Gracie Abrams’ highly anticipated 12-track album is a purging confessional and an essential for those suffering from the winter blues. Her debut album “Good Riddance,” released on Feb. 24, graces fans with a musical diary of heavy emotions.
Gracie Abrams’ highly anticipated 12-track album is a purging confessional and an essential for those suffering from the winter blues. Her debut album “Good Riddance,” released on Feb. 24, graces fans with a musical diary of heavy emotions.
Despite this being her first album, Abrams is no stranger to the music scene. She first released two EPs “minor” in 2020 and “This Is What It Feels Like” in 2021. In addition to earning her millions of streams across multiple platforms, Abrams opened for pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s 2022 Sour Tour, according to Billboard.
“Good Riddance” builds upon the intimate confessional style of her previous works. The album invites listeners into her world — from self-destructive relationships to dealing with fame.
The album’s opener, “Best,” is Abrams’ admittance of manipulation in past relationships.
“And I destroyed every silver lining you had / In your head, all of your feelings, I played with them / Go ahead, we can just call it conditioning,” Abrams sings.
With lines like these, the 23-year-old pop star affirms no part of her past is off-limits for songwriting. Her songs are an explosion of truth, dealing with typical coming-of-age events —- from rehashing past relationships in “I know it won’t work” or codependency on others in “Full machine.”
Track four, “Where do we go now?” shows an experimental side to Abrams sound but lacks creativity.
“But when I kissed you back, I lied / You don’t know how hard I tried / Had to fake the longest time / Where do we go now,” Abrams sings.
The steady synthetic pulsing beats mixed with the repetitive chorus forces “Where do we go now?” into becoming a more passive moment rather than a standout song.
The poeticism found within each track is reminiscent of the days of Joni Mitchell’s “Blue,” with razor-sharp lyrics sure to leave a mark on any listener’s heart. Abrams puts her creativity on full display on track five, “I should hate you.”
“Pulled the knife out my back, it was right where you left it / But your aim’s kinda perfect, I’ll give you the credit,” Abrams sings.
Gentle singing alongside synthetic instruments have become a staple in the Abrams school of music — the pairing makes songs perfect for any “sad girl winter.” Yet, Abrams’ underwhelming vocals show little growth from her previous EPs.
Abrams has provided her fans with a catalog of music lacking in variety. Songs such as “Will you cry?” and “Fault line” exhibit the same style of chords paired with Abrams’ vanilla voice. Simply, there’s no “wow” factor.
On the other hand, “Difficult” shows a new side of Abrams. The fast-paced synthetic percussion provides a refreshing break from the rest of the album. The song was co-written by Aaron Dessner, member of the indie-rock band The National, who is known for working with high caliber artists like Taylor Swift, according to The New York Times. Dessner played a pivotal role in the creation of “Good Riddance” and helped to produce the whole album.
“Spiralin’ is miserable / I should probably go back home / Why does that feel difficult, difficult? / Oh, I hope I wake up invisible / I’d be someone no one knows / I guess I’m just difficult,” Abrams sings.
To close out the album, Abrams slows things down, continuing her stroll down memory lane with “This is what the drugs are for,” “Fault line” and “The blue.” The songs sound similar to the first half of the album and lack any defining characteristics.
The final track, “Right now,” brings fans up to speed with where Abrams currently finds herself. The song speaks to Abrams’ experiences growing up and being far from home, an anthem many college students can relate to.
“Left my past life on the ground / Think I’m more alive, somehow / I feel like myself right now,” Abrams sings.
As Abrams’ last confession, “Right now” stands out from the rest of the songs, intimately describing her new life in the limelight. This final song encapsulates the album’s overall theme — emotional growth.
Abrams will soon take her songs to the road, touring with Taylor Swift for the U.S. leg of the Eras Tour on select dates, according to Billboard. Abrams will also take to the road on her own which will kick off in Chicago this spring, according to her tour page.
“Good Riddance” shows sparks of creative genius in one of music’s most promising up-and-coming pop stars. But it will take breaking away from the chains of “sad girl pop” songs for Abrams to reach her full potential.
“Good Riddance” is available to stream on all major platforms.
Featured image courtesy of Innerscope Records
