After the Found Heaven tour ended in late 2024, Conan Gray released Wishbone in August, which he worked on in secret during the tour. 

In mid-March of this year, Gray went onto social media and announced the title and release date for the deluxe version of Wishbone. A week later, he released the lead single, “The Best,” which became his biggest Spotify debut ever. Gray had previously played and teased the song while on tour for the regular version’s release.  

As someone who has been a fan of Conan Gray since his Kid Krow album, I was very surprised when he announced the deluxe version of Wishbone. The original version already felt complete, so I was interested in how the new version would expand on it. 

One detail I especially liked was the new album cover, which feels like the opposite of the original. The first cover showed Gray holding a wishbone, while the deluxe cover places him inside of one. 

The deluxe adds 5 songs to the original 12. As I’ve repeated the album approximately 19 times, I feel that it lived past my expectations and the title worked well with some of the tracks. 

The album opens up with the original 12 songs, beginning with “Actor,” a dramatic opener for the album with a cinematic feel. 

The track starts slowly with a guitar and synth waves before bringing in the drums and piano for the chorus. The track builds up until it peaks at the bridge which I found more memorable and catchy than the chorus. “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 following two tracks “This Song” and “Vodka Cranberry” are connected in a trilogy, and the final song of the trilogy is “Caramel,” which is the eighth track. While Gray has connected songs emotionally with his previous albums, this trilogy is the first time he commits to continuing a story line. 

The three tracks and their music videos act as different chapters of the same relationship. “This Song,” has a lighter and happier tone like the beginning of a relationship, while “Vodka Cranberry” feels more chaotic and emotional with the feeling of realizing someone can’t fully love you the way you want. “Caramel” slows down while still being loud and ends the story line bittersweet while still focusing on the pain left behind. “Sweet taste in my mouth, I can’t get it out, I want you back now.” 

The sixth track, “Class Clown,” takes a turn for the album because it is one of the most personally written songs on the album. The song feels like a return to the vulnerable storytelling of songs like: “The Story,” “Heather,” and “Comfort Crowd.”  It also reflects on childhood insecurities and the pressure to entertain others to feel accepted. Focusing less on romance but more on identity and growing up; it feels like a continuation of Conan Gray’s earlier autobiographical songs. 

My favorite song of the original 12 is a difficult choice to make, but if I had to choose, it would be the last track, “Care.” The soft piano chords, synth textures, and percussion that gradually build up make the song feel like an instrumental reflection. 

The song feels vulnerable and emotionally honest while centering around the fear of giving love to someone who won’t give back the same amount. “So I don’t cry ‘cause it is over, I just don’t feel like I could love again. And I tell myself that I’m over you, but I care, I care, care (I care).”

The first new track in the deluxe is #13, “Do I dare.” The title itself gives everything away; it’s about hesitation instead of action. The song captures a pause between wanting something but being afraid of what it might cost. Throughout the chorus, Gray repeats “Do I dare, Do I dare?,” making the song feel stuck between possible hope and consequences. 

The song opens up with what I believe are the most beautiful violin notes I’ve heard. I also feel like they mimic the first lines of lyrics; they also continue playing throughout the song. The drums and guitar chords blend well in the chorus and even the bridge. “It took a year to repair what I lost. Might take another if I call.”

The next three songs feel like emotional aftermath. “House That Always Rains” creates an entire atmosphere of sadness that stays. “House,” becomes a metaphor for a mindset or relationship that is permanently clouded. I really like how the piano carries the melody and how the drums sound at the start. Also, I like how the drums stop momentarily between his lines during the first verse.

“Door” shifts towards a slower feel with a synth pad before bringing in a guitar and drums for the chorus. The song revolves around a “door” that suggests possibility and refusal, the chance of letting that person back in; sitting between a space where everything depends on whether it gets opened or not. “I just need to close this door. Who do I keep it open for? Only you, my love.”

“Moths” feels like a continuation to “Door” because of the first line of lyrics: “The door is closed, but the window’s open.” Having closed the door but leaving another way of entry available, Gray seems aware of a repeating pattern: being drawn to something when you know it’ll hurt but is unable to break it. I feel like he used moths for the title because they’re attracted to light even though it hurts them.

Gray usually ends his albums as a lingering goodbye, that’s why ending Wishbone deluxe with “The Best” feels different. Instead of fading on reflection, “The Best” feels like a distilled realization. 

It still carries emotion but it is more about stepping outside of it rather than staying trapped. Starting slow and slightly soft with just a guitar, it gradually builds up louder with drums, electric guitar, and synths. “When I was so pissed that you left, I could make peace with it, finally sleep with it. Finally wish you the best.”

Overall, I felt that the album surpassed my expectations and each song was amazing (excluding the last minute breakdown of “Connell”). The addition of the 5 songs reminded me of Bruno Mars’ new album in the way that they are both soft instrumentation and use emotionally immersive songwriting. The 5 new songs also made something complete feel more perfect. Instead of being unnecessary or sounding disconnected, they make the album feel cohesive and expand on the emotional themes and atmosphere. 

Even though a month felt too long to wait, I believe that it was worth every day waiting since it felt like a hit after hit and each bridge in the songs was also amazing. Like many other fans, I believe that Wishbone deluxe is one of Gray’s best and most relatable works and I would rank it above the rest. I would personally give the album a 9.4 out of 10.