A rising global sensation, Tate McRae can do it all. From singing to performing intense choreography on tours, McRae consistently shocks and impresses her fans. Now, at the end of her fourth headlining tour, McRae released a deluxe version of her previous album, So Close To What, on Nov. 21 with four brand new songs, each delving deeper into the personal growth ideals of the original while also tapping into the power of independence.
Although it is not as new as other songs on her deluxe, McRae’s single “TIT FOR TAT”, released on Sept. 26 is still looped into the storyline of SO CLOSE TO WHAT??? (deluxe). “TIT FOR TAT” is highly rumored to be in response to her ex, The Kid LAROI’s, song “A COLD PLAY.” McRae highlights the betrayal and her need to speak the truth through her clever lyricism: “I was nothing but respectful and you know that / why you changing up the narrative to write? /…/ Let’s go song for song, let’s go back to back.” With an addictive beat drop and repetitive chorus, McRae gifts her fans with another highly compelling song that is the perfect spite-filled track.
However, the first song on SO CLOSE TO WHAT??? (deluxe) tackles a different aspect of failed romances by exploring the first feelings of trying to let go of someone you once loved. “TRYING ON SHOES” starts off slow with an orchestral build up over soft backing vocals that instantly intrigues listeners. McRae’s melancholy voice persists throughout the track, deepening the meaning of the song. This song truly showcases McRae’s vocal versatility as her voice makes the track undoubtedly compelling. As she’s “trying on shoes, puttin’ on glitter” to distract herself from heartache, McRae comes to the realization that she can never compete with her ex’s new love interest. A stark contrast from “TIT FOR TAT”, McRae opens the dismal part of her heart with a soft beat, creating a captivating track.
Transitioning into “ANYTHING BUT LOVE”, McRae’s spirits are back up during this high energy track. Immediately, McRae starts out the song by listing people who hate the song’s subject, presumably her ex, skipping an intro entirely: “My dad hates you, my dog hates you, my brother hates you, and I do too.” Growing from “TRYING ON SHOES”, where McRae was still trying to move on from her relationship, to explicitly saying that she hates her ex, “I got anything but love for you,” McRae creates a palpable hatred that many fans could relate to. “ANYTHING BUT LOVE” is the perfect track to scream along to with the windows rolled down, and it is no surprise that it is a fan favorite. McRae’s repetitive lyrics only make the song catchier as she continues to disparage her ex with her sly lyricism.
Entering the third track, “NOBODY’S GIRL”, McRae’s energy has yet to dip as she happily sings about the feelings of being single. The compelling beat of drums mixed with the subtle hint of strings creates the perfect blend to go along with McRae’s introspective lyrics on her new-found independence. This song juxtaposes the grief McRae felt for her relationship in the first track with the joys of being alone, and how although McRae feels at her age being single is a little sad, being alone has been healing. This can be an important reminder to listeners that although they may feel as if their sadness will last forever, healing takes time. The track’s production of drums blended with occasional muted siren sounds created a captivating tempo that persists throughout the song.
The final new track on SO CLOSE TO WHAT??? (deluxe) loops back to the sorrowful feelings that McRae expressed during “TRYING ON SHOES”. Although McRae does revisit those feelings, “HORSESHOE” also has a slight upbeat tempo that creates a contrasting feeling. Throughout the song McRae tries to process her emotions, “But where should all my sadness go?,” which can be a relatable feeling for many: knowing how you feel but not exactly how to work through it. “HORSESHOE” is a perfect upbeat tempo that also has underlying, aching lyrics.
Overall, the tracks added to So Close To What provided more depth to the storyline of McRae’s relationship with both herself and her romantic partner. However, the songs within the deluxe would have flowed better into McRae’s narrative if they were to be at the end of the album. Many songs within the original album were about her previous relationship while she was still in love, but the deluxe tracks were after the fact. Moving the four songs to the end of the album would have more smoothly closed that chapter in her life. Nevertheless, McRae’s pensive lyricism blended with the appealing arrangement of instruments produced flawless extensions of So Close To What.
If you enjoyed Eternal Sunshine by Ariana Grande or GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo, listen to SO CLOSE TO WHAT??? (deluxe) for a similar experience with introspective, sorrowful lyricism mixed with tracks that have an infectious beat.
9.5/10
