The End of Evangelion

Theatrical Poster // Studio Gainax

By: Jordan Sarver-Bontrager

Media Writer

I’ve never been a huge fan of Tate McRae. In fact, the only song I really like of hers is “she’s all i wanna be”, which is a very enjoyable pop song. Her previous album “Think Later” was a laughable excuse that I suppose you could call an album. Her first album was “i used to think i could fly” which also wasn’t very good, but it was better than her sophomore effort.

Her third album, “So Close to What”, is an improvement, and by improvement, I mean that she went from the back of a long line to the middle of that same line, but there’s still a ways to go. 

The album cover reminded me of “The End of Evangelion”, an anime movie from 1997 which serves as a conclusion to “Neon Genesis: Evangelion”. Just thought I’d include that for the readers who don’t go outside.

The album starts with “Miss possessive”, and surprise surprise, it’s pretty mediocre. Nothing really stood out to me in this song. The next song is “Revolving door”, wherein McRae shows off her decent vocal flow. It’s a good pop song, but doesn’t approach great. 

Flo Milli shows up on the next track “bloodonmyhands (feat. Flo Milli)”, and I only like this song because of her feature. Tate McRae’s vocals bother me because they sound stuffy and pitchy – it’s difficult to understand what she’s saying half the time, which would be fine if the lyrics weren’t the main focal point of her songs, but reading them makes me think that she wants the listener to look into the lyrics more. Also, the production on her vocals was pretty abysmal – the dynamic balance was poor, and it seemed like the vocals either overpowered everything or were too quiet. 

“Dear god” is the next track and I actually like this one. McRae’s vocals aren’t that enjoyable in this song, very breathy for my taste, but I did enjoy the beat. Following up is “Purple lace bra” and I cannot for the life of me hear Tate’s vocals in the chorus as they’re buried in the instrumentals. Was that the intent? Is she a shoegaze artist now, except no fuzzy guitars? 

It was at this point I realized during listening that there are ELEVEN more songs on this record. 

“Sports car” is next. The melody in the verses is repetitive and lacking interest, and the strange half-whispered chorus doesn’t land for me. The overblown synths, 808s and attempts at a 2000s feel cannot save this song. 

“Signs” is the follow up track, and I like this one and the next, “I know love (feat. The Kid LAROI)”. Both are decent pop songs, and McRae’s vocals, while nothing special, have a more palatable pop tone. 

This winning streak is short lived, as “Like I do” is a return to boring, formulaic pop. This album reminds me a little bit of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Stadium Arcadium”, where the album will have a run of two or three great songs and then you get some drivel like “Hump de Bump”. It’s a pretty wild comparison, but I was so bored while listening that I made this connection.

“It’s ok I’m ok” is another “in one ear, out the other” experience. “No I’m not in love” is pretty decent, and while it is formulaic, the beat on this song is interesting and enjoyable. 

“Means I care” is a gem in this album – the beat is sparse, and McRae’s vocals are pleasant and melodic. It’s a good midtempo pop track that reminds me of something you’d find on Taylor Swift’s “Midnights”. “Greenlights” is my favorite song on the album. It’s a great pop ballad with dreamlike textures in the instrumentals, like droning synths, that surround you like a blanket. 

“2 hands” is another, say it with me now, generic, formulaic pop song that didn’t leave much of an impression on me. “Nostalgia” is the closer, and it’s a sad acoustic guitar ballad. I like it – the downtemponess of the song is a change from the rest of the album, and it’s the first song with guitar (at least that I could hear). The lyrics are reflective. 

I know I was quite hard on this album, but I really didn’t hate it. I don’t think Tate McRae measures up to her contemporaries, like Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish, Charli XCX and even Sabrina Carpenter, who have far more interesting projects. This album has some good moments, and I wish McRae would tap more into the softer side of her palette, giving us more songs like “Greenlights”, “Nostalgia”, or “Means I care”. I’m feeling a 5/10 on this record.