Pop phenomenon Tate McRae released her highly anticipated album, So Close to What, on February 21st, just a year after THINK LATER. The album was preceded by singles "It's ok I'm ok," "2 hands," and "sports car." So Close to What has a total of fifteen tracks, including the long-awaited track, "Revolving door," which McRae had teased on her social media accounts beforehand, as well as a song featuring her boyfriend, artist The Kid Laroi.

Image Credit: Krainagrzybow on Wikimedia Commons

"Miss possessive" — 3/5

"Miss possessive" is very catchy; the beat and melody reminds me of the one in "It's ok I'm ok." I don't particularly enjoy the post-chorus where she sings "Better, better keep your, keep your, keep your, keep your," since it gets a bit repetitive. I would probably add this song to an academic grind playlist, and rate it three out of five stars.

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"2 hands" — 4.5/5

I absolutely love McRae's voice in "2 hands," along with the beat and the melody: it all works super well together. When I first listened to this song, I knew I had to add it to my top songs list since it is so good. I would I give "2 hands" four-point-five out of five stars!

"Revolving door" — 5/5

I stumbled upon the teaser for "Revolving door" one day when I was scrolling on social media, and was immediately hooked. This is probably one of my favorite songs on So Close to What, with its well-written lyrics, McRae's soothing voice, and unforgettable melody. Even if you don't listen to the entirety of her album, I would definitely recommend you to listen to "Revolving door" at least once since I think it deserves a full five out of five stars.

"bloodonmyhands (feat. Flo Milli)" — 3/5

This song is a mixture of pop, R&B, and some flowing rap, featuring American rapper Flo Milli. As a person who doesn't really enjoy rap, I didn't particularly enjoy that part. However, I liked McRae's parts, which had an angelic melody backed nicely with Flo Milli's ad libs. I would give "bloodonmyhands" a three out of five stars.

"Dear god" — 4/5

"Dear god" has a melody and beat that is very similar to "2 hands," both which I really enjoyed when I listened to them for the first time. I liked this song a lot, but didn't like the lyrics as much. Thus, I rated "Dear god" a solid four out of five stars.

"Purple lace bra" — 4/5

When I listen to "Purple lace bra," the chorus part reminds me of Addison Rae's "diet pepsi." I really liked how the song faded a bit, for example, around 2:40 minutes into the song. I thought it was unique and added a nice touch to the song. Originally, I was going to rate "Purple lace bra" three-point-five out of five stars, but I decided to bump it up to a 4 because of its soothing chorus line.

"Sports car" — 3.5/5

"Sports car" has a creative and unique chorus compared to the other tracks on McRae's album. Instead of being fully sung, she sings it in a whispery tone which I thought blended very well with the vibe of song and the beat. However, the song's genre isn't really my things. I would rate "Sports car" three-point-five out of five stars.

"Signs" — 5/5

At first, I thought I wouldn't like "Signs," but after I reached the beat drop, I immediately changed my mind. I absolutely loved the shift into a higher melody later in the song as well. After listening to that part, I decided to rate "Signs" a full five out of five stars. You might need to give it a while, but in my opinion, it is a great song!

"I know love (feat. The Kid LAROI)" — 5/5

This collaboration was definitely needed on the album, and it didn't disappoint. McRae and The Kid LAROI sings about their relationship and how they met during the song. Their voices complemented each other so well along with the well-written melody and beat. I would definitely rate "I know love" a five out of five stars.

"Like I do" — 4.5/5

"Like I do" is a laid back, chill song with a unwinding beat and melody combination. The lyrics delve into the themes of frustration of betrayals, like how people can mask their true intentions. I really liked this song overall, and I would give it four-point-five out of five stars.

"It's ok I'm ok" — 4/5

Backed with powerful beats and a smooth melody line, "It's ok I'm ok" is the perfect combination of all of McRae's signature music styles. It's definitely one of the best songs on So Close to What to play at parties or dances. The lyrics do tend to get a little repetitive, but I didn't really mind that in this song. I would give "It's ok I'm ok" four out of five stars.

"No I'm not in love" — 4/5

By this point, you're probably noticing a trend of me giving every track a pretty high rating. Because honestly, all of these songs are legendary and I love them all. With these relatable lyrics, catchy beat, and appealing melody, "No I'm not in love" deserves a four out of five stars.

"Means I care" — 5/5

"Means I care" is definitely an underrated song on the album. McRae sings about not being good at self-expression relating to ghosting in a relationship, which is definitely relatable to many. This song also highlights McRae's vocal ability, with impressive riffs and a varying vocal range.

It is also a little different from the songs in the beginning of the album, which I appreciate. I love "Means I care" and would rate it a full five out of five stars.

"Greenlight" — 5/5

McRae sings about expectations and waiting for the "greenlight," but still not being able to keep going based on what was heard previously. I could hear the emotion of her voice in this song and really liked the toned down, slower beat of this song. I would definitely give "Greenlight" a five out of five stars.

"Nostalgia" — 4/5

"Nostalgia" tells various stories that stems thoughts of regret, loss, and the emotional weight of unfulfilled dreams. It is backed by an emotional guitar instrumental and is the perfect rainy day song. I loved how McRae had started off Close to What with a quick-paced and strong song, and ended it with something heart-touching like "Nostalgia." I would give this song a four out of five stars.

Conclusion

I absolutely loved So Close to What and would overall rate it to be a five star album. All of these tracks are beautifully written, paired with catchy beats and melodies to match the song's vibes. There was a lot of four and five star tracks that did not disappoint!

These songs also fit so well with the aesthetic that the album is going with in the music videos as well. So Close to What was definitely a successful album, in my opinion. McRae just might be on my top artists this year because of this phenomenal album!

Happy listening!