By Kathryn Taleporos | January 22, 2024
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
After her debut album “I Used To Think I Could Fly” topped charts with hit singles such as the song “She’s All I Wanna Be,” Canadian singer Tate McRae proved herself to be the pop queen with her sophomore album “Think Later,” which was released Dec. 8, 2023.
This album has everything from catchy pop songs to heartbreaking ballads. The first single on this album went viral on Tik Tok. After teasing snippets of the song “greedy,” McRae released this single and it quickly became popular.
The song “greedy” is one of many pop anthems on this album. As a former dancer, McRae’s songs are upbeat and easy to dance to. Songs such as “run for the hills” and “hurt my feelings” sound like upbeat dance songs, but the lyricism is also much deeper than that. The danceability of these songs combined with the feelings of a breakup encapsulate the teenage girl experience.
This album is filled with songs that will pump any playlist up. “cut my hair,” and “guilty conscious” are perfectly upbeat songs that are easy and fun to dance to.
The title track “think later” is the ultimate hype song. It is the type of song that should be on every get ready playlist. The steady beat in the background keeps the song engaging throughout, and the chorus “live now, think later” is a fun mantra to start any day with.
This album shows more maturity than McRae’s previous album. It is clear in songs like “we’re not alike” that McRae’s songwriting has grown. The song “we’re not alike” is different from her other songs. The song follows the breakup theme, however, this song in particular is about a friendship breakup. This is a new topic that McRae delves into, but a topic that almost every woman can relate to.
The ballads on this album show growth in McRae’s work, especially songs like “plastic palm trees,” and “messier” have deeper messages about fame and relationships that are heartbreaking. These songs are perfect to blast in your car and scream/sing.
However, McRae still only scratches the surface with her lyrical metaphors. For example, in the song “plastic palm trees,” McRae talks about fame and how it can seem so glamorous but in reality you're just looking at fake trees. This metaphor, while it works, is simplistic.
The album as a whole is cohesive, the songs are a good balance between pop hits and sad songs. Overall, McRae’s sophomore album shows promise and will help her on her way to stardom.
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