By Riley Dauber
Lifestyle Editor
Since the 1980s, musicians pull inspiration from the decade to create their own sound, according to Alternative Press.
In 2014, pop star Taylor Swift released “1989,” which contained many 80s-inspired production choices. Pop star Dua Lipa continued this trend with her 2020 album “Future Nostalgia,” which mixed the 1980s sound with her own breakup tracks.
Now, pop star Conan Gray is pulling out the synth machine for his third album, “Found Heaven.”
“I definitely knew I wanted the album to sound different. My first two albums, I think of as siblings. They very much are the natural repetition of each other. But with this album, I just wanted to do the last thing that I would have thought I would do,” Gray said in an interview with NME.
Gray first rose to fame by posting covers on Youtube, which led to him signing with Republic Records in 2018, according to The Vogue. He then went on to release two albums: “Kid Krow” in 2020 and “Superache” in 2022.
Following the success of these albums, Gray announced “Found Heaven” on his Instagram on Jan 31.
When the album came out on April 5, fans were pleased with Gray’s ability to utilize the 1980s-sounding synth production and vocal modulation along with his traditional songwriting skills. He tends to lean toward themes of heartbreak, love, and growing up, but after discussing these ideas on his previous albums, they can feel tired and overdone.
The album starts off with a new sound: “Found Heaven,” “Never Ending Song,” “Fainted Love,” and “Lonely Dancers” include the jazzy synth that make the songs sound like they could play in a Molly Ringwald romantic comedy.
Gray’s switch between high and low vocals are also a highlight. Even though the songs are not introducing new ideas, he sounds great.
Then, Gray drops the synth on “Alley Rose,” which reminds one of his second album, “Superache.”
“I waited all year at your feet / like, maybe you’d love me,” Gray sings.
He continues his heartbroken shtick on tracks like “The Final Fight,” “Forever With Me,” and “Winner.”
“Miss You,” fortunately, is a chance for Gray to subvert this narrative. He brings back his deep voice and the 80s sound to take on the heartbreaker role.
“I never meant to break your heart / But I lost it like a promise / And left you dancin’ in the dark,” Gray sings in the pre-chorus, which is a stand-out.
“Miss You” is then followed by “Bourgeoisieses,” a song that would fit perfectly on the “Saltburn” soundtrack.
Gray yearns for a life among the rich and famous — which makes one wonder, is he not already famous? He has seven million Instagram followers — but the track reminds one of his earlier song “Affluenza,” where he criticized the spoiled rich kids instead of wanting to join them.
Arguably, the best song on the album is “Eye of the Night,” which clearly takes inspiration from Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” with its imagery of dark alleys and watchful eyes.
The chorus is catchy with a great dance beat, and on the verses, Gray belts in an impressive falsetto.
“Cause you’re here, you’re watching me / I’m walking to your corner I see you in the street / You’re here, you’re haunting me / The Eye of the Night,” Gray sings.
Unfortunately, just when you are about to start enjoying the song, it ends. Most of the tracks are under three minutes, and since they do not last long, it is difficult for them to leave an impression on the listener.
Many of the songs also lack distinction, which is a pattern throughout Gray’s music career. He sticks to a sound and style of songwriting that his fans seem to appreciate, but if that does not work for a new listener, they may find better artists elsewhere.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Photo Caption: Gray’s songs often go viral on social media apps like TikTok, including 2020’s “Heather.”