Since April 25th, Jensen McRae’s sophomore album, I Don’t Know How But They Found Me, has constantly been on repeat in my headphones. In a little over a week, I literally do not think I have listened to anything else because I am just so obsessed with this album. Even before the full album came out, I would listen to the three released singles on a loop. If you’re not familiar with her, Jensen McRae is a singer-songwriter who has gotten a lot of her popularity from posting clips of her songs on TikTok, which is where I first saw her. I have been watching her for years as she is such a talented writer with incredibly unique vocals, which makes it almost impossible to take your eyes off of her. While I love absolutely everything off of this album and it feels wrong for any song to be below number one, this is my best attempt at a ranking.
- “I Don’t Do Drugs”
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While it pains me to put anything at the bottom of the list, “I Don’t Do Drugs” has just never been a standout to me. It is the shortest track of the album, and I think I just don’t relate to it very much. However, it does still have some incredible lyrics and soft, melodic vocals that still make it a great track, just not my favorite out of an amazing lineup.
Favorite Lyric: “Sight for sore eyes, have to ghostwrite how I’d like your love”
- “The rearranger”
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This is the album’s opener, and I think it is a great introduction to what follows. The theme of wanting to change and “rearrange” someone so you can make your relationship work and have a future with this person reflects the rest of the relationship turmoil that is featured in the rest of the album. This song is a great depiction of the conflict between wanting things to stay the same and keep the good parts, even when you know something has to change.
Favorite Lyric: “We don’t talk about the heavy, am I even in your plans?
- “Praying for your downfall”
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“Praying For Your Downfall” was one of the original three singles so I have had more time with this song than the others. I really do enjoy this song as it is one of only a few upbeat tracks on the album. It is so witty and really captures the feeling of finally realizing an ex is not worth your time or energy, and they never really were.
Favorite Lyric: “Keep draining Stellas and blaming your mom, I’m finished praying for your downfall”
- “daffodils”
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This is one of the most heartbreaking tracks on the album and what is most powerful about it to me is how there is no big climax or bridge, its power is in its subtlety. There is nothing flashy about this song, it is simply soul crushing lyric after soul crushing lyric. “Daffodils” is a painful portrayal of a toxic abusive relationship and the constant rollercoaster of abuse and adoration.
Favorite Lyric: “He loves me, but he won’t die on that hill”
- “I can change him”
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“I Can Change Him” is a song that definitely grew on me the more I listened to it, and it is almost too relatable. This track tells the age-old story of the problematic, noncommittal man and the girl who comes along and thinks she can fix all of that. This song is the feeling of everyone telling you that he is who he is and nothing has ever changed him before, but convincing yourself that you are different and it will be different this time (spoiler alert: it won’t).
Favorite Lyric: “I know I can’t win, it’s me against the man he’s always been”
- “Massachusetts”
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This one is tough because it probably should be higher on the list, but I have been listening to this song since she posted a clip on TikTok in 2023, and I think the new releases are just fresher and exciting for me right now. That being said, this is one of my favorite songs of hers and one of her most popular, as it went viral as soon as she wrote it. McCrae’s lyricism reminds me of Phoebe Bridgers in this song, where the lyrics are ultra-specific and have niche references that no one could possibly relate to, and yet it is still an incredibly relatable song. This is the perfect end to the album, and I am so grateful to finally have it on Spotify since I used to literally walk around campus with her TikTok replaying over and over in my pocket.
Favorite Lyric: “It’s getting darker, so I turn you down, but I can’t turn you off”
- “mother wound”
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“Mother Wound” has been towards the top of my list from my first listen, and the more I listen and digest the lyrics, the more I fall in love with it. In my opinion, this song is basically about seeing the cracks start to form in the very beginning of the relationship, but proceeding blindly and ignoring it until it can no longer be ignored. This song is a reflection of the mistakes made in the early stages and the problems they create once the initial passion fades away.
Favorite Lyric: “Loving you lowered my expectations”
- “let me be wrong”
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This is where it starts to get super difficult for me because all of the songs left are masterpieces in my eyes. This is another more upbeat track about finally wanting to stray from perfection and expectations and let yourself make mistakes. It is so relatable and perfectly captures the feeling of wanting to completely throw yourself into something new without meticulously thinking it through for once. “Let Me Be Wrong” was written to be screamed while running down the beach at sunset as you finally stop getting in your own way.
Favorite Lyric: “Do not fear the long decay, and don’t ask God if it’s okay”
- “tuesday”
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“Tuesday” is an emotional, heartbreaking ballad that comes towards the end of the album and just hits you like a truck. It is such a raw portrayal of a breakup and how uneven and unfair it can feel. An unexpected breakup can feel like the ultimate betrayal, and it can feel impossible to understand how someone you care for so deeply could do this to you. As McRae so eloquently writes, “To me it was all breaking news, but it was just Tuesday to you.”
Favorite Lyric: “Like Judas giving Jesus one kiss, F*ck it maybe Brutus’ hand slipped”
- “novelty”
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The choice between this and my number one was really difficult, but “Novelty” is still my favorite of the new tracks. It is so unbelievably catchy, and I have not stopped screaming the lyrics since I first heard it. This song is about the person you always go back to for the excitement and the validation after every failed relationship. Even though this is one of the least relatable tracks for me personally, it is so well written and fun to listen to that I constantly find myself coming back to it.
Favorite Lyric: “Your roommate’s gonna hear me leave, in the morning when the novelty has worn off from having me”
- “Savannah”
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I simply don’t know if I’m ready for this year’s Spotify Wrapped where I will be confronted by how many times I have listened to this song. It is so complex and beautiful, and it is a perfect showcase of McRae’s lyrical and vocal capabilities. McRae has spoken on TikTok about the writing process for this song and its meaning. The song is about finally taking a trip to Savannah, Georgia, with her new lover after empty promises from her ex that he would take her. As much as she wanted to leave her past behind and fall into her new relationship, she felt haunted by her ex throughout the trip. I cannot recommend looking at the lyrics and listening to McRae talk about this song enough, as it is just so meaningful and makes the song that much better to listen to.
Favorite Lyric: “You swore you’d raise our kids to end up just like you, well you’re a false prophet and that’s a g*ddamn promise”
Overall, this is just a beautiful, timeless album that I can see myself listening to for years to come. If you weren’t familiar with her before, I highly recommend you check out Jensen McRae and her body of work, as she is majorly talented and underrated.