Gracie Madigan Abrams is becoming less and less of a secret as days go by. From seven million monthly listeners to 30 million monthly listeners on Spotify in just one year, Abrams has more than quadrupled her fame. Abrams released her sophomore album, The Secret of Us, on June 21, 2024, leaving both old and new fans clamoring for more. She then dropped the deluxe version of the album, The Secret of Us (Deluxe), on Oct. 18, 2024, blowing listeners away while simultaneously keeping them glued to their seats. The secret is out: The Secret of Us (Deluxe) is undoubtedly another success.
The Secret of Us is sonically very different from most of Abrams’s previous works, and is an especially stark contrast to her debut album, Good Riddance. The deluxe tracks also follow this theme, being more upbeat and fast paced than the deluxe tracks on the aforementioned album. Songs from the new deluxe album are currently being performed by Abrams on singer-songwriter Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, as the former has just completed the first leg of her The Secret of Us tour.
The Secret of Us (Deluxe) added seven new tracks to the main album, including three songs from the original that were recorded live: “I Love You, I’m Sorry”, “I Knew It, I Know You”, and “Free Now”. Of the remaining four, Abrams had played all save for “I Told You Things” during her tour prior to releasing them. Each of the four new songs have their own distinct personality; some are sarcastic and upbeat, while others are emotional and melancholy, creating a diverse and exciting deluxe album.
The first addition is titled “Cool”, in which Abrams is anything but cool about her ex and their past relationship. Throughout the song, she expresses her bitterness and anger at the way she was treated.This song in particular does an excellent job at conveying the main emotion Abrams feels using not just the lyrics, but the music and vocals as well. At different points in the song, as Abrams places more emphasis on a specific lyric, the music gets faster and louder to enhance the emphasis. The combination of elements does a wonderful job of making the song unique and a flawless opener to the deluxe tracks.
The second new song is called “That’s So True”, and is similar to “Cool” in the way that in both songs, Abrams is angry at her ex-lover. However, “That’s So True” is very sarcastic and slightly more upbeat with a longer and more iconic fast-paced bridge that has caused social media users to obsess over this track. “But I think I like her, she’s so fun / Wait, I think I hate her, I’m not that evolved,” Abrams sings about her ex’s current girlfriend, highlighting the song’s subtle unseriousness–a large aspect of what makes it so fun. The way the song is presented, with upbeat music in the background and funny, relatable lyrics, makes it a very enjoyable listen and a more than worthy addition to the album.
Provided by @gracieabrams on Instagram.
The third track, “I Told You Things”, is the only one fans had not heard prior to the release of the deluxe tracks, making it a complete mystery. Unsurprisingly, Abrams did not disappoint.
The sadder song describes the singer’s feelings about losing a relationship with a loved one. The raw emotion in her voice adds to the heartbreaking feeling the song induces in its listeners, putting them in her shoes and making them feel as though they have gone through what she has. The lyrics flow together perfectly and tell Abrams’s experience in vivid, almost cinematic, detail while the music changes subtly to mirror the stress in her vocals. Every part of the track enhances it in the best way possible. “I Told You Things” is without a doubt the best of the four additional tracks and my favorite by far.
The fourth song is called “Packing It Up”. While every other deluxe song is about Abrams’s negative feelings towards the end of a relationship and the person it was with, “Packing It Up” is a love song about an ongoing relationship. The soft and slow song is one of very few love songs in Abrams’s discography, making it a big deal for long time fans. This track is very sweet and uplifting, contrasting wonderfully with the other deluxe songs and closing off the album on a positive note.
Meanwhile, the live songs, despite being familiar to listeners, are different from the original songs in subtle ways – some through dramatic note changes, like “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and others through more detectable emotion, like “Free Now”. Regardless, all three of the live songs are valuable to the deluxe album and more than enjoyable listens. “I Knew It, I Know You” is a personal favorite due to the stellar production that helped to enhance the desperation and genuineness the lyrics already echoed.
The Secret of Us (Deluxe) is a creative, yet fitting, addition to the main album. Each song takes listeners on an emotional rollercoaster, having the unique ability to make listeners cry, laugh, and smile–all in just a few tracks. However, despite “Packing It Up” being an excellent happy ending and a wonderful song on its own, it does seem slightly out of place compared to the rest of the deluxe songs due to a contrasting overall theme.
Abrams shows off her clever lyricism and ability to convey emotions even seconds into a song without fail on the deluxe album. As her fame continues to grow, it seems as though her talent does as well. These tracks are an excellent addition to The Secret of Us and there are most certainly no skips. If you enjoyed The Secret of Us (Deluxe), I recommend taking a listen to GUTS (spilled) by Olivia Rodrigo and emails I can’t send fwd: by Sabrina Carpenter for more emotionally diverse deluxe tracks.
9.5/10
