Conan Gray’s Second Album ‘Superache’ Is Saved by Teenage Relatability
Republic Records
With 20 Million monthly listeners on Spotify, Conan Gray’s second album Superache had high expectations to live up to.
July 7, 2022
Conan Gray’s career has been nothing short of success, with his now infamous song “Heather,” a tale of jealousy and lackluster promises that were never fulfilled, earning 900 million streams on Spotify. This sadness, rage, and disappointment is a theme continued in his second album, “Superache.”
There are many consistencies in Gray’s songs on this album, with fast-paced beats and cliché lyrics dominating songs like “Disaster” and “Best Friend,” which lack any true passion. However, in being a teenager who has a youthful outlook on heartbreak, Gray’s echoing of the overly romanticized ideas that come with love makes the album easy to listen to. You don’t have to work to understand his metaphors, if there are any.
The album is quite easy to create scenarios for, with all the inspiration being drawn from failed romance.
For when you get inspiration from that last rom-com: “Movies”
In our media-driven world, it can become incredibly easy to fall into comparison in every aspect of living. Body image, GPAs, financial situations, and romantic experiences have all become weapons used to damage self-image. Gray explains how he references fictional pieces of media, like romance movies, to make standards for relationships, which makes relationships themselves appear to be fictitious as they can never live up to the “reality” provided to him.
For when you fall in love with someone who’s straight: “Footnote”
It is always, and will always be, an uphill battle to love anyone outside of the heterosexual dynamic. The fear of homophobic legislature is imminent, and attacks on the LGBTQ+ community are neverending. All of that, plus the awkwardness of teenage romance, makes falling in love with the same gender difficult, and discouraging, especially when you don’t know if your pursuee is gay. Gray mentions “loathing a friendship” with this other person, while also explaining that “[he’ll] never be the one.” The plot develops in the next lyric when Gray’s character says he loves the other person and they respond with “sober up.” It feels humiliating to be rejected, but even more painful is the slow break of friendship afterward. This agony is not exclusive to one community, however, it directly coincides with the teenage experience. Couple that with the absolute impossibility of being with someone who is straight when you are of the same gender, and the only way to describe it is crushing.
For when you see your ex at a football game after the breakup: “Memories”
This is arguably Gray’s best song on the album. It feels as if you are living through the story of pain with him, and it hits harder when you can apply these feelings to a breakup. Although other songs on the album attempt the same feat, none come close to the reality “Memories” creates. It is the kind of song you would scream from rooftops at 12 A.M. The lyrics are fairly direct, with the most impactful being “I wished you would stay in my memories” and “I promise that the ending always stays the same.” With Gray’s powerful harmonies, his anger echoing throughout the bridges of the song, and his lyrics being so accurate and attentive, this song should be an immediate addition to any breakup playlist you make.
It is unfortunate, however, that these were the only songs that really garnered my attention. The others simply felt like carbon copies, and although one sad song can be good on an album, 12 of them just made it seem boring and repetitive. That being said, I cannot wait for when he releases new music, and I hope to see his career grow. This album is a shaky stepping stone, but I’m confident that Gray’s songwriting will only become more solid as his experience increases.
