Following the release of his infectiously penned single ‘I Got 3’, Jack Gray is laying the foundations for the next chapter in his journey with a moodier pop-rock moment. ‘That Guy’ is a step towards the sonical direction he explored on ‘Down Side Of Up’ from his debut EP, and shows listeners a grittier side to his polished sound.
This coming of age track reflects on nurturing the start of a relationship while trying to find the balance to hang with friends, make mistakes and do stupid shit that you can only get away with while you’re young. It’s a celebration of the strength that kept his relationship together during that time, and the realisations he had that he didn’t want to be that guy.
“You don’t always wanna be with that guy. The boy that’s always tripping over cloud 9. Even though I always let you down, you’re the only one that can save me from myself. That’s nice” he sings during the chorus.
The production is a little darker than the straight-up pop polish of its predecessor, but there is still a pop sensibility in-tact that ties in cohesively with the vision he’s manifesting. With the chilled out guitar riff cruising through the verses, he’s gives you some groovy layers along with some mature leaning sounds. This is definitely more a song for the fans rather than a song for raid, and that’s okay as it highlights another side to his growing artistry.