5 Songs I Love This Week

So guys… it’s Finals Week. And as much as I’d like to bring you something creative and out-of-the-box (as I always do, of course), I decided to go for something  a little quicker, less difficult. So here’s five songs I’ve been jamming to this week, in between listening to music for my History of Rock n’ Roll exam, or listening to the cries of my stressed floormates…

Enjoy!

1. Catallena – Orange Caramel

I’m not really a huge K-Pop fan, I admit, but sometimes I’ll hear a K-Pop song and it’ll hit me in just the right spot and I’ll just be obsessed. That happened this week with Orange Caramel’s 2014 “Catallena.” I’m aware I’ve come a little late to the party, since this song is already considered a classic, but hey, what can you do?

This song has such a neat, boisterous disco-like sound to it. Plus, the melody has such a dramatic flair. Compare that to the goofy energy of Orange Caramel themselves… and I can’t stop listening to this song.

I’ll be honest, though. The real draw of this song to me is this dance video. I love watching these performers dance – they’re so amazingly in sync. Plus, the little goofs at the beginning and ending of the video are so charming. I’m obsessed.

2. Choke – I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

This song was first shown to me by my good friend Marisa. It came on in one of her YouTube playlist, and she regaled me with the tale of her stumbling upon this song, looking up the band to find that they had, like, two songs in existence. As it turns out, I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME (IDKHBTFM, or sometimes just IDK for short), is actually a performance art piece by Dallon Weekes, formerly of Panic! at the Disco. The story behind the band is that all of their songs and music videos are lost relics of a band that rose and fell during the 70s and 80s.

I don’t know how vintage I would consider this song (I personally think most of their music videos look more early 2000s than 70s or 80s), but removed from its context it’s a really catchy, dark little jam. Perhaps this isn’t a nice thing to say, but it reminds me of early Panic! at the Disco, and that is a sound that I sort of missed, even as Panic! is still out there making great music. It’s theatric, bombastic, and catchy. Love it.

3. Curious – Hayley Kiyoko

The internet has labelled Hayley Kiyoko “Lesbian Jesus,” which is great and all, but I feel like there’s a lot less appreciation for how well she makes her music compared to what she writes her music about. Don’t get me wrong – I love LGBTQ+ rep in my pop music. But let’s call out Kiyoko for what a bop she can lay down.

My favorite part of this song? Gotta be that super fast-sung part of the chorus. (Did you takehimtothepierinSantaMonicaforgettobringyourjacketwrapupinhimcuzyouwantedto?)But every other part of this song is strong. It’s a beautifully-done pop song, great in all the ways a pop song should be. Catchy! Danceable! Amazing! Recommended!

4. Still Want You – Brandon Flowers

For a song I think truly has a bit of a vintage sound, you can turn on this one. This is another song played for me by Marisa. I absolutely love Brandon Flowers’ work in The Killers, so when presented with his solo stuff, I was completely on board.

For good reason too. “Still Want You” is a sweet love song with a humorous tone. Flowers’ sleepy, low voice strikes that perfect balance of sweet and calming and just a bit goofy. This song is catchy and has a sound that’s truly unique – I’ve never heard anything that quite sounds like this one. I also love the choral aspect of the chorus. It’s a well-packaged and lovely song, great for relaxing to.

5. My Copycat – Orange Caramel

Alright, alright, I almost tried to find a different song to fill this last spot, because I was a little embarrassed to put two songs by the same artist on this list. But if I’m being truly honest, this is the song that deserves the spot. After I spent an evening replaying the “Catallena” music video, I thought it would be only fair to give a few of Orange Caramel’s other songs a try, and this one was an immediate slam dunk for me.

It’s probably that jazzy horn sound, though I think the incredibly clever and unique music video certainly sells it as well. Or maybe I’m just a K-Pop fan now. Hm.

…Or maybe I’m just an Orange Caramel fan. I guess time will tell.