Tate McRae is back, and if it’s possible, she’s more feisty than ever. Released on February 24, “So Close To What” is provocative, percussive, and raw. “Yes, I’m Miss Possessive,” McRae admits in the first track of the album.
More than music, McRae is offering a mood board for rising stardom: new money, high street fashion, and exciting romance—all with a penchant for familiarity. Reminiscent of 2000s pop, the sixteen tracks sound like many other artists, in the best and worst ways.
The sixth track, “Sports car,” immediately resembles Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous.” From the breathy choruses to layered drums, this song does an excellent job at weaving the memorable and classic. Similarly, the chorus to “Purple lace bra” is reminiscent of Madison Beer’s “Make You Mine,” or Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi,” in their whispery and siren-esque vocals.
Despite uncanny similarities, McRae is able to bring depth to the song through her lyricism: “I’m losing my mind, I’m losing my head / You only listen when I’m undressed / Hear what you like and none of the rest.” When McRae expresses vulnerability on the album, she does so with depth.
Unfortunately, McRae’s R&B inspired song “Like I do,” contains none of this depth. While one might liken the track to SZA, especially in their fluid and relaxed vocals, McRae falls behind in lyricism. Often, she relies heavily on repetition and filler words: “Say you wanna know me, you don’t wanna know me / You just wanna do what I do / What I do (I do) / Like I do (ooh).” In another song, she sings, “I know love, what it is, what it is, what it is, yeah I know love,” alongside her boyfriend, The Kid LAROI. One could not guess what the title of this track might be: “I know love.” Admittedly, simplicity adds to her kitschy, easily sung along-to charm, but these songs are certainly not the most impressive of the album.
Besides The Kid LAROI, So Close To What also features Flo Milli in the third track, “bloodonmyhands.” In juxtaposition to the gory-sounding title, the song is peppy and bright with a dance-worthy chorus, reminiscent of K-Pop.
For the bedroom-pop songwriter whose breakthrough ballad, “You Broke Me First,” and breakup album, “THINK LATER,” are sing-along-in-the-shower-worthy, McRae’s recent ballads do not measure up. In “Siren Sounds,” McRae references a few too many contradictory metaphors: lies, burning houses, and siren sounds. Similarly, “Nostalgia,” jumps from her family’s shortcomings to relationship regrets—jarring at worst, confusing at best.
However, McRae’s pseudo-ballads like “Revolving door,” and “Greenlight,” excellently showcase her comfort zone. In a similar style to many of the songs on “THINK LATER,” these songs only prove McRae has perfected the art of building choruses and bass drops.
Beyond her music, McRae’s real talent lies in her performance quality. The ex-dancer is certainly a triple threat, and So Close To What, is an album perfected for dance breaks—especially the singles “It’s ok I’m ok” and “Sports car,” with their pulsing beats.
Through her undeniable presence and made-for-stage album, McRae is certainly one to watch.
