The Secret of Us - Gracie Abrams
by Abhilasha Bhattarai | June 22nd, 2024
Photo by Abby Wailer | @abbywaisler
With a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and an opening slot on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, 24-year-old singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams seems poised to become pop’s next It Girl. Like many indie-pop artists before her, Abrams’s music is marked by a vulnerability that makes her both relatable and sympathetic.
Abrams's second studio album, The Secret of Us, offers intimate glimpses into her interior world. Lead single “Risk” tells the story of her infatuation with a man she hardly knows. Her desire, anxiety, and confusion intensify throughout the song, as she evolves from initial uncertainty (“God, I’m actually invested/Haven’t even met him/Watch this be the wrong thing, classic”) to resoluteness (“Heard the risk is drowning, but I’m gonna take it”).
In “Let It Happen,” Abrams’s ambivalence becomes even clearer: “I might barely know you but still/Don’t love you yet but probably will,” she muses. Unfortunately, the instrumentation on The Secret of Us lacks dimension. Abrams’s lyrics, delivered in a whispery vocal style, are routinely set against gentle backdrops of acoustic guitar and pulsing drums reminiscent of Taylor Swift, who’s featured on one track. Produced by Aaron Dessner of The National, the track showcases his signature finger-picking intro, which evolves into a lusher balladic sound where Abrams and Swift’s voices intertwine. Although Abrams takes the lead, Swift's solo lines add a distinctive touch.
The breakup theme, familiar to fans of both artists, is encapsulated in pointed lyrics that could easily have come from either songwriter’s pen: “And if history’s clear someone always ends up in ruins / And what seemed like fate becomes what the hell was I doing.” Specifics in the lyrics, such as “You’re 29 years old / So how can you be cold when I open my home?” and “Robert Bly on my nightstand / Gifts from you, how ironic,” add intriguing details that resonate with listeners.
Despite the lyrical depth, the album’s 13 tracks can start to feel monotonous. While Abrams’s voice is undeniably pretty, it often lacks the power of her convictions. The sole exception is “I Knew It, I Know You,” where she sings with raw abandon, offering a glimpse of her potential. Conversely, in “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” she doubles down on her wispy vocals, allowing tension to rise without release.
While her debut was filled with longing and exposed vulnerability, Gracie Abrams's second album exudes a much brighter tone, starting with the buoyant opener "Felt Good About You." This track features Vampire Weekend-esque jangly guitar rhythms and Swiftian catchy hooks like “I felt good about you ’til I didn’t” and “We were fightin’ more than laughin’, black and blue.” In “Blowing Smoke,” Abrams channels the raw energy of Alanis Morissette and Sheryl Crow while nodding to intergenerational influences like Kate Bush, Pat Benatar, and Sandra with lines such as “Tell me if she takes you far / Far enough away from all the baggage you’ve been carrying / Up that other hill to all the girls who’ll help you bury it.
Though Abrams's music still retains the introspective quality reminiscent of Phoebe Bridgers in tracks like “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and “Good Luck Charlie,” there’s a noticeable shift towards Jack Antonoff's "big bam boom" production style. This evolution is particularly evident in the Taylor Swift collaboration “Us,” which Antonoff partly produced. The rest of the album benefits from the collaboration with Aaron Dessner, the primary folk producer known for his work with Sharon Van Etten and Bess Atwell. Just as Dessner helped Swift reconnect with her roots in Folklore and Evermore, he guides Abrams towards more pop-oriented material.
Other notable tracks include “Tough Love,” which swirls with minimal electronic elements and a hint of R.E.M.’s classic guitar drive, “Gave You I Gave You I,” which features ambient influences from The 1975, and “Normal Thing,” which hides Jamie xx-inspired club-ready beats beneath its surface.
Abrams’s gift for conveying her emotions in words, and the glimpses of vocal expression she teases throughout The Secret of Us, suggest she’s capable of striking a balance that might result in a truly great pop album. Here, though, the secret to that success eludes her.
