Gracie Abrams - Good Riddance

Since releasing her debut EP back in 2020, Gracie Abrams has shown a knack for plunging headfirst into the depths of her mind with each lyric, unflinchingly baring all. This continues with ‘Good Riddance’, a gut-wrenching yet joyous journey into the thick of her every feeling, with neither sugar-coating or shame. It’s a walk on a tightrope, balanced precariously between a downward spiralling cascade of thought: recounting the downfall of a relationship; worrying over moving away from home; reminiscing on the people who have impacted her along the way. She’s always candid - and always shifting. One second she can’t get her thoughts out quick enough, tumbling through her overthinking with seemingly nothing to break her fall. The next, she’s sagely reflecting on what she has to learn. ‘I Should Hate You’ is a case in point - dejected, intensifying pop, wrought and unravelling sonically throughout a few minutes. ‘Full Machine’ almost pleads, while ‘This Is What The Drugs Are For’ sees her hushed vocals and muted guitars get lost in memories of the past. ‘Right Now’, the final track on this debut full-length, leans on simplistic production to conjure something far more complex. “I’m so high, but can’t look down,” Gracie exhales, in one final shift. Once unsteady feet become more self-assured than ever as she draws ‘Good Riddance’ to a close.