Tate McRae’s rise has been rapid and unexpected but also a well deserved show of her hard work, making her one of this generation’s pop princesses. The Canadian artist makes unapologetic dance pop which sets her apart from her peers, especially in an era where people don’t make straight-up pop music. This has been notably emphasised by her live performances, in which she is practically in a league of her own.
As someone who appreciated the leap she took with her second album Think Later, I was eager to see what this next album would bring, especially since she wrote it while on tour. I hoped her sound would evolve and she’d experiment with new aspects of pop, in addition to showcasing her tone and lyrical style which I had grown accustomed to.
With these hopes and expectations, I listened to the album. And I have mixed feelings.
Let’s start with the positives.
So Close To What builds on McRae’s world of dance pop with high-quality production, honest and witty lyrics, and an element of maturity and sexuality. The core theme seems to be an exploration of love in all of its forms.
Tate’s voice truly shines on this record. She has a very distinct and identifiable tone, and her vocal delivery is assured and confident throughout. She also explores various aspects of her voice, which really helps to build dynamics throughout the album.
I think she nailed it with the singles ‘It’s ok, I’m ok‘ and ‘Sports car‘. They are quite different, but both highlight her strengths as a pop artist. The whispering and low chorus of ‘Sports Car‘ demonstrates her versatility, but ‘It’s ok, I’m ok‘ showcases her head voice while also serving as an excellent performance track.
Other highlights of the album include the four-track run from ‘It’s ok, I’m ok’ to ‘Greenlight‘. If you listen to the album in chronological order, that is the sweet spot. The production is excellent, and the storyline, from denial to acceptance of the end of a romance, works extremely well. But my favourite tracks are ‘Revolving door‘ and ‘Purple lace bra‘. Those two tracks stand out as the strongest ones on the album, both sonically and lyrically. They are the songs I’ve had on repeat all week. If you haven’t watched the music video for ‘Revolving door’ yet, do it now; it’s simple yet creative, and it delivers a punch that keeps you watching.
However, I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed with this installment. It’s a good pop album, don’t get me wrong, but that’s it.
I didn’t love ‘2 hands‘ when she initially released it, and listening to the album didn’t change my opinion. Both features feel like they were added at the last minute. Flo Milli is one of the most exciting female rappers right now, but I can’t recall anything about her verse or the song itself. ‘I know love,’ featuring real-life boyfriend The Kid Laroi, is a letdown because the song tries to rely on the fact that the chorus is catchy and that they finally have a song together.
The bonus track ‘Siren sounds‘ was added three days after the album’s release, but it doesn’t contribute much to the record. Additionally, despite the fact that it is her third album, the production feels like a cross between her first and second albums. The album’s final track, ‘Nostalgia‘, is a mid-tempo ballad with a more guitar-based feel that provides much-needed vulnerability. However, it gets lost in a sea of big electronic and drum production, giving the impression that it had been dropped randomly into the record.
People who enjoy straight-up pop music will really love this album, while pop haters will despise it. Personally, I don’t hate this album, but I also don’t love it. It’s an enjoyable pop album with some excellent singles, but it’s not particularly revolutionary or something that I think will define pop music in the future. It is a positive step forward, as I think this is her best album so far, but I think she could have used some extra time to experiment and mould the project’s direction and identity even further.
6/10
Image Credit: RCA Records
