Conan Gray, Kid Krow | Album Review 💿

Conan Gray impresses on his full-length debut album, Kid Krow, showing off both compelling vocal and songwriting skills.

After much anticipation, rising pop artist Conan Gray has released his highly anticipated debut album, Kid Krow (March 20, 2020). Kid Krow marks a big milestone for the 21-year-old California-born artist, who gained attention early on as a YouTube personality. Ultimately, he’s quite impressive throughout the course of the album, showing off compelling vocal and songwriting skills. Kid Krow, hence, is a must-hear pop album.

“Comfort Crowd”

Conan Gray commences Kid Krow thoughtfully on ✓ “Comfort Crowd,” a relatable record where the lonely protagonist simply needs friends/friendship – a ‘comfort crowd.’  After lying and saying, “‘I’m fine, I don’t really need nobody,’” on the chorus, he expresses the truth: “I just needed company now / Yeah, I just need someone around…” Gray sings beautifully, approaching the record with a calm, cool, and collected approach.  It’s quite successful.

“This party’s shit, wish we could dip / Go anywhere but here…” If “Comfort Crowd” failed to rouse you, ✓ “Wish You Were Sober” kicks things a up a notch – strike that – a couple of notches.  Backed by electrifying synthpop production by Dan Nigro, Gray certainly has fuel for his fire, delivering a more assertive performance compared to “Comfort Crowd.”  He never overreaches, but he digs in more, in addition to showing off a ripe falsetto.  The best moment – the catchy, epic chorus of course!

Conan Gray maintains the energy level of the high-flying “Wish You Were Sober” on follow-up ✓ “Maniac.”  Though he sings in an undertone on the verses, he rises to the occasion on the chorus.  Furthermore, he exhibits great personality on the post-chorus, as he assertively and playfully sings, “You maniac.”  The bridge also marks another winning moment for Gray, as he sings, “Psychopath, don’t be so dramatic / We had magic, but you made it tragic…”  Adding to the allure of this second consecutive electro-pop infused number is Nigro’s production work – can’t neglect to mention his role in constructing this surefire bop.

“Checkmate” 

“(Online Love)” is essentially an interlude (less than :40 seconds in duration), but it’s a potent one.  Conan Gray reflects on virtual dating, which clearly doesn’t supplant a live, in-person relationship.  The superb ✓ “Checkmate” follows, finding Gray incredibly feisty, playful, and well, pissed off.  His lover is playing games with him and apparently believes they are ‘winning’ while in reality, Conan is victorious – CHECKMATE! Like the previous bops, “Checkmate” excels in about every facet.  Great production, particularly emphasizing guitars on this cut, great songwriting (chorus and bridge especially), and most of all, a complete, expressive vocal performance.

“The Cut That Always Bleeds” continues on with ‘matters of the heart’ fueling Gray’s fire.  The lyrics are darkly poetic – thoughtfully penned to say the least.  A prime example occurs on the first verse when he sings, “‘Cause you keep me on a rope / And tied a noose around my throat / You’re gone then back at my door.” Gray contradicts himself at times, essentially painting the perfect picture of the plight of love – liking someone, yet knowing it’s best to move on, yet not being able to move on, etc.

Of “Fight or Flight,” Gray tells Apple Music, “I wanted it to be this super chaotic, melodramatic song about finding out that someone has cheated on you or finding out that someone has multiple people in their lives that you just didn’t know about.”  Gray’s definitely perturbed, ratcheting up his feelings with more emotional lyrics, such as, “You tell me it ain’t what it seems / But, baby, this is lookin’ like a crime scene / There’s clothes thrown on the balcony / And you smell like perfume out a magazine…” Furthermore, he’s tore up on the chorus, left with a decision about how to cope with such disappointment – “As you admit there’s someone new / It’s my move, fight or flight?”

“Affluenza” 

Any opportunity to use the word affluenza is worth taking.  Conan Gray devotes an entire song to it. On “Affluenza,” he sings about the plight of rich kids, who still have their fair share of issues ad problems, even if money isn’t one of them.  Rightfully, Gray sings, “Give me none of your affluenza, affluenza, affluenza.” Notably, there’s a famous (or infamous) case involving affluenza as a defense. “(Can We Be Friends?)” gives Gray his second interlude, most notable for its colorful ‘bombs’.  I quote:

“And if anybody fucks with you
They fuck with me
So, if anybody fucks with you
I’ll knock their teeth out.”

One of my personal favorite songs from Kid Krow is ✓ “Heather,” where Conan is wrongfully mad at Heather.  Why? The person he likes doesn’t like him, but likes Heather, so therefore, he dislikes Heather (“But how could I hate her? She’s such an angel / But then again, kinda wish she were dead…”).  It’s illogical, but very relatable, particularly the chorus:

“Why would you ever kiss me?
I’m not even half as pretty
You gave her your sweater, it’s just polyester
But you like her better
(I wish I were Heather).” 

On “Little League,” Gray reminisces back on his younger days, wondering where the time went, what’s become of his friends, and such.  Often, when we are kids, we want to grow up as quick as possible.  Once you reach adulthood, you remember the memories and times of the past, and you long to return back to them, at least every so often.  That’s exactly what Conan does on “Little League,” a great preface for arguably the album’s crowning achievement…

“The Story”

“And the movie’s always runnin’ in my head / All the people, all the lovers, all my friends / And I hope that they all get their happy end / In the end.” ✓  “The Story” is an absolutely stunning record – an awesome promo single from Kid Krow. Conan Gray’s voice is simply angelic; he sings with incredible control and expression.  Beyond his vocal performance, the pros are abundant. “The Story” is accomplished when it comes to production (Daniel Nigro) and songwriting. The production begins very restrained and minimalist, placing the emphasis on Gray’s illustrious vocals.  With such adept pacing, things percolate at the perfect moment, with Conan’s pipes following suit.

The songwriting (solely penned by Gray) is even more magical.  encompassing unfortunate suicide (“They were just sixteen when people were mean / So they didn’t love themselves, and now they’re gone / Headstones on a lawn”) and unrealized romance (“I knew a boy and a boy / Best friends with each other, but always wished they were more”).  The ‘sequel’ encompasses two friends trying to make a better life for themselves beyond their evil parents. All boxes are checked off on this totally must-hear, narrative gem that concludes Kid Krow.

Final Thoughts 

Want to know how to slay a full-length, debut album? Just ask Conan Gray, because he does just that on Kid Krow.  The songwriting is potent throughout, and Gray does a nice job of balancing slower, more emotional cuts with quicker, more energetic ones. The production suits him throughout, mostly helmed by Dan Nigro.  Vocally, Gray is quite impressive, never overreaching nor underwhelming.  He knows when to pull back and when to push.  All in all, Kid Krow is a must-hear pop album – you need this in your life!

✓ Gems: “Comfort Crowd,” “Wish You Were Sober,” “Maniac,” “Checkmate,” “Heather” & “The Story” 

Conan Gray • Kid Krow • Republic • Release: 3.20.20

Photo Credit: Republic