Celebrating Two Years Of Good Riddance -Gracie Abrams’s Debut Album

By Kayla Harper

Two years ago on February 24, 2023, Gracie Abrams released her debut album Good Riddance.  Although she wasn’t playing shows in her bedroom to a select number of people, she was also not selling out arenas, topping charts and a household name the way she is today.  When Good Riddance came out, the Gracie Abrams fandom was still made up of a very niche group of people who often had to explain who she was to anyone who asked.

Defined by black bows, asymmetrical stars and blurry black and white photos, Good Riddance had been many years in the making, with some songs such as “This is what the drugs are for” dating back to 2021 when Abrams posted a short clip of her singing the song, which at the time was called “Lifeline”, on Tik Tok.

@tehegracietehemy song lifeline that i still need to finish writing lol♬ original sound – gracie abrams

 

The majority of the album was recorded at Long Pond Studios with The National’s Aaron Dessner, who previously collaborated with Abrams on her second EP, This Is What It Feels Like, released in November of 2021.  Its overall melancholy tone blends with the primarily acoustic production creating an ambient cohesively textured body of work.

 

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A post shared by Aaron Dessner (@aarondessner)

Already, in the opening track, “Best”, we hear some of Abrams’ most honest and vulnerable lyrics as she confesses her faults in a past relationship, claiming, “I never was the best to you”.  Despite revealing in a recent interview with Cosmopolitan that she regrets writing the entirety of the song, “Best” is my personal favourite off the record, and in Abrams entire discography.

It opens the album perfectly, with it’s blunt and brutally honest confessions, it prepares the listener for what they’re about to experience–that is an album which is going to dig down into your core, and let your suppressed feelings, yeah the ones you thought you didn’t have anymore, boil until they’re spilling over and there’s nothing you can do.  However, the pain is so good, so addicting, you keep going back and pressing play, letting the songs flow into each other and tear you apart over and over again.  Ruining all your emotional progress, but somehow healing you in the process.

It’s difficult to write about our saddest, angriest and lowest moments, it’s even harder to write about them through a self-reflective lens.  In fact, in the presence of heartbreak, writers often cope by disclosing the other person’s actions that severed the ties.  However, rarely do we see music where an artist criticizes their own actions that led to such calamity.

Self-reflection and recognizing one’s own faults is a common theme in Abrams music, especially on Good Riddance. It’s rare we see her put the blame on somebody else, which maybe she should more in some circumstances.  Aside from “Best”, “Full machine”, “I know it won’t work”, “Where do we go now?” and “Fault Line” all reveal Abrams ability to recognize two sides of a story.

On top of the deeply confessional vulnerable lyrics, Abrams vocals–soft and airy, borderline whispery at times–create a sort of blanket across the instrumental.  The way she sings makes it sound as if she’s revealing her deepest, darkest secrets to whoever’s listening.  Her biggest regrets, most gut-wrenching guilt and heartache laid out straight from her journal.

The album had multiple singles, none of which were radio hits the way “That’s So True” and “I Love You, I’m Sorry” are, but the most recognizable is probably “Where do we go now?” released alongside “Amelie” and “Difficult” as promotional singles, or “I know it won’t work” which came with a music video released the same day as Good Riddance.

“Block me out” was released as a single a year prior to Good Riddance coming out. However, it did not find it’s forever home on an album until the deluxe version of Good Riddance came out in June 16, 2023.  It appeared as one of the extended tracks alongside “Unsteady”, “405” and “Two people”.

These tracks filled out the rest of the album well; they did not stick out in anyway, but rather blended right in, creating a smooth extension of the ambience created in the first 12 tracks.

Each song fits on the record like a puzzle piece, it belongs there and without it something is missing.  Good Riddance was designed to be listened to front-to-back, each song having it’s place.  I could talk about every song forever and I probably will one day, but for now. here’s what your favourite Good Riddance track says about you:

“Best” -you were a b*tch and you’re not afraid to admit it.

“I know it won’t work” -you want them back, but you don’t want them back.

“Full machine” -you’re a little obsessive, codependent and not over it.

“Where do we go now?” -right person, wrong time.

“I should hate you” -you’re too nice.

“Will you cry?” -you know when it’s time to go.

“Amelie” -heartbroken and you lost yourself in the process.

“Difficult” -you’re in the transition from teenager to adult and it’s not going well.

“This is what the drugs are for” -you tell your friends your over it…you’re not.

“Fault line” -you’re using them and you know you need to stop.

“The blue” -you found your light in all the darkness.

“Right now” -you’re homesick either physically or from yourself…

“Block me out” -your intrusive thoughts are winning. You’re crippling with anxiety and OCD.

“Unsteady” -you’re emotionally unstable.

“405” -don’t do something stupid to get his attention…Bella?

“Two people” -it’s just life. It happens.

Good Riddance finds itself at the pit of your stomach, which is filled with guilt, regret and nostalgia as it reveals the suppressed ache for a past you thought you were long over.  Its ambient production paired with Abrams’ soft, airy vocals create a comfortable atmosphere, however, it never feels dull.  Good Riddance is still my favourite release from Abrams and the first I recommend to anyone who wants to get into her music.