An emotional rollercoaster—that’s how I would describe Wishbone, the fourth album by Conan Gray. It was released on August 15th, and if you had checked my phone since then, you’d have seen nothing but a sailor with a giant wishbone on his back all over my Spotify.
PHOTO: DILLON MATTHEW
Along with the album release came the music video for Caramel, continuing the story from the previously released videos for This Song and Vodka Cranberry. The trilogy follows two boys, Wilson and Brando, played by Conan Gray and Corey Fogelmanis. It begins with the beautiful love story of This Song and the line “You know that I love you,” shifts into the tension and conflict of Vodka Cranberry with “I know you hate me,” and ends with a reunion in Caramel, singing lines like “But you burn inside my memory so well.” Caramel is about a past love you just can’t let go of—it stays sweet and irresistible. Conan made sure you feel a whirlwind of emotions while watching the three-video series. And if you’re wondering if there’s a happy ending, you’ll have to watch and see for yourself.
While Caramel got its moment as the focus track, the first song of the album, Actor, was the perfect choice to open it. It starts off slow, then builds and builds. It’s a breakup song that captures the pain of watching someone act so well like nothing ever happened, that you begin to wonder if it was ever real. By the time the bridge hits, you’ll probably be on the floor, wrecked by the lyrics.
If you ever cared, well, I wouldn’t know
Blame it on a bad manic episode
When you meet a girl on some TV show
There’s a side of you that she’ll never know
The second track, This Song, was the first single released for this album. Putting such a beautiful love song right after a heartbreak song feels almost criminal, if you ask me.
After Vodka Cranberry, we get Romeo as the fourth track. It didn’t sound like what I expected at first—but the more I listened, the more I loved it. It’s refreshing to have, alongside so many heartbreak tracks, a fun song that’s about not wanting someone anymore. It’s a danceable song and basically says “screw you” to the other person. Personally, I love these kinds of songs.
I don’t wanna know what you did
With all the girls you swapped me with
Your drunken mouth all on her lips
Guess I was just your experiment (Fuck)
The next track is another upbeat one. My World is about owning your life, doing what you want, and not holding back your needs for anyone else.
But why?
It’s my world and it’s my life
It’s my girl and it’s my guy
I’ll kiss ’em if I might like
I don’t have you in mind
By track six, the fun is clearly over. Class Clown is a reflective song about Conan’s past, and how he still falls back into the role of the class clown, even though he’s grown and changed. I saw someone online say that if his earlier songs Family Line and Summer Child had a child, it would be Class Clown. Honestly, that sums it up perfectly.
Everything is over now
I still feel like the class clown
Like if I get older now
I’ll let my younger version down
And if I stop laughing, all the blood will just start pouring out
If you thought the lyrics couldn’t get more emotional—surprise! Track seven, Nauseous, is my personal favorite. The dreamy but melancholic instrumental paired with the heartbreaking lyrics completely swept me away. I don’t even know how to explain how much this song makes me feel—you really should listen to it yourself.
Your love is a threat and I’m nauseous
Scares me to death, how I want it
Not common sense, but I’m haunted
By people who’ve left, so you scare me to death
With Caramel already mentioned, that brings us to track nine, Connell. Another beautiful song, though the lyrics are wrecking. It’s about loving someone who wasn’t as invested as you were. I especially love the shift in the instrumental during the outro—it’s stunning.
Skipping your stones at my window in the dark
Kissing your ghost was my own damn fucking fault
But deep in my bones I know pain is what I earned
And you remind me of how good it feels to hurt
Yeah, you remind me of how little I deserve
Sunset Tower is track ten, and I love how mesmerizing it sounds. The final chorus has gorgeous background vocals that blend seamlessly into the song. Lyrically, it’s about not wanting to know how an ex is doing because you can’t bear to hear it—you’re still stuck in the heartbreak.
And I know what you said as I was leaving your place
You’ve got a messed-up head and you need some space
I said, “Yeah, that’s clear, go get some help”
But if you’re working on yourself
Don’t tell me
Track eleven, appropriately called Eleven Eleven, is one of my lyrical favorites. Conan sings about a past lover, refusing to fully accept the relationship is over, and instead holding on to superstitions and signs as a way to hold onto hope that this person might come back.
There’s wishbones and clovers and numbers from heaven
Shapes in the stars to invent our connection
As much as I act like I want to forget it
I still wish for you at 11:11
Finally, the album closes with Care. It’s about thinking you’re finally over someone—and in some ways, you are—but you still care. I would have expected the last song to be one about completely moving on, but honestly, this ending feels more beautiful. To me, it shows that even when something ends, it doesn’t erase the memories or the good parts. You’re still allowed to care.
And I don’t cry ’cause it is over
I just don’t feel like I could love again
And I told myself that I’m over you
But I care, I care, care, care
Overall, the album is bittersweet. There’s love, heartbreak, growth, and memory all wrapped together. Once again, Conan does what he does best: completely wrecking us with gut-punching lyrics, while also filling us with warmth, joy, and his unreal voice. This album left me with so many emotions. If you ever need a warm hug, go listen to Wishbone.