Conan Gray surprised fans with “Kid Krow, Decomposed (5 Year Anniversary),” a reimagined version of his debut album last Thursday.
Announced only the night before, the project thrilled listeners by including three new tracks: a new song “Bed Rest,” “The Cut That Always Bleeds (Live)” and the long-awaited “Heather (Lost Verse) [Live].”
“Of all the 200+ songs I wrote for this album, Bed Rest felt like the perfect way to celebrate the five-year anniversary,” Gray shared on Instagram. “Not only does it perfectly encapsulate how I felt about life then, it somehow also speaks so perfectly to how I feel about life now, five years later (sometimes you have to go a little crazy before you can come back to your senses).”
With its slow pace, delicate vocals, heart-wrenching lyrics and an emotional, crescendoing bridge, “Bed Rest” perfectly matches the feeling of “Kid Krow.” Gray’s raw lyricism explores the weight of depression and isolation, using “bed rest” as a metaphor for the exhaustion that keeps someone emotionally and physically stuck.
The chorus, “And although I’m crazy, maybe just this time / You could try to see my sweeter side / I promise after a little while longer / I’ll come back to my senses / But now I need some bed rest,” is haunting, emphasized with a warped, dreamlike fade-out that perfectly captures the feeling of emotional disconnection.
Gray has always been a lyrical genius when it comes to topics of mental health, and I find that his music can resonate with just about anyone. One of my favorite things about him is his ability to tell stories within both his lyrics and the music behind them, and “Kid Krow, Decomposed” is no exception.
Though the other two tracks aren’t entirely new, their live versions breathe fresh air into the beloved songs. Fans have been pleading for the lost verse version of “Heather” ever since Gray posted it to TikTok in 2023.
The newly added lyrics, “I want her hair, want to steal what she wears / Wanna smell like her perfume, do everything like her / ’Cause isn’t she perfect? The lipstick on her lips / I wish I could kiss her to know why you love her,” heightens the song’s themes of aching jealousy and self-doubt, making an already devastating track even more moving.
Meanwhile, “The Cut That Always Bleeds (Live)” showcases subtle vocal changes, gorgeous riffs and a new emotional depth that adds to its heartbreak. There’s something uniquely intimate about live versions where an artist’s voice carries a different kind of weight, as seen in Gracie Abrams’ “I Love You, I’m Sorry (Live from Vevo)” and Luke Hemmings’ live version of “Garden Life.”
But the best part of these live renditions for me is hearing the crowd sing along. Anyone who has been to a concert knows the power of that connection. When paired with Gray’s enchanting vocals, these live tracks feel even more special, and I almost prefer them to the original versions.
While fans continue to eagerly await Gray’s next era following the release of “Found Heaven” in 2024, “Kid Krow, Decomposed” serves as a beautifully nostalgic album that is more than enough to hold me over.
5/5 stars
ajones11@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @conangray, Instagram
