CommRadio Weekly Playlist: April 17

Story posted April 25, 2023 in Arts & Entertainment by Arts & Entertainment Staff.

Here, members of the Arts and Entertainment Department will talk about the songs that dominated their playlists during the week and what makes them so good.

“Gasoline” - The Weeknd

When this song first came out on the Dawn FM album, I couldn’t stand it. I dismissed it as an excuse for an album filler, a disappointing one.

The first minute of the song didn’t make any sense at the time. I get that the aim was to create that futuristic feel with an 80s vibe, but what was the point of it being that long of an intro?

For this song to be stuck in my head now and on my Spotify rotation, was very unexpected, and now I’m humming it voluntarily? When and how did this song grow on me?

I thought about it for a while, then I realized the turning point was last summer, The After Hours Til Dawn Tour. That was the dawn of a newfound appreciation for this track.

Say what you want about some of The Weeknd’s artistic choices in trying new styles, when he performs live he can make you fall in love with just about any one of his tracks. – Abigail Chachoute

“this is me trying” - Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, “folklore,” is arguably her best lyrically, and no other song on the album embodies that through fear and failure than “this is me trying.”

Though the song isn’t on The Eras Tour setlist, Swift performed it as a surprise song in her second night in Arlington, Texas.

“this is me trying” is essentially the gifted kid burnout.

Swift captures the feeling of working so hard for something and repeatedly coming up short, with those shortcomings leading to doubt and regression.

It’s also a song about dealing with anger and grief, in Swift's words “shoot to kill when [she’s] mad.”

This song has the feeling of being where you don’t belong, like being at a party when “you feel like an open wound” but trying to overcome that feeling.”

Swift has said that “folklore” isn’t an autobiographical album, but for some of her listeners, it is. – Adrianna Gallucci

“Solo” - Frank Ocean

Knowing that I would not be attending Coachella for yet another year, where my favorite performers would be on stage, was a major blow. Fortunately, now I know that the whole world will suffer with me since Frank Ocean announced the other day that he would pull from his second lineup because of an injury.

After staying up past 3 a.m. to watch Frank complete his first live performance on a random Instagram with 144p quality and bogus sound, I knew that I needed to relisten to all of my favorite songs by him.

“Solo” is not normally a Frank song that I attach myself to, however, this week the chorus has not escaped my mind nor my lips.

Of the songs that he performed, this song appeared to be unusually enchanting to me.

The chorus is unequivocally the most soulful of the album, with the whole song taking inspiration from a gospel-like instrumental.

Frank’s runs are expressed like begging prayers and the organ plays peacefully with him.

Sorry to those who happen to walk by me in the next few weeks because I will be singing this song off-key and loudly. – Erell Williams

Abigail Chachoute is a second-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email axc6070@psu.edu.

Adrianna Gallucci is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu.

Erell Williams is a second-year majoring in broadcasting journalism. To contact her, email exw5303@psu.edu.