Album Review: Tate McRae’s So Close to What Introduces Fans to a New Era

BY: JAEQWON SUAREZ / MANAGING EDITOR

(Photo Credit: Genius)

So Close to What has fans so close to breaking their pockets when Tate McRae starts her tour for this album. Tate McRae is back after two years of releasing her previous album and finishing up her tour for Think Later.

The artist’s latest album is one that has definitely found a more signature sound and it feels like Tate is coming into her style.

The singles prior to the release of the album say it all, as all three of the lead singles were hit after hit from social media to radio.

With 16 tracks and a run time of 45 minutes, some songs have definitely stood out, while others may have just missed the mark by an inch.

To open the album, we have “Miss Possessive”, which has become my personal favorite. It’s an incredible way to introduce this new era of Tate, especially with the first lines being from the actress Sydney Sweeney.

The track is fun and playful, and I will be expecting to hear this at a party or club. A common theme with many songs on this album is that they leave you wanting more in a positive way, and she did accomplish that theme with this project.

 “Revolving Door” is also another great track that has such a catchy chorus, that you’ll be singing without even realizing it.

What really stood out to me was the drums and the synths throughout the song, as it has a mix of sounds that we’ve been hearing from new Pop music.

This leads into the third track which also introduces us to the first feature on the album, “Bloodonmyhands” featuring Flo Milli. This was a duo I never knew I needed to hear.

The song discusses an ex who seemingly cheats on her and now hates that she is unbothered after beating him up, hence the title of the track. Again we have such a fun track that genuinely feels like Tate herself enjoyed making.

On the podcast Therapuss, Tate opened up about how this song wasn’t actually apart of the tracklist but was added last minute because of the album leaking.

“I saw a healer after the [album] leak,” McRae starts off. “She was like go do your thing. So I went back into the studios and wrote a couple more songs. I actually think that it filled a hole in the album that needed to be filled.”

“Dear God” comes right after to keep up with the themes of men being the absolute worst, literally praying to God to take away what she misses about him. The breakdown solidifies this idea of obsession as listeners hear “dear god” in the background of the track.

This next track includes an important message for many women in any industry who’ve dealt with people who don’t listen to them. “Purple Lace Bra” may just seem about a relationship, but the more you listen, you’ll slowly realize that it can be interpreted in multiple ways.

For Tate, this track describes her relationship with the media and how often they misinterpret what she says or what she does. She also touches on this during the Therapuss episode, stating “My relationship with the media is what the song talks about. I would feel confident/empowered one day in my own skin, and then it’d be completely misunderstood the next day.”

Listeners can also feel that throughout the song, as she bends the line back and forth between being sexual to then spilling her heart in the verses. 

We get into one of the singles that were released, “Sports Car”, which feels like it has many influences of early 2000s pop. The whispering in the chorus serves as a variety between what we’ve been hearing so far in the album. For the record, this is not about a sports car if that wasn’t clearly understood.

(Cover art for “Its ok I’m ok” Photo Credit: Genius)

“Signs” picks up the tempo and even gives us a key change at the end of the song. This has been on repeat since my first listen through the album.

However, I didn’t completely love “I Know Love” featuring The Kid Laroi or “Like I do”. “I Know Love” wasn’t my favorite the first time listening, and to follow right after with “Like I Do” didn’t make these two stand out with the other bangers on this album.

I can appreciate the production, especially with “Like I Do” as it has an almost robotic feel to it, but besides that, neither made it into a playlist.

She brings us back to her first single of the album “It’s ok I’m ok”, which kicked off the rollout. It’s still a great song to listen to, down to the catchy lyrics and a breakdown towards the end to seal the deal.

“No I’m not in Love” missed the mark for me as well. While the production is amazing, the chorus didn’t make me fall in love with the track. It plays back and forth between liking it or not, but this could be a song that grows on you the more you listen to it.

My number one spot from this album goes to “Means I Care”, which is vibey and groovy. The claps and the background vocals simply going “na-na-na-na” really add a lot to the song, especially with its message that could be considered hypocritical since she is saying that if I cut you off, that means I care about you and like you.

“Greenlight” continues with the somberness as she explains being stuck even though she has done the work and personal growth. One of the lyrics that stood out to me during the song was:

“I can't unhear sh*t I been told

Guess I never healed right

Maybe it's a green light, but I can't go”

This further explains how sometimes healing isn’t a linear progression, it’s one with a few bumps and turns but doesn’t mean you’re the same person you were when the situation happened.

The last single from the album “2 hands” brings up the mood as she yet again gives a crazy breakdown in the middle of the song and vocals that always add the cherry on top.

A week after the album was released, she released a bonus song, “Siren Sounds”. This pop-rock track definitely adds salt to the injury, as it aids the transition that was needed between “2 hands” to the last song “Nostalgia”.

“Nostalgia” wraps a nice bow onto the album as it gives us the only acoustic song on the album. It feeds into the title So Close to What perfectly because the entire album had both us and Tate chasing something and then getting so close to it, only to realize that we would miss the journey or the time to get to where we wanted.

Though some of the songs, unfortunately, didn’t make the playlist, I’d still consider this a no-skip album that is worth listening to, showing off what is to come from the pop artist.