Gracie Abrams has had a busy year opening up for Taylor Swift, headlining her own tour, and releasing her sophomore album “The Secret of Us”. On top of this, Abrams dropped the deluxe version of “The Secret of Us” on Friday, October 18th. The Deluxe edition is penned with Abrams’s usual confessional lyrics that make you feel like you are reading her diary. It includes four new songs: “Cool”, “That’s so True”, “I Told you Things”, and “Packing it Up”. In addition, Abrams included three live versions of songs on the original album.
The first new song, “Cool, ” opens to a synth beat and proves that Abrams is not afraid to name names. It is rumored to be about actor Dylan O’Brien as various women he has been linked to are featured in the song lyrics, including Sadie Sink, Sarah Ramos, and Elle Fanning. The song details her post-breakup feelings and reveals she has compared notes with his exes. Overall, she makes the point that she is not as “cool” about the end of their relationship as she pretends to be.
The next song, “That’s So True” was originally debuted by Abrams at a live show and went viral on social media. The track features a jagged guitar strumming and reflects her difficulty moving on post-breakup. It explores the complex feelings one has when seeing their ex with someone new. She writes “…I think I like her, she’s so fun. Wait I think I hate her, I’m not that evolved”. These relatable lyrics are what has enabled her to build a strong base of loyal listeners who resonate with what she has to say.
“I Told You Things” focuses on themes of longing and loss as she describes losing color in her face and fearing she may be insane. Abrams contemplates telling her ex things she never said to anyone else. The song is relatable for those struggling to move on after a breakup and is a confessional Gracie Abrams staple.
The last song, “Packing it Up” ends an album full of regret, loss, and longing on a positive note. Just when she is about to “pack it all up” and give up, she finds someone new. She sings, “I swear that I wasn’t looking for much but that’s just when you happened”. The song is a hopeful message for those waiting on their turn for love and a beautiful way to close a heartfelt and emotionally raw album!
Overall, the deluxe version of “The Secret of Us” features what Abrams does best, emotionally charged and vulnerable lyrics.Â