals.
McRae’s first studio album was “i used to think i could fly,” which was released in May 2022, and featured “she’s all i wanna be,” a very catchy and relatable song.
She then released the aforementioned “THINK LATER,” that featured her megahit “greedy,” as well as “exes” and “run for the hills.” This album was my introduction to McRae, which I am grateful for, as I think this is her strongest bit of music. She was able to seamlessly blend upbeat pop with messy breakup songs and I think it worked really well.
This album, on the other hand, has a very clear theme. McRae really embraces her promiscuous side, often hinting at, or overtly singing about sex. She seems to have followed in the footsteps of other superstars like Sabrina Carpenter, which will hopefully play to her benefit.
The first song McRae released from this album was her single “It’s ok I’m ok,” which has surpassed 200 million streams on Spotify. I do like this song, but I think in a ranking of the album, it falls towards the bottom half.
The second song she released was “2 hands,” which was my favorite of the singles, and still is after the release.
The final single was “Sports car,” which has blown up as one of the most popular on the album, nearing 100 million streams almost a month after its release. The whispers on this song initially drew me away from it, but I have warmed up to it a bit.
The opening track, “Miss possessive,” was OK and will likely become more known as the name of her world tour, which begins in March and ends in November.
Currently, the most streamed non-single is “Revolving door,” which definitely seems like it will be her next hit. McRae released a music video for this song coinciding with the album in which she dances in a white room, presumably over and over again, like a revolving door. I really like this song, it stands out as one of the strongest on the album with a great bridge and catchy chorus.
McRae has two features on this album, an uncommon occurrence for her, as her previous two had none. The first being Flo Milli on “bloodonmyhands,” and the second being her boyfriend, The Kid LAROI on “I know love.”
As someone who doesn’t particularly care for Flo Milli, I think her and McRae’s voices work well together. The chorus on this song is what makes it work, and it is one of my early favorites.
Her feature with The Kid LAROI is alright at best. I think it is cute that she has a song about love with her boyfriend, but I just don’t think it has much substance.
T h e m i d d l e to back half of this album all blends into one for me. “Signs” stands out as a strong tune, but I couldn’t find much I liked in both “Like I do,” and “No I’m not in love.” Neither of them caught my attention on a first or second listen, and they will likely be my least streamed of the album. I did like “Means I care,” though, as it fits more with her old style.
The last few tracks are McRae at her best. “Greenlight,” seems like it could have been featured on one of her previous works, but I think it fits in nicely at the back of this album. McRae surprisingly re-released the album on Feb. 24 with a different cover, altered track list, and “siren sounds (bonus),” a song originally meant for “THINK LATER.” This is one of my favorites on the album, and I am happy she released it so I don’t have to search for it elsewhere.
McRae saved the best for last, with “Nostalgia.” Not only the slowest song on the album, but definitely the most meaningful as well, McRae sings about how quickly time can pass and how it can be gone before you know it. She shouts out both of her parents and her brother Tucker, who plays Division I hockey for Dartmouth. For an album that has a clear crude tone throughout, this song is an excellent ending and a nice switch up.
For a final roundup, my five favorite songs on the album right now are “Nostalgia,” “bloodonmyhands,” “Greenlight,” “Revolving door” and “2 hands,” but that is bound to change as I listen more.
While my headline might be a bit harsh in hindsight, I don’t think this is McRae’s best work. The album’s overtly sexual nature doesn’t resonate well with me, and I think it is a far cry from the successes of “THINK LATER.”
McRae’s ability to create catchy lyrics undoubtedly carry this album, however to me, there seems to be something missing. Whether it be another slow song, or something in the ballpark of her old albums, it just seems like it needs something else.
All that to say that “So Close To What” is not my favorite bit of discography from McRae, but it is by no means a bad album. Considering all the build up to it, I was just a bit underwhelmed, but hopefully time will do it justice.
