“I Would Hit Rewind”

On Friday, Jan. 11, Gnash, an American singer-songwriter and producer, released his 13 track debut album “We.” The album has been anticipated by many of his supporters, including me, after his last three EPs titled “U,” “Me” and “Us” came out. The album revolves around heartbreak, insecurities and living in the moment. Together, it creates an intimate and sentimental masterpiece that makes you see yourself and the world around in a different manner. 

Although I loved every song featured, below are my five favorite songs on the album.

1. “Happy Never After”- This is the first song on the album, and it starts in a unique way that I loved. When I heard the spoken intro, I was hooked. He introduces the whole concept of the album in less than 50 words and 16 seconds, and it sets the scene for every thought and emotion he had while writing the 13 song album.

2. “Imagine if”- This is one of the songs released in anticipation for the album release, but I did not listen to it, because I wanted to wait until the whole album was released. This is one of the more upbeat songs on the whole album, so it makes you want to bop your head and dance to it. It’s a very catchy song, so you can be guaranteed that I have all the lyrics memorized. “Imagine if” further helped me realize on what we miss when we are so caught up on our phones and social media rather than living in the moment.

3. “Insane”- This specific song immediately transported me to the mindset he might have gone through while writing this song. It’s a mellow, almost calming, arrangement that really helped with relating to him in some degree. I also really enjoyed the change of pace when he raps the second verse and later speaks the last few lines, something that was consistent throughout the album.

4. “Dear Insecurity”- The song features an Australian singer and songwriter, Ben Abraham, as the main vocals for the chorus. This song was also released prior to the album release, but unlike “Imagine if,” I did listen to this song when it was first released.  The first time I listened to this song, I cried. It hit so many personal soft spots and it was written so honestly and raw, that for me, it was inevitable to not express those emotions as I listened. My favorite part about this song is the progression of ideas. In the beginning, it was about letting insecurities control your mind and then it ended at a point about an individual gaining that control back.

5. “P.S.”- This is the best song to end the album. It’s short, but it expresses many emotions in one minute and 43 seconds. It is not only the end of the album, but the end of his former relationship. I cried while listening to this song, especially with the last line that ties every song and emotion together, “Even if we’re not together, we’ll forever be we.”

My criticism:

1. I really loved this album, so there is not much criticism on my part, but there is one thing that I did not particularly love, this being the inclusion of “I hate u, I love u” featuring singer-songwriter Olivia O’Brien. At first glance, I was confused why it was added to the album, as it was released three years ago. In retrospect, I can understand why this song was added to the heartbreak side of the album, and especially because it was Gnash’s first hit song.

Overall, I can describe “We” as a rollercoaster of emotions. There was so much expressed that I was able to relate to many of the songs, lyrics and situations showcased. If you want to listen to a new artist, album, or song I definitely would recommend this album. I can guarantee that you won’t listen to the album without relating to at least one thing.

This album is categorized as explicit and under the Indie/Alternative genre. Stream “We” free on Spotify and Pandora and buy it for $8.99 on Apple Music and Google Play Music.

Rating: 5 out of 5 flowers