Review – “Good Riddance” by Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams finally steps forward with her debut LP, leading with the success and following she’s already gained, but the big question this album begs us to ask is if she can she keep the momentum.
“Last night, I spiraled alone in the kitchen,
Making pretend that the furniture listened…”
In 2023, I learned that the daughter of famed screenwriter, producer, and director J. J. Abrams became involved in and established herself as a leading upcoming talent in the world of “sad girl” music. In fact, 2023 was the year of her debut album’s release which she was able to tour in support of at several shows as one of the opening acts for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. It was at one of these very Taylor Swift shows that I discovered Gracie Abrams, and I was incredibly impressed with her stage presence and performance, especially considering how new she is to the scene. I walked away from that show not only impressed with the main act, but also curious about Abrams’ work which I dived into only a few short days later, starting with her debut album, “Good Riddance.”
The first thing I will say about “Good Riddance” is that it is not groundbreaking, earth-shattering, record-setting work. Rather, it is a solid debut that has further set Abrams on firm footing to keep the momentum she had going from her releases prior to her official debut LP. In other words, she’s off to a good start with a lot of very visible potential. This debut record is emotionally available and vulnerable, consistently well-written, and all-around enjoyable, but Abrams will need to build off of this to set herself apart if she wishes to continue down the path she’s already been successful on. I do want to make it clear that I really enjoy “Good Riddance,” but I do need it to be known that these are the thoughts that stick with me as I listen. She’s nailed down the formula for an effective “sad girl” indie rock album almost perfectly with her light and airy vocals, catchy choruses, and emotional appeal, but in such an over-saturated market where there are as many “sad girls” as there are listeners, the record itself feels like it needs more if it wants to truly rise above the rest.
One of the great strengths that “Good Riddance” does hold over its competition is its production value. Upon first listen, I noticed that something about the album sounded familiar, so I looked it up and found that Aaron Dessner, lead guitarist for The National (one of my all-time favorite bands), produced this album and co-wrote with Abrams on all tracks. His fingerprints are everywhere on it, but most notably in the shimmery, clean guitar that is his signature sound on “I should hate you” and “The blue.” In addition to Dessner, Brian Eno also made an appearance in songwriting and production on the closer “Right now” which is a strong conclusion to the album. These two producers are forces to be reckoned with when it comes to album production, so I was excited to see their involvement in a debut record of this caliber and their influence is more than apparent in the results.
My overall evaluation of “Good Riddance” is this: Gracie Abrams’ songwriting talent and performing ability is getting her off to a good start. She has also enlisted the help of who I would argue are two of the best music producers currently out on the scene. If she continues working with this momentum, I’m excited to see what she pulls off because she has a lot of potential to leave quite the impression on listeners in the future if she expands from where she’s already started.
Overall Rating: 7.6/10
Top Tracks:
– I know it won’t work
– Where do we go now?
– Difficult