Kid Krow by by Conan Gray

graphic by Julie Liu At only 20 years old, Conan Gray has taken the world by storm with his relatable music and mellow singing voice. After releasing his EP “Sunset Season” in 2018, Gray moved on to create his most recent “Kid Krow” which debuted on March 20. “Kid Krow” showcases intimate music as found in previous while diversifying the music with more pop-style tracks. It nostalgically carries listeners through Gray’s high school experiences, from friends to money problems to crushes. Gray makes an ode to his online and personal friends in “Comfort Crowd” and “Little League,” which discuss his childhood relationships, as well as in interludes “(Can We Be Friends?)” and “(Online Love).” These intimate songs are dedicated to those who have supported him on social media since the start of his career. Although Gray is known for more mellow music, pop songs “Wish You Were Sober” and “Maniac” stand out as hit singles-to- be, with the latter already at a ranking of 49 according to Headline Planet. With the impressive vocals, infectious bass line, and teen spirit, there is nothing missing on these tracks. The theme of teenage rebellion continues onto tunes like “Checkmate,” with Gray singing “Cry me a river ‘til you drown in the lake/’Cause you may think you’re winning, but checkmate.” Despite the pop vibe running through “Kid Krow,” Gray still sticks to his root genre with lyrical music like “Comfort Crowd” and “The Cut that Always Bleeds” that explore Gray’s vulnerable side and feature themes of friendship and heartbreak. Without a doubt, “Kid Krow” is not an album to miss. Each song features relatable emotions and poetic lyrics, and although the combination of pop songs and ballads seems somewhat mismatched, it is a great precursor to future music from an up-and-coming artist.