On June 21, 2024, singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams released her second studio album, The Secret of Us. In 13 tracks spanning just over 47 minutes, Abrams dissects the chaotic joys and heartbreaks of dating in her early 20s. Lyrically and sonically, this new release demonstrates Abrams’ greater mastery and understanding of the themes she explored in her previous releases: the album Good Riddance (2023), and EPs minor (2020) and This Is What It Feels Like (2021).

Like a terrible summer situationship, this album swayed from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. As Abrams is being rather generous with the spirit of honesty, I will be too. Here are my track-by-track reviews—nothing held back.

“Felt Good About You” — Rating: 2/10

Abrams opens her album with the relatively weak “Felt Good About You,” which repeats the song title too much to be very good. This unfortunately ends up being a theme throughout the album. Nevertheless, the track summarizes The Secret of Us very well. Abrams reflects on a romantic relationship that began with high hopes, but devolved into nothing but regret. Interestingly enough, this is exactly how I felt about her father’s handling of “Game of Thrones”—the Abrams family must be very familiar with the concept of disappointment.

Favorite lyric: “All my friends, they tried to stop me wanting you / But I was never meant to listen, not until I found a reason”

“Risk” — Rating: 7/10

Released on May 1, 2024, lead single “Risk” is easily one of the top songs from the album—high-energy, catchy, very it-girl. Aaron Dessner’s production elevates the acoustic guitar behind the verses, although there are moments where Abrams’ vocals feel a bit over-processed as a result—almost as if they were sped up in post-production. The effect doesn’t totally not work (the song was in my On Repeat playlist all summer). This track is also eerily reminiscent of a Taylor Swift song. Abrams, who opened for Swift’s highly successful Eras Tour this year, must have taken some notes from her musical idol. “Cruel Summer” has many fans, indeed.

Favorite lyric: “Said I wouldn’t do it but I hunted you down”

“Blowing Smoke” — Rating: 10/10

This is by far the best track on the album. Why it wasn’t a single confounds me. Singing about a previous relationship and the latent jealousy that comes with watching an old love move on with other women, Abrams holds absolutely nothing back—she is raw, without sacrificing artistic integrity. It’s a pleasure to see her take control of the narrative and step outside the victim mentality common to break-up songs. This is a perfect banger for imperfect girls who have never let anything go.

Favorite lyric: “And you knew my last love let me down / It was your one perfect opening / And I bet you think about me now / When you should be sleeping”

“I Love You, I’m Sorry” — Rating: 6/10

Attempting to follow the Tumblr takeover of “I miss you, I’m sorry” with this track was definitely a challenge—one that Abrams has somewhat accomplished. The bridge far outshines the rest of the song, but the music video is worth watching for the summer vibes alone. I’m only three more listens away from creating a group chat with all my exes and giving out an Asshole of the Year award myself.

Favorite lyric: “Joyriding down our road / Lay on the horn to prove that it haunts me”

“us.” (feat. Taylor Swift) — Rating: 1/10

No. This is where I earn the Asshole of the Year award, because both Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams need to stop attempting to work in metaphors more complicated than the song needs. It’s not good songwriting just because you reference sonnets and Babylon. Perhaps the two ought to wallow in their heartbreak a bit more and come back to their listeners with a more carefully edited set of lyrics.

Favorite lyric: “I know your ghost, I see her through the smoke”

“Let It Happen” — Rating: 8/10

Sonically one of the more interesting melodies on the album, this track showcases the best of Abrams’ tender vulnerability. Deeply introspective, “Let It Happen” captures the uncertainty of a new relationship and the conflicting desires of wanting to be loved correctly and wanting to be loved now. This is also highly reminiscent of her earlier style, showcased especially in “Good Riddance”—I almost wish she would have made the song a bit longer, rather than leaning on her oft-used technique of closing each track with layered repetitions of the same lyric.

Favorite lyric: “Turn me into something tragic / Just for you I let it happen”

“Tough Love” — Rating: 2/10

Yay for friends, nay for men. This feels like a song that was meant to be clipped for TikTok, as it was, and I do not mean that as a compliment.

Favorite lyric: “No chance I waste my 20s on random men / Not one of them is cooler than all my friends”

“I Knew It, I Know You” — Rating: 7/10

This feels very classic Gracie Abrams, and I do mean that as a compliment! This track, rather than the above “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” is the true sequel to “I miss you, I’m sorry.” Retrospective and yearning, this is a perfectly placed gut-punch of a song in the latter half of the album, a melancholic reflection on the unintended consequences of the sacrifices relationships exact from you. 

Favorite lyric: “And all I ever did was consider you / Until all I could do was consider me”

“Gave You I Gave You I” — Rating: 5/10

The “Dear John” of this album, this track either demonstrates Abrams’ inheritance of Taylor Swift’s sad-girl era now that the blonde singer is in her All-American romance era or perhaps how Abrams’ own artistic vision in this album lies at the intersection of every other sad girl indie-pop singer who has released an album in the last two years.

Favorite lyric: “When did you slip through my fingers, did I ever have you?”

“Normal Thing” — Rating: 5/10

Phoebe Bridgers should be collecting a check right around now.

Favorite lyric: “I practice speeches in private / I was impressed with my every line”

“Good Luck Charlie” — Rating: 4/10

See above.

Favorite lyric: “You can go home at night, and you might not really need her / But you feel her everywhere”

“Free Now” — Rating: 9/10

Perhaps the most Gracie Abrams track on this album, “Free Now” starts off quiet with pared-back instruments that builds to an anxiety-filled bridge two minutes in. It is this song, more than any of the others, that shows best how Abrams has grown from “Good Riddance,” with a far more effective and thoughtful use of production. We should all be thanking Aaron Dessner.

Favorite lyric: “Feel you deep in my bones, you’re the current”

“Close To You” — Rating: 6/10

An old fan-favorite unreleased track from 2017, “Close To You” was released as the second single on May 31, 2024. Appropriately, it feels rather separate from the rest of the album, but it was certainly on all of my summer playlists.

Favorite lyric: “I don’t got a single problem with provocative”

Takeaways: Gracie Abrams is and makes music for sad girls (like me) in their early 20s (like me). I’d really love to see her grow beyond being a younger brunette nepo baby version of Taylor Swift.

Rose Chen can be reached at rchen@wesleyan.edu.