Published by Mason Oldridge, 5 December 2023
Canadian pop superstar Tate McRae follows up last year’s debut with her sophomore LP Think Later.
The album features some incredibly catchy pop songs, often matched with heavy sounds and trap beats. The record opens strong with Cut My Hair, followed by a balanced variety throughout. Singles Greedy and Exes are short and sweet with a high likelihood of becoming earworms, Grave strips back the music to place McRae’s talented vocals at the forefront whereas Stay Done mixes up the instrumentation to feature acoustic guitar. We’re Not Alike is one of the best as a song of betrayal with vocals ascending the scale on the chorus, though Messier is the true highlight; set to an immense drum beat, this track features heartwrenching lyrics with McRae’s vocals matching the raw emotion. Furthermore, Calgary is a nice nod to McRae’s stunning home city while Plastic Palm Trees closes the album nicely.
Launching with a risque album cover, McRae is building a strong public image for herself, armed with confidence plus likability. With OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder at the helm as lead producer, production is as strong as the talent McRae exudes. This is empowering 21st century female pop at its best.
9/10