Raw emotions. Detailed narratives. Intense vocals. Creative songwriting. All are staples of pop artist Conan Gray’s music, and they return stronger than ever in his fourth studio album “Wishbone,” released Aug. 15.

Gray tried out some synth and rock last year in “Found Heaven,” which has its own place in my Spotify playlists. But because Gray didn’t alter his lyrics to accompany the change in sound, the album felt out of place compared to his previous masterpieces “Kid Crow” (2020) and “Superache” (2022).

This isn’t to say the typically-somber artist should not try new styles. Rather, his fusion of melancholic writing and vocals felt weak in face of the stronger music and sound of “Found Heaven.” The result of this tension was that it undermined Gray’s true niche: authentic, relatable storytelling in bedroom and indie pop forms. Fortunately, these strengths continue to shine in this year’s tracks.

“Wishbone” shows Gray a bit too up close … and that’s exactly what keeps bringing listeners back (at least, it’s why I’m still listening).

“Actor” serves as a strong opening, setting up unique, original storytelling as a consistent characteristic throughout the album. Gray confesses that the subject is “a much better actor than” he is after their breakup, while he can’t get over imaginary “church bells […] ringing” on their nonexistent wedding day. Maybe he’s delusional, but I say Gray brings the drama to every track, and it works.

The uniqueness of this song — and the album as a whole — comes from its presentation of ordinary breakup themes through specific emotions and metaphors that only Gray himself could feel. Similar successes from other artists include “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo and “because I liked a boy” by Sabrina Carpenter. These stories are uncommon takes on common situations, making them feel like fresh ideas rather than cliché breakup songs.

Then comes a transition into a slightly more muted ballad, whose bold declaration that “I wish you knew […] I wrote this song about you” both surprises listeners and expresses pain directly to the subject. “This Song” scores A+ in vocals and music, if not in lyrical depth.

Some lyrical standouts in this album include “Class Clown,” “Eleven Eleven” and “Nauseous.” They caught my attention with their descriptions of common life experiences that even a high schooler can relate to. They’re not based on romantic topics and instead touch on struggles like socializing and self-confidence.

Although some may argue that such a dramatic album deserves a closer mirroring this mood, I feel that the final track of “Wishbone” serves a very specific purpose. “Care” is a wonderful song in itself, but it is less notable compared to the rest of the album in some aspects, which may disappoint fans.

The topic in “Care” is trying “just to move on” from a partner who is “doing well,” while Gray doesn’t “feel like [he] could love again.” This is a basic notion that has been overdone by numerous artists, especially Olivia Rodrigo in “Deja Vu” and “Happier”: one person is unable to get over the pain of an ending relationship, as the other seems to be recovering just fine.

What makes “Care” particularly dull is that it doesn’t supplement this common storyline with creative language or individual experiences as Gray’s other tracks do. There is nothing to make up for the unoriginal theme and lyrics.

The reason that Gray ends with such a stylistically recognizable song is to bring the album back into familiar territory and to leave listeners with some comfort after the rollercoaster of “Wishbone.”

All in all, “Wishbone” is a beautifully written album in which Conan Gray gets vulnerable and real. His songwriting and vocals that we heard in “Kid Crow” and “Superache” have come back to haunt listeners again.

I highly recommend listening to this album if you enjoyed Gray’s previous work, “emails i can’t send” by Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, Sombr, Olivia Rodrigo or Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poet’s Department.”

Unlike Carpenter was in her heartbreak era and Sombr is currently, Gray is no longer a ‘kid’ in the music industry. Like Rodrigo and Swift, he has established a reputation as a relatable artist who really bares his heart to the world.

“Wishbone” delivers this brand along with a higher degree of sophistication than ever before to Conan Gray’s discography.