Conan Gray returns to form, both musically and personally, with the release of “Wishbone”. After spending the last decade of his career stationed in LA, he returned to his hometown of Georgetown, Texas, to record the heartbreaking portrayal of the ups and downs of relationships. Upon his return to the south comes a return to the lyrically yearnful indie pop origins he became synonymous with.
In his last album, “Found Heaven,” he ventured away from his usual style of indie pop and instead explored the resurgent trend of ’80s synth pop. The palette of the album, an almost tangible representation of the upbeat lyrics and groovy base, features Conan Gray dressed in a dark black leather jacket, centered in the middle of a square of bright mustard yellow on the album cover.
This new record takes a complete 180 in a dramatic return to the contrastingly slow indie pop. Starting with the cover, Gray leaps across the album in a sailor outfit, with a dramatically large wishbone hooked over his shoulder. This hints that the album shifts gears from his previous work, all traces of the upbeat and bright ’80s colours now gone. Instead, a grey-toned blue sky background fills the space behind the man in seafaring wear, preparing us as we leap into the voyage with him.
From the first song, we capture a feel for what to expect for the remainder of the venture. “Actor” starts with tender guitar chords and delicate vocals. The lyrics guide us into the story Gray tries to tell throughout the entirety. He describes this first song as the perfect rundown, top to bottom, of how he felt during the writing process. “Actor” is a breakup song, just as the record is a breakup album.
The melody of the chorus haunts you, lyrics bitter as the narrator recalls the indifference of his lover who erased him from his past. Similar to how last summer’s “Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan tells the story of falling for someone who can’t accept their queer identity, Actor describes how the narrator spends the summer “being erased” as he comments on how any future girlfriend his ex dates will never know the side of him the narrator knew.
“This Song,” the lead single, presents a jarring difference in lyrics from the previous track. Romantic and love-struck lines, such as “your eyes are like heaven, your voice is like rain,” wax poetic about a close friend whom he falls for unwittingly. Echoing the song, Conan Gray reunited with long-time friend Corey Fogelmanis, and the two of them play the role of childhood friends-to-lovers.
Throughout the music video, the two run through the wild, green plains of Texas, with only each other’s company. Following the spirit of new love, the apprehension of confessing, and the reverence of knowing without saying, the two finally get together as the short film concludes.
My personal favorite, “Nauseous,” starts off slow and soft, as the quiet strums of a guitar play tenderly until the percussion gently slides in moments before Gray starts singing. His voice, soft and melodic, as the lyrics speak of the lingering danger of love.
Throughout the chorus, the words “nauseous,” “want it,” and “haunted” all echo with overlaid layers of voices. The percussion simultaneously drives the pain like a twice-struck bruise. This stresses his yearning for love, yet reveals he’s too timorous and scared to try to pursue, only to be abandoned once again.
All songs but one portray the journey of falling into love or trying to pick up after the shipwreck-like aftermath of the end of a relationship. “Class Clown,” instead, reminisces on formative years spent in an abusive environment, and how that affected him as he established his identity separate from the man who raised him. In an interview with Capitol Buzz, Gray mentioned how he still struggled with self-preservation in order to entertain others and run away from his past.
Overall, “Wishbone” stands as a beautiful album that takes the listener on a grand voyage through the soulfully crafted story Conan Gray crafted. Each song signifies another journey of love, heartbreak, and healing that leaves the listener feeling unprofessionally resuscitated after death by heartbreak. “Wishbone” is a great listen for those quiet nights that take us down introspective journeys into ourselves, but it probably won’t end up as anyone’s favorite album of the year.
