Tate McRae's Think Later delivers a set of 14 trap-pop hits about falling in and out of love and friendship. It's formulaic as a whole, but the faster McRae sings, the brighter she shines ("Greedy", "Exes"), since the slower ballads leave more to be desired. It's a step up from her 2022 debut I Used to Think I Could Fly, revealing a new maturity in her vocal delivery (and a little bit in her songwriting), and a touched-up, R&B-inspired production by virtue of Ryan Tedder. McRae's growth evokes Olivia Rodrigo's evolution from Sour to Guts; their sophomore efforts are more confident and more cohesive.

A major theme in Think Later is McRae's break-up from NHL star Cole Sillinger, from whom she called it quits earlier in 2023. (Sillinger, who plays center position for the Ohio-based Blue Jackets, was McRae's friend of a friend in their youth.) Downtempo songs like "Grave" reveal what could be McRae's dissatisfaction with her two-year stint with Sillinger, reminiscing on how she failed to "make something out of nothing". She yearns for both stability and romantic adventure—but as the keeper of her own keys, she's got to stay on the defensive (see her goalie shin pads?).

Despite its strengths, there's a modest sense of déjà vu in Think Later. All of the songs tread the same emotional and musical territory; they vary only in the tempo of the album's omnipresent kicks and hi-hats. You'd wish McRae utilized her higher vocal range, or went into the specifics of basically anything she sings about.

Overall, Think Later offers short, slick pop anthems that are fun to dance (her specialty, even before popstardom) to. But the album doesn't explore any new ground.

Favorite song: "Exes"