On April 24th, Conan Gray released Wishbone Deluxe, the deluxe edition of his fourth studio album Wishbone, which debuted in August 2025. Wishbone Deluxe contains five new tracks and marks the first deluxe Conan Gray has ever released. As a long-time fan of Conan Gray who especially enjoys his bittersweet, emotionally heartbreaking songs, here is my honest review of each of the five new tracks.
Track 13: “Do I Dare”
It took me a couple of listens to warm up to this song, but it is now one of my favorites on the album. The trancelike instrumentals combined with the emotionally charged lyrics (“It took a year to repair what I lost…Might take another if I call”) perfectly portray the conflict between wanting to fix a broken relationship but worrying about getting hurt in doing so. I especially enjoyed the intense bridge that highlights this internal turmoil (“So do I wait by the phone, every day, lonely, or do I dare”). While this track isn’t as lyrically complex as some of Gray’s other songs, it is catchy and resonated deeply with me.
Track 14: “House That Always Rains”
I anticipated that this would be my favorite deluxe song, predicting a familiarly heart-breaking vibe that I always appreciate from Gray. I did not expect the upbeat and lively music despite the lyrics having a sad meaning to them. This song tells the story of a failed relationship and Gray’s wish that he could have been “less of a lover” and “more of a friend” to that person. I enjoyed listening to this song, but it did not particularly stand out to me, especially in comparison with the other deluxe tracks and the similarly upbeat “Caramel” on the original Wishbone tracklist.
Track 15: “Door”
I loved this song. It is beautifully devastating and embodies the essence of Gray’s sad, romantic music. The beat is slow and the lyrics capture the struggle of trying to move on from a toxic relationship (“I just need to close this door”) while still being in love with that person (“I’ve tried to find somebody else, but it just makes me lonelier”). The mood of the song is painfully heartbreaking and feels like an older Gray’s version of his iconic track “The Cut That Always Bleeds” from his first album, Kid Krow (2020), which is one of my favorite songs of all time. I have had this song on repeat since Wishbone Deluxe dropped.
Track 16: “Moths”
The bridge and final chorus of this song are breathtaking. The layered voices in the final chorus beautifully capture the bittersweet nature of a transformative romantic connection (“Might be missin’ you forever, but you’re every song I sing”). As always, Gray demonstrates his superb talent for encapsulating the feeling of longing for someone you will not get back. I especially love how “Moths” ties back to the other deluxe tracks like “Door” (“The door is closed, but the window’s open”) and “The House That Always Rains” (“I will always be your friend”). I did not have high expectations for this song based on its name, but it is a masterpiece.
Track 17: “The Best”
This song was released as the deluxe’s lead single on March 27 and has quickly become one of my favorite songs in all of Gray’s discography. I instantly fell in love with this poetic and bittersweet ballad that touches on the push-and-pull of knowing that a relationship was toxic but feeling nostalgic for the memories made with that person. It encapsulates the same emotionally intense and intimate mood of his second album Superache (2022) while also demonstrating growth and maturity (“I could make peace with it, finally sleep with it…Finally wish you the best”). “The Best” was the perfect final song to end the Wishbone story with a feeling of closure and acceptance.
These deluxe tracks offer a heart-wrenching but cathartic resolution to the story of Wishbone and further prove Gray’s incredible talent as a young songwriter and musician. If you are looking for the perfect album to cry your heart out to, look no further.
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