Album Review | ‘Wishbone’ by Conan Gray

Gray’s 5th record melts into the bevy of emotions surrounding heartbreak in a breathtaking mix of dreamy production.

Cover art courtesy of Republic Records

I remember hearing about Conan Gray years ago when he was doing stuff on YouTube. His output has really blossomed since the beginning of the 2020s. His prior release, Found Heaven, drew attention due to his unique and unfettered approach to 80s glam.

Wishbone is what finally reeled me in due to its softer, dreamier sound and queer outlook on heartbreak. This latest album explores the gamut of emotions one goes through when they realize they were never looked at as a prize, instead, only something to be hidden and cast aside.

Gray explained to NME that he wanted to show all sides of what circles your mind in the aftershocks of a breakup:

“It’s an album about breakups and about every little piece that you go through when you’re going through a breakup. It’s denial and wanting someone back, and anger and then missing someone, and then empathy, but also, like, ‘Fuck you’. It’s a dissection of every little piece of what a breakup feels like… I think all the influences came together to make a very indescript sound, which is very me. My goal with the album from the beginning was to just make something so unbelievably you, even if you don’t really know exactly what that is. Just follow your gut.” — Conan Gray via NME (2025)

There’s a piercing sorrow to how Conan’s ex denies any attachment to him through his closeted shame on the opening track “Actor.” Gray’s voice is permeated with that sorrow, knowing that he can’t erase the imprint their love affair had on him.

He pinpoints this song as one of the pivotal moments for the record in his Capital Buzz interview:

“‘Actor’ felt like the perfect way to give people a rundown of exactly how I was feeling from top to bottom of the album. In so many ways, that first verse, I think, kind of covers everything. You know, it’s like, ‘Okay, well, here’s what happened. Here’s what broke my heart. Here’s how I feel about it.’ And I think it’s almost like, you know, the first single of the album… It’s one of the ones that I felt was just a cornerstone of the story of the album.” — Conan Gray via Capital Buzz (2025)

Behind all this lyrical heartbreak is a melancholic beauty brought out by baby blue string melodies and wistful acoustic guitar. It sounds like reliving a memory you wish would lose the ache it still stirs.

“This Song” only feels more painful after weathering the erasure brought up on the prior track. Conan remains suspended in time, wishing he’d had the courage to profess the love he’s sure would have been returned at the time. I adore how the strings perfume the air with a floral sweetness. We lose the blues from before, as warmth enters the atmosphere, thinking of how happy we were during our time with this man. It’s a sentiment I can easily connect to. That fear of rejection, because the man would bring butterflies in your stomach, may not be shared. The sting of regret brings a raw quality to this dreamy piece.

[embed]The official music video for “This Song” directed by

We cut to the moment this relationship’s flame finally burned out in “Vodka Cranberry.” Desperation now fades into shame for holding onto a love that has disappeared from your partner’s mind. I love the little play Gray puts in his voice in his verse before burying us in a wave of heart-wrenching harmonies. Sonically, it sounds like golden hour. The strings and soft guitars all point to the sun setting on this chapter in our lives. It’s an excellent song to cry out all the pain heartbreak has to offer before you embark on the trail.

[embed]The official music video for “Vodka Cranberry” directed by

Conan purges the guilt he once carried over this failure of this relationship and aims to lock this door behind him in “Romeo.” The fog of love, now lifted, has enlightened him to all the worst sides of his boyfriend, which he had looked past to keep him by his side. There’s a little alt-rock sneer behind both his delivery and the arrangement that drives home this resentment that’s overflowing within us. It’s a little Olivia Rodrigo flavored. What makes it special to me is how Gray balances his dreamy aesthetic with this ‘90s alternative attitude that’s rolled in.

“My World” takes us forward as we seek to finally find our own identity outside of the relationship that had a chokehold over us. While a bitterness still holds tight to our emotions, we’ve found solace in our authenticity that our ex has yet to reveal to the world. You can hear a change in his outlook in how bright and optimistic the melodies now sound behind him. There’s a sense of determination behind the powerful kicks of strings and soaring synths that feel the air. It’s rather stratospheric-sounding.

“Class Clown” really pulled at my heartstrings. Conan’s description of using humor to mask the pain of familial hardships and traumas, as well as personal confusion, hits close to home. That fear of judgment if someone finds out your secret shame is something I think many can relate to either personally or from second-hand experience. Using the disillusioned innocence pulled through this mix of guitar and strings only amplifies how much hurt still burns deep within. It’s very impactful.

Apprehension of heartbreak from someone who appears genuine has us one foot out the door on “Nauseous.” After cyclical disappointments from men that you’d expect this kind of treatment from, the fear of having the rug pulled out from under you by someone sensitive and well-meaning has us ready to isolate from the dating world. Gray pushes and pulls from this folksy, shy sound in the verses to frustrated release at the end of each line of the chorus. I love the creamy textures that ebb between desire and pain.

“Caramel” evokes this sweetness left behind in our minds from an ex who otherwise leaves an acrid taste from their toxicity. It’s those moments of passion that pull you back into their gravity despite all the emotional/mental fatigue they leave you with.

Conan revealed to Capital Buzz how the song he wanted to highlight those bittersweet moments of love after the chapter has closed:

“I’ve always reached a point with everyone who’s ever left my life where the pain has kind of dulled. And you can take a moment to step back and be like, ‘At the end of the day, though, like I really liked you. You really meant a lot to me. Every time we’re in the same city, I kind of wish I could call you, but I can’t, which is weird.’.. It’s like all these super confusing paths that you have to go through. So, I think it’s fun to kind of acknowledge that you do miss someone. I think to act like you just hate someone after dating them is so untrue because obviously at one point you loved them. So, you can’t just ignore that.” — Conan Gray via Capital Buzz (2025)

I love how the swell and fall of this Americana-tinged arrangement brings out the colors of honey. It’s sweet and supple, sounding just like the vestiges of a relationship that still bring a smile to your face.

[embed]The official music video for “Caramel” directed by Danica Kleinknecht.

“Connell” sinks its teeth in with the burn of a man who would never treat a male lover the way he does a female. You’re left feeling like a dry dishrag meant to be hidden. It’s left a wound in his self-esteem that he’s yet to heal. To mimic this gnawing ache, the acoustic guitar brings out his fragility while the minor leaning strings evoke the stain of tears yet to dry. I find this blossoming of sound as the title track mumbles into almost a plea of “God no” to really pull the air from your lungs.

It’s the consuming notion that your ex isn’t suffering the same sorrow you are that eats you away inside on “Sunset Tower.” There’s no chance to hear it from the source. All you wish now is to cut all lines of communication from their side so you don’t have to hear how they’re doing well. There’s a powdery softness to this dream-pop arrangement that Gray decided to go with. I like how that pulls out a bittersweet feeling from the narrative Conan has penned.

Still pining for what we once had, “Eleven Eleven” has us wishing we could return to the same arms that broke our hearts. We can’t move forward, and so we’re left yearning to change the way things turned out in the end. His use of watercolor-like guitars and strings reminds me a lot of Soccer Mommy’s latest release, Evergreen. It’s this earthiness that sucks the moisture from your mouth, thinking that you’ll never find someone who’ll love you the same way this person did.

Our closer, “Care,” embarks us on the first steps of moving on while still mourning all that was lost from our relationship’s failure. Conan leaves us not ready to love again, but ready to begin burying the parts that kept us in the throes of despair. It’s soft and pearlescent-sounding. This lighter sounds, almost reminiscent of Florence and The Machine, allow us to revisit these memories of love that one visits a grave. It’s a good parting sentiment to begin the journey of finding ourselves again.

I hadn’t dived into any of Conan’s prior work, but this sumptuous collection of yearning dream-pop tracks was right up my alley. Listening to this album in full, I love how each song provides a narrative of heartbreak that sinks and rises until you‘re ready to begin the process of moving on. Some of the most beautiful moments came from tracks like “Vodka Cranberry,” “Romeo,” “Class Clown,” and “Connell.”

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community, a large part of me understands the complex feeling you suffer when you’re trying to find love, and the other person is only using you to test the waters of their sexuality. That part hit me right where I live. It’s a gorgeous breakup record.

You don’t have to be LGBTQ+ to understand the emotions swinging between tracks, but I think many in the community will really connect with this album. It definitely made me a fan.

My overall thoughts on *Wishbone*:

My rating scale: Love it = 1 point, Like it = 0.5 point, Dislike it = 0 points; Final score = total points/ number of tracks

Loved it: “Actor,” “Vodka Cranberry,” “Romeo,” “My World,” “Class Clown,” “Nauseous,” “Caramel,” “Connell,” & “Eleven Eleven”

Liked it: “This Song,” “Sunset Tower,” & “Care”

Disliked it: None

My overall rating: 8.5 out of 10.

Sources:

[embed]Conan Gray tells us about his new album 'Wishbone' at Reading 2025: "It's every little piece of… The pop star also discussed being Charli XCX's 'Apple' girl and Role Model's Sally, and reuniting with producer Dan…www.nme.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XszTaQGv9cI