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Album Review: Conan Gray - Kid Krow

  • Writer: Abigail Smith
    Abigail Smith
  • Mar 31, 2020
  • 4 min read

Singer-songwriter and former YouTube vlogger Conan Gray breaks onto the indie-pop scene with his full-length debut Kid Krow.

Conan Gray began his music career on YouTube posting covers, originals, and vlog-style videos documenting his life as a teen in a small Texas town. Following the 2018 release of his debut EP, Sunset Season, Conan went on to tour with Panic! At the Disco and even make his TV debut performing "Crush Culture" on Late Night with Seth Meyers.


Conan Gray’s debut Kid Krow was released on March 20, 2020 through Republic Records. The album was produced by Daniel Nigro except the track “Little League”, which was produced by Captain Cuts.


One thing that stands out about Kid Krow is its overall sound. As a whole, Kid Krow is definitely a ‘pop’ album however, you can hear throughout the album that there are influences from a variety of other genres and styles of music. There are tracks like "Maniac” which have more of an 80’s synth-pop vibe, “Comfort Crowd” and “Fight or Flight” have a more rock sound, and emotional ballads like “The Cut That Always Bleeds” and “Heather”. This album does a great job showcasing the flexibility that Conan Gray has when it comes to creating music.

Conan gives an outstanding vocal performance on Kid Krow. He has an insanely beautiful singing voice and the ability to express so many different emotions through his vocals whether that be a more angsty and sarcastic tone or a more melancholy one.


Kid Krow also does a great job showcasing Conan Gray’s talent as a songwriter and lyricist. Conan receives a songwriting credit for every track on Kid Krow, many of which he is the sole contributor. Throughout this album many topics are discussed including heartbreak, the importance of friendship, growing up, and reminiscing on adolescence. Each track on Kid Krow tells a very clear story that can be easily understood due to the visuals provided by the lyrics.

One of my favorite tracks lyrically off of Kid Krow would be “The Cut That Always Bleeds”. This track depicts a sort of toxic relationship which consisted of the other person deciding to leave every few weeks and right before Conan could completely heal from it, they would come back into his life opening old wounds and bringing back these feelings he had for them. The track starts with the lyrics “I don't love you anymore/ A pretty line that I adore/ Five words that I've heard before.” This implies that the cycle of this person leaving and coming back has been going on for some time. Throughout the song Conan also uses description like having his heart beaten black and blue or comparing himself to a “lover on a leash” because it seems that the other person has constant control of his emotions. This track really tugs at the heartstrings and you can hear the pain in his voice as he sings it.


Out of the more upbeat tracks on Kid Krow, “Wish You Were Sober” was definitely a favorite. This track was released two days prior to the album. The song depicts Conan at a party that he really doesn’t want to be at. He is talking to someone who he has strong feelings for but the only only way the other person will admit that they have the same feelings for him is if the are blackout drunk. This song gives off major Taylor Swift vibes and sounds like it could be something off of her album 1989. Conan Gray has referred to Taylor Swift as one of his major music influences so this makes sense. This song has been the soundtrack to many late-night dance parties in my room. It's nearly impossible to not dance while listening to it.


The final song I am going to talk about is the album's closing track, “The Story”. This is my favorite song from Kid Krow and quite possibly my favorite song out of Conan Gray’s entire discography. This track has a similar sound to some of the music Conan used to make and post on YouTube. It’s very stripped-back and acoustic for the most part. It almost sounds like it could be a country song. The main difference is that over time his songwriting and production quality has matured quite a bit. “The Story” was beautifully written and I believe it gives an important message. Throughout the song, Conan mentions different people and the negative situations they are in. There are two teens who passed away from suicide after being bullied, two boys who loved each other but were afraid to tell one another because of how people might react, and mentions of growing up in a toxic household. In the chorus Conan sings, “Oh, and I'm afraid that's just the way the world works/ It ain't funny, it ain't pretty, it ain't sweet/ Oh, and I'm afraid that's just the way the world works/ But I think that it could work for you and me/ Just wait and see/ It's not the end of the story.” The way I interpret this song is that your life is your story. Like any good story, there are going to be negative moments and obstacles that you will have to overcome in order to grow. At the time, it may seem like that is the way your life is going to be forever but with time it will get better. I think “The Story” was the perfect ending to Kid Krow.


Overall, Kid Krow is a phenomenal album and I don’t think Conan could have created something more perfect for his debut. He does a great job showcasing his songwriting talent and stylistic range as an artist. Whether you are looking to have a solo dance party in your bedroom or a 3AM crying session, this is an album for you.


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