Conan Gray's Superache released on Friday, June 24th–a forty minute lamentation on lost love and self worth that stays true to its title, leaving you with a super massive ache in the pit of your stomach. If you've ever hurt or been hurt, this album is for you. While the twelve songs on Superache don't quite stand up to the melancholy pain of Gray's first album, Kid Krow, the work possesses its own merit.
I had the fortune of seeing Gray live in late 2019, shortly before the pandemic hit. At this stage in his career, Kid Know hadn't yet been released and the show was a short collection of songs from his EP and other singles. Now, almost three years later, Superache provides a new arsenal of heartbreakingly screamable breakup anthems–all perfect for a tour.
THE LYRICS
The pain in Conan Gray's songs comes from his outstanding ability to tell a story in pictures. His songs aren't just words; you can practically see an ex curled up on his floor in "Memories" or the couples he's watching in "People Watching". In "Astronomy", the image of the narrator and his doomed love driving through the suburbs imprints itself in your mind, leading up to the desperate bridge. The line "Staring at a girl who's not me" is brought to life by an image of the narrator in "mid-November... sipping on a half-cold coffee" in the song "The Exit". In "Jigsaw", one feels the physical pain of getting "the kitchen scissors" and "[cutting] myself to slivers for you". Superache is lyrically strong due to its intense imagery and description. Gray's lyrics receive a 8/10 on our rating scale.
NOTABLE TRACKS
I have to say, a few of the songs on this album didn't stand out to me like some of Gray's previous work. "Movies" and "Best Friend" are a couple of the tracks to which I probably won't return. I have the all-too-common issue of disregarding a song at first and re-discovering it several months later with a new passion and fervor, but I can confidently say that these are two tracks I genuinely did not enjoy. The rest of the songs on Superache have qualities that would deem them my favorite, but if I were to pick and rank a top five, I'd say this:
"Memories"
"Family Line"
"Disaster"
"Jigsaw"
"Footnote"
I loved "People Watching" immensely when it first released, but upon constant repetition over the months, I can't say I enjoy it with the newness of these other tracks. While "Memories" and "Jigsaw" were also singles, they do cause the traditional Conan Gray searing-and-very-visceral-pain effect, causing me to place them highly on my ranking. The tracks overall receive a 6/10 on the Intersect Magazine scale.
THE ART BEHIND THE SOUND
Superache is most certainly a Conan Gray album, rife with painful lyrics, crooning verses, and buildups to intense bridges that you feel through your whole body. While some of the tracks are lackluster, the tracks that shine are so bright that they overshadow their weaker counterparts. Superache doesn't compare to Kid Krow, but it holds its own ground as a strong album, and is most definitely an album that will appeal to longtime fans of Gray. The art behind the sound earns a 9/10 rating.
Overall, Superache receives a 7.6/10 on our rating scale. Listen to Superache below and let us know what you think.