If you don’t know the name Gracie Abrams yet, you probably will in the next few years. You may already recognize her as an opener from Oliva Rodrigo’s “SOUR tour,” but you will soon know her for her incredible music. The 23-year-old daughter of J.J Abrams and Katie McGrath, Gracie knew she wanted to be a songwriter from a young age. She emerged into the music scene back in 2019 with simple covers and acoustic original songs on her Instagram. However, we are just now getting her debut album, nearly 4 years later! Her first EP, minor, was released in 2020, and her second one, This Is What It Feels Like, (which “feels like” an album) was released in 2021, with both proving what a personal and introspective songwriter Abrams is. 2023 looks like it could be her year, with her headlining her own tour in March, and then opening for Taylor Swift on her record-breaking “Eras Tour.” For now, though, we will jam out to Good Riddance.
Good Riddance is the first, highly anticipated studio album from Gracie Abrams. The whole album was done in collaboration with Aaron Desner, who helped produce and write the album with Abrams. Desner is known for his work with the National, Big Red Machine, and perhaps most notably, for his work with Taylor Swift on folklore and evermore, the former of which he won a Grammy for Album of the Year. Desner and Abrams have been close collaborators for the past few years, with him being an integral part of her 2021 EP. However, Good Riddance seems to be a culmination of all the work they’ve done together. It blends the softer, youthful style of Abrams’ voice and songwriting with the unique and experimental production style Desner always brings to his projects. The project is perhaps the most sonically cohesive of Abrams’ work yet, with each song painting a vivid picture of the overall story of the album.
The album opens with the track, “Best,” which is a gut-wrenching track detailing the self-destructive tendencies one can have in a relationship. The introspective song discusses how a person can fall for you, and you can just think “good riddance.” Abrams is no stranger to taking ownership of her faults in her relationships or admitting to the struggles she faces, especially mentally. “Best,” is almost a culmination of all the times Abrams introspects on what she could’ve done better, and it makes it such a perfect opener for the album.
The album acts as a window to different parts of a relationship, or relationships. Songs like “This is what the drugs are for” detail the pain of being left alone in the aftermath, “I know it won’t work,” talks about the struggle to accept that a relationship has ended, and “Where do we go now,” shows how a relationship can just fall apart, and how no matter how hard you try to get back to what it was, sometimes, things just end.
The album isn’t perfect. Upon a first listen, the album almost seems to have repeats, with songs almost sounding the same. However, with each further listen, the story becomes more prominent, and the sonically cohesive quality of the songs strings the plot together. Unique instruments, melodies, and effects become more prominent in each of the songs, making this a debut album for the records. It almost represents the image Gracie tries to paint with her words, that sometimes the flaws of something can glare on the surface, but each of the cracks is part of the story, building up to something greater.
Good Riddance is sure to be remembered as one of the highlights of 2023, especially on the indie pop music scene. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift, and Lizzy McAlpine can find bits of the vivid songwriting that are characteristic of their favorite artists in this album, but with a new spin that is uniquely Gracie. If you haven’t checked it out yet, Good Riddance should be next on your listening list. The album makes you want to say “Good Riddance” to the negative thoughts and people in your life, but it proves that Gracie Abrams is here to stay, and Good Riddance is the last thing we’ll say about her career.
Rating: 9/10
