Tate McRae 'So Close To What' - Album Review (2025)

Hey everyone,

In today's blog post I will be reviewing another album that I have listed to, from Canadian singer and songwriter Tate McRae who I've seen perform LIVE at London's most popular LGBTQ+ club 'Heaven Nightclub'.

The album is super pop-girly and has a lot of references to feeling sexy but also having gone through some difficult times in the past. The first track on the album 'miss possessive' seems to be a way that she might describe herself, as some of the lyrics include the words 'I know whay you are...I'm nice up until I'm not' suggesting that her mood and personality will change depending on who she is with. She adds 'everybody keep your eyes off him' also giving me the idea that whoever she is singing about is a very attractive person and she wants them all to herself. Up next is 'revolving door' which I think is one of her most popular and played tracks from this album where she sings 'tried to call you off like a bad habit... said I don't want you less, but I want you more' which all explain that she's trying to get rid of somebody from her life who isn't right for her, but like the song suggests, it's somebody that keeps coming back and she's unable to get rid of them. It's a very smart song title and way to explain the situation, as a revolving door continues to move round and round, until somebody either stops or exits.

Tate also says the words 'supposed to be on stage but f*ck it I need a man' maybe giving the idea that she's not enjoying shows as much when she feels lke she needs somebody in her life, adding that 'I'm hurt more than I would admit it'. This line shows that maybe she can get quite emotional in difficult situations but not fully open to speak about them, and as a young female it's probably tough for her now after all her success, but she needs to know that there are people that can support her mentally and physically so she doesn't spiral out of control. The first of her two collaborations on the album is 'bloodonmyhands' featuring Flo Milli which is a duo girl power song, where some of the lyrics include 'boy you forgot I got a lot of pride and choices' suggesting that Tate is in control. She adds that she's got some 'blood on my hands' which I don't think is literal, but could be in reference to a bad breakup that she has had to move on quickly from. It's one of my favourite tracks from the album as it just has a lot of good energy.

The next songs include 'dear god' which seems to be quite a sexual song where she talks about 'hands on my chest and knees on the carpet' and playing back all the memories from those experiences, and 'purple lace bra' follows on with lyrics such as 'would you hear me more if I touch you right there' and 'my body positioning determines if you're listening' which could relate to being intimate with somebody or making sure that she has more than just a personal connection with this individual. I also noticed how the song titles on the album are all in lower case, as it's a reminder of how the younger generation type on their phones or social media.

'sports car' is also another one of the popular songs from the album where Tate says 'you haven't got a Mrs, but I bet you've got a sports car' almost laughing at somebody's wealth or teasing them by saying that they know exactly what they want and shouldn't be wasting her time or saying what she wants to hear. The next song 'signs' is a simple song with a simple meaning, almost suggesting that the person she is singing about is quite smart, with Tate saying 'I know you're intelligent but not a rocket scientist', making it clear that this individual knows what she wants and can read the signs. The second collaboration on the album was on the track 'I know love' with The Kid Laroi, and again it was a very catchy song with both of them singing 'I know love when it hits when it hits' and although there is clearly some autotune, you can hear both of their individual parts blended well together and it's definitely a slightly different vibe from Tate's other music. Again, I really like this track, not just because it is a collaboration but it's catchy!

The next tracks on the album are 'like I do', 'it's ok i'm ok' and 'no i'm not in love'. With the first of this trio, Tate almost seems to be singing about somebody who she feels like is copying what she is doing by saying the words 'you don't wanna know me, you just wanna do what I do...I ain't never wanna switch places', which could almost be a hint that there is somebody in the industry who is trying to mirror a part of her personality or style, and she's explaining that she definitely does not want to be in their position. She adds the lyrics 'I can't tell if you wanna kill me or kiss me' so potentially feels like this person may have a crush on her, and it's good to be somebody's crush when you know that you're way too good for them!. The second song of the trio seems to also be about a girl who has shared the same boyfriend as her 'baby don't get this different, it's ok you can have him anyway' suggests that Tate isn't bothered by this individual and he wasn't good to Tate, so almost wishing the girl good luck. She adds the words 'she'll be like he's so perfect', almost being sarcastic in reference to the new girlfriend that this lover of her's has moved onto, and in the song there are some spoken words that Tate says probably to just explain the situation and how she feels. The final song of the trio suggests that Tate is still connected to an ex partner as she says 'I'm kinda dressing like you now, because your clothes fit me', which is a standard thing for people coming out of relationships, they seems to take items of clothing to almost remember the good memories. She goes on to sing 'no I'm not in love, I don't hate all the girls your eyes go to, why would you think that', which shows that she might not be a protective ex-girlfriend, adding that she also is still on the dating scene and hasn't found that special person yet.

Tate's next track is called 'means I care' which is a simple song where she says 'if I cut you off, it just means I care...must mean that it's going somwehere', almost suggesting it's a bad thing if she breaks up with someone as it shows she cares too much for them and maybe she is too scared to commit to anyone right now, so has to let go when it starts becoming something a little more serious. 'greenlight' shows a softer side to Tate's personality where she said 'two chains hanging off your chest when you kiss me', maybe a sign of connection between the both of them, and Tate's added lyrics 'I tried to be everything that he wanted' almost a sign that she really liked this particular guy and she was playing a character to please him rather than just being her natural self.

The next song seems to be more of a life lesson song which is called '2 hands'. She sings lyrics including 'you don't have to tell me you love me 17 times in a day', almost dentifying that somebody could be obsessed with her and they need to calm it down a little bit. She also says 'you don't have to sh*t talk your last girl', again, almsot training a previous boyfriend to not talk badly about other girls as it's not their fault that there is a new girl in the scene. Throughout the song she also says that there needs to be 'little less talk and little more touch, need your 2 hands on me like I need saving', suggesting that she needs to feel close with this individual and instead of speaking about the past, working towards the future.

The final two songs on the album include the bonus track 'siren sounds' where she says 'I wanna kiss, hate you and love you instead, it's been a year now and we both know its bound to end'. These lyrics explain that she might be confused about this particular situation and unsure where they seem to be going. She admits that even after speaking to this individual for a year, they both know that it's not going to last much longer, and they probably feel like their relationship isn't moving to the next level. Tate also sings about living in a burning house with somebody but both of them being unaware of the situation where she says 'you and me are just dancing to the siren sounds'. It's a bit of a confusing track, but it almost suggests that when she's focused on spending time with this person, something as dramatic as a house fire could occur, but they will still be making love.

The final track is 'nostalgia' where she explains that she used to 'bite my tongue 10 times a day' and she sings about her mum, dad and presumably a young brother or sister in her life. Tate says 'I got a lot to lose, I might as well lose it anyway' which suggests she could almost be giving up on her goals and dreams, but at the same time, she has clearly worked very hard to get into the position she is in today, so maybe this is a self reflection statement where she will be able to get advice or help to get back on track, or lose some things along the way and gain better things later on in life. She adds lyrics such as 'every time that I drink and heart that I break, a truckload of regret and stupid mistakes' suggesting that she knows her actions have consequences so she's probably trying to work out how to change her ways before it gets too late, or focus on things that can take her life in a different direction.

That was my reviw of the album, and honestly I cannot explain how much I love Tate and her music. She's the new pop-girly with relatable and catchy music. She will probably be around for a while, so if you haven't already listened to her music... it's not too late and you might as well take a listen to her first few EP's and albums! Thanks for reading, and until next time... goodbye!