Found Heaven＜限定生産盤/Picture Vinyl＞

"君は恋をしている、君は天国にいるんだ"
初めての交際を経験して、Conan Grayは天国を見つけた。愛を知った新世代の"ポップ・プリンス"が到達したのは、すべての感情を抱きしめ、自分を心から肯定する新境地。豪華プロデューサー陣が集結した渾身のニューアルバム『Found Heaven』が完成。ピクチャー・ディスクの発売が決定。

Conan Gray takes a big, euphoric pop swing on 2024s Found Heaven, an album that finds him explicitly embracing a dayglow, 80s-style Euro synth pop aesthetic. With his bright croon and knack for diaristic lyrics, Gray was a breakout star of social media just prior to the release of his 2020 debut, Kid Krow, where he built a devoted fan base with his confessional indie pop and acoustic balladry. While he already expanded his sound with 2022s Superache, Found Heaven takes the embrace of professionally crafted studio pop even further as Gray frames his vocals in majestic crystal palaces of synthesizers, processed guitars, and layered vocal overdubs. Its a move that might threaten to bury him or wash away his personality if the whole thing wasnt done with such a purposeful sense of glee. Helping him achieve this very specific sound is a cadre of production superstars, including Max Martin, Greg Kurstin, Oscar Holter, and Ilya, among others. Together, theyve come up with an album that is at times campy, earnestly romantic, and endlessly listenable. Part of the fun and endearing aspect of Grays turn towards 80s Euro-pop is just how well he and his production partners captured the studio textures and anthemic energy of the genre. Cuts like the opening title track and "Lonely Dancers" mix pulsing laser-tone synths, dramatic, pounding drum beats, and classically harmonized, widescreen choruses, all bringing to mind a wry blend of iconic 80s bands like Yazoo, Eurythmics, and Bronski Beat. Other pop touchstones crop up elsewhere, as on the orchestral-tinged "Alley Rose" and piano-driven "Forever with Me," both of which evoke the glitter-laden sound of ELO. We also get the cheekily titled "Fainted Love," which sounds nothing like the 1981 Soft Cell song its referencing but still nails the fluorescent-spotlight dancefloor romanticism that Gray is aiming for and embodies throughout all of Found Heaven. ~ Matt Collar

Z世代の日系アメリカ人シンガーによる3作目。今回は過去2作を手掛けたダン・ニグロ(オリヴィア・ロドリゴ他)と決別し、テイラー・スウィフトやウィークエンドを手掛けるマックス・マーティン、グレッグ・カースティンといったポップ界の最高峰チームとタッグ。メン・ウィズアウト・ハッツやヤズー、イレイジャーなど80sニューウェイヴ系から、クイーン、エルトン、ボウイ、ボン・ジョヴィまでを彷彿とさせるレトロなサウンドが満載。自身初の恋愛&破局体験をヴィヴィッドに歌い上げ、これまで手探りで自分探しをしていた少年が、アーティストとして音楽をクリエイトする喜びに溢れている。
bounce (C)村上ひさし