WMSC Music Picks: Valentine’s Day – Love & Hate.
Written by wmscweb on February 11, 2023
Welcome back to another Music Picks, a collaborative collection of WMSC’s music recommendations and reviews. This installment’s theme is Valentine’s Day: Love & Hate. Read more to see our station’s favorite love songs and favorite hate songs!
“Lucky People” — Waterparks ❤️
Review by Deepak Sathish
Meet the acoustic love song to end all acoustic love songs. The second single off of Waterparks’ sophomore album, Entertainment, is the single sappiet three minutes of music ever composed. With every line Awsten Knight sings, or every strum of the guitar, you can tell the song was just made with so much love for the person he wrote it about. It’s a song that just warms your heart every time you hear it, especially if you have someone in your life that means this much to you. But even if you don’t, it’s an immensely enjoyable acoustic ballad and, in my opinion, the single greatest stand-outside-someone’s-window-and-serenade-them song ever composed. All of y’all who need a way to impress that special someone in your life, you’re welcome for the suggestion.
“Puke” — Heart Attack Man* 💔
Review by Deepak Sathish
Sometimes the best form of hate in music is one fueled by poetry. Eloquent takedowns that would rival Shakespeare’s own quill. Combining repartee and revulsion into lines so devastating that the target has no choice but to weep within their shower walls for hours on end.
But sometimes, you just need to yell for four minutes about how someone makes you want to [Redacted]-ing puke. That’s where this song comes in. “Puke,” the opening track of Ohio-based punk band Heart Attack Man’s 2021 EP Thoughts & Prayerz, is a relentless four minute onslaught of insults, often bordering on violent, towards an unnamed target. Ranging from the less basic (“Filed down and exhausted,” “Ugly on the outside”) to downright playground-tier malediction (“You make me cringe”), Eric Egan’s outraged yells over the aggressive rock underlay build the foundation for one of the angriest songs you will ever hear. The song builds to a midpoint where Egan’s screams and a rapidly-speeding up group of instruments build to a noisy and chaotic climax. It is at this moment, the song offers a brief respite – A moment of peace at the peak. However, as soon as you arrive there, the song plunges you back into the infernal violence that awaits below. In just four minutes, the track manages to transport the listener through a journey of pure, uncut, violent malice and detestation.
“Leave Me Alone” — I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME 💔
Review by Deepak Sathish
Dallon Weekes is one of the best song-writers alive. No debate on that. But there’s one thing that he does especially infinitesimally better than anyone else in music, and that is his ability to be incredibly passive-aggressive. And his opus? “Leave Me Alone,” the lead single from iDKHOW’s 2020 album, Razzmatazz. Over a sparkling 80s throwback synth, and steady grooves from drummer Ryan Seaman, Weekes calmly sings of a former friend (gee, I wonder who that could be, wonder if they’re in a band he used to be in or something…) who ultimately sold his soul, and lost everyone near them as a result (gee, I wonder who that could be, wonder if that person took credit for some of his work when they were in a band together). There’s no better set of lines that exemplify this than in the first verse, when he croons “You took the money / But the money couldn’t buy a friend.” Regardless of who this song is about (or if that person’s band still exists), “Leave Me Alone” is a shimmering piece of 80s-inspired alt pop with dark undercurrents, making for a masterpiece of passive-aggressive music.
“Dreamlover” — Mariah Carey ❤️
Review by Katarina Nikolic
“Dreamlover” was made to feed the delusions of hopeless romantics, and to thaw the cold hearts of cynics. Mariah Carey vocalizes what most people secretly wish for every Valentine’s Day: a perfect person, coming down from the heavens with the promise of ever-lasting love. The lyrical message is driven home by angelic harmonies, stunning vocal performance, and a quintessentially 90s instrumental. “Dreamlover” instantly transports its listener to the end credits of a classic rom-com.
69 Love Songs — The Magnetic Fields** ❤️
Review by Katarina Nikolic
69 Love Songs is for those that like to be a bit meta on Valentine’s Day. When Stephen Merritt created his conceptual 1999 record, he did not intend for it to be an album about love, but rather about love songs. Venturing off in all directions in terms of form, genre, and romantic themes, 69 Love Songs has an abundance of gems, from the silly “Chicken With Its Head Cut Off,” to the adorably affectionate “When My Boy Walks Down the Street.” The simple lyrics and melodies featured on the lengthy three-disc album are as sweet as they are wry, a lovely dedication to the ups and downs of human relationships and the music they inspire.
“I’m In Love With You” — The 1975* ❤️
Review by Katarina Nikolic
In Matty Healy’s Chicken Shop Date with Amelia Dimoldenberg, he revealed two things about himself:
- He deeply yearns to be earnest.
- His favorite lyric he’s written is, “I’m in love with you.”
If there’s one sentiment The 1975 frontman has expressed over the promotion cycle for their 2022 record, Being Funny in A Foreign Language, it’s that he wants us all to be more genuine. This Valentine’s Day, do away with the complications, sarcasm, irony, post-irony, and say it plainly: “I’m In Love With You.” Or, you can sing it. It’s only five words!
“Plastic Off the Sofa” — Beyoncé ❤️
Review by Katarina Nikolic
Beyoncé declared “Plastic Off the Sofa” her (current) favorite song off of 2022’s Renaissance, and for pretty obvious reasons. The traditional R&B track is a love letter to her husband Jay-Z, standing out as the slowest and most intimate on the album. Infectiously sugary, “Plastic Off the Sofa” is the song to dedicate to someone you think is soooo cool (but not cooler than you).
“A Better Son/Daughter” — Rilo Kiley* ❤️🩹
Review by Aidan Smith
Rilo Kiley’s seminal 2002 album The Execution of All Things is honestly anchored by this song, it is a true attempt at pure confession for the sake of rehabilitation in the name of self love and self preservation. It’s uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time while being completely soul bearing in the process. The instrumentation is amazing as well, with a “big,” infectious sound aided by marching drums and an exceptional vocal performance from Jenny Lewis. The song deals with topics like anxiety, parental abuse, addiction, and the essence of being a failure – it does so with the backbone being a message of self love and the desire to be better.
“because i want to” — Oso Oso ❤️
Review by Aidan Smith
Off of my favorite album of 2022, Sore Thumb by Oso Oso, this track clocks in at just above two minutes. “I Love You Because I Want To” begins with a chuggy guitar lead reminiscent of early work by The Beatles and ambient piano notes that sound as if they’re being played from a different part of the recording space — the concept lyrically is simple enough, following in simple love song format — “when it rains, it pours, need some cover I’m yours — yeah I love you because I want to” (Lines 14-19), it is with the conglomeration of such a catchy melody and fun vocals that makes this track so special. Oso Oso does a lot with their attention to melody, constantly messing with old ideas and subverting expectations in order to create something even more unique and interesting — they’re definitely a group to watch out for!
“Vomit” — Microwave 💔
Review by Aidan Smith
This one’s pretty hateful. It details the moments leading up to a brutal breakup and the games in which the featured couple play due to their disdain for one another. Lead singer Nathan Hardy does something interesting musically on this track where he gains intensity with the character he depicts. The song begins soft and melodic, explaining that there has been a rift in the center relationship: “We used to only do this on the weekends / Now it’s almost every single night.” (Lines 1-2) In retaliation to an ongoing party, our narrator finds himself in a fit of rage: “I pull your drawers and fill up the sink / Make everything exactly how you hate it all to be.” (Lines 4-6) The chorus break trades a plucky guitar lead for driving guitars that aid Hardy’s signature scream. This juxtaposition works as a sort of point of no return for the characters’ relationship: “I’m not trying to hold your hair / No love will pass through me / Because I’m far too cynical for faith and make believe. / ‘Cause there’s no such thing as love, / We just felt vulnerable without a God with nowhere else, nobody else, nothing.” (Lines 8-11) He exclaims this hatred, getting it off of his chest. A testament to anger, “Vomit” by Microwave is incredible and very, very angry.
“Flowers” — Miley Cyrus ❤️❤️🩹
Review by Nicole Passero
This is one of my favorite songs from Miley Cyrus! “Flowers” was released on January 12th,
2023 as the lead single from her upcoming eighth album, Endless Summer Vacation, which will be released on March 10th, 2023. Previously, Cyrus teased the music video to this single during “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” with many posters stating “New Year, New Miley.” The song encourages self-love, with lyrics “I can love me better than you can.” Cyrus uses similar lyrics to Bruno Mars’ hit “When I Was Your Man,” by having a different perspective on similar love gestures. This track took No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart after her 2013 hit “Wrecking Ball.” It is a very inspirational, feel-good song to lift your spirits after hard times.
“I Hate Everything About You” — Three Days Grace 💔
Review by Kimberly Martinez
This is definitely a song that all of us have related to at some point in our lives about a person. You hate them so much, with a passion, but at the same time you love them and you can’t stop loving them. With everything you hate about them, you still don’t know why there is love for this person in you. “I hate everything about you, why do I love you,” this lyric from the song really shows you how you hate something so much but yet you keep coming back to it. You are conflicted between loving them and hating them. This song is very much about a toxic relationship that although you know is toxic and not worth it, you can’t help but to stay due to the love you are feeling.
“Potential Breakup Song” — Aly & AJ 💔
Review by Kimberly Martinez
I mean come on, this is a classic! Everyone has blasted this song at least once in their car with their friends. This is really a final call, a final warning for their significant other, being on the verge of breaking up. The more the song goes on, the more the girls realize that not only is this a final warning, but it is also a wakeup call for them. They are realizing that it is no longer worth it to continue with this person if they are showing little to no interest, while also being positive that this person will miss all that they had with you once the time comes to break up. They need the significant other to decide whether to continue or not before they are done for good!
“Love At First Sight” — The Brobecks ❤️
Review by Kimberly Martinez
This song is just adorable from the beginning. Written about the first time member Dallon Weekes met his wife Breezy Weekes, this song is so heartwarming. In the lyrics, you can hear just how nervous Dallon is, having this feeling of love at first sight, and not knowing for sure if he really just fell in love with this girl. Then, realizing that he has, now he’s not sure what to say to leave the right impression on this girl. It’s really cute seeing how he put his feelings from their first meeting into this song to show how he felt then and just how hard he fell in love with her, without having to deal with the risks and uncertainties that come with this experience.
“Skeleton Key” — Origami Angel ❤️
Review by Jake Goetz
“Skeleton Key” by Origami Angel utilizes all the core tenets of rock and emo to convey appreciation with pure sweetness. Ryland Heagy’s vocals over dancing guitar riffs in the opening lines will be enough to melt your heart and incite multiple listens.
“The Best Deceptions” — Dashboard Confessional 💔
Review by Jake Goetz
“The Best Deceptions” by Dashboard Confessional is an absolutely devastating breakup song. With a barrage of raw acoustic guitars and a tone oscillating between timid desperation and bitter contempt, Chris Carrabba’s song captures the ugliest side of love.
“Sarah Smiles” — Panic! At The Disco ❤️
Review by Jared Tauber
This is one of my favorite songs from my favorite album of all time — Vices & Virtues. You can just feel the love jumping out of the lyrics and into your heart. This is Panic! at their best, so we’re looking at S-tier vocals, melodies, instrumentation, and style all around. Spencer Smith bangs the crud out of those drums and Brendon Urie delivers a swoon-worthy vocal performance. This came out in 2011 and now Sarah, the subject of the song, is pregnant with their first child 12 years later. Love is alive, and the Urie’s are in it!
“Choke” — I Don’t Know How But They Found Me 💔
Review by Jared Tauber
This is a funny one to juxtapose with my previous review as this is in part about Brendon Urie. This song put iDKHOW on the map, and it was one of the greatest pleasures of my life to see it all happen in real time. I got to see them live before the song was even out. This song and band mean a lot to me because I’ve been following them since their inception. Dallon Weekes is one of my favorite songwriters and this song illustrates his talent beautifully. Ryan Seaman recorded these drums in his friend’s kitchen — now look at them! Selling out shows worldwide. Hate has never been sexier.
“Electric Love” — BØRNS ❤️
Review by Julia Slevin
Is it really the season of love if this song isn’t mentioned? “Electric Love” by BØRNS is one of the most epic songs about being young and completely in love. Imagine driving-with-the-windows-down kinda love. Getting matching tattoos, kinda love. Never growing up, kinda love. A song like this never gets old… Overall, this song captivates sparks flying and feeling alive.
“7 Things” — Miley Cyrus ❤️🩹💔
Review by Julia Slevin
Talk about iconic?! This song was made for the “I hate that I love you” type. This song has been around since 2008 and I still find myself screaming while singing it in the car. This song is clever and chaotic. For example, “and the seventh thing I hate the most that you do… you make me love you.” It is completely valid and understandable to love and hate someone. Things get complicated, but everyone needs to allow themselves to feel all the emotions. You can do yourself a favor and watch the music video for this song. The entire thing is: *chef kiss*!
“Mr. Perfectly Fine” — Taylor Swift 💔
Review by Julia Slevin
The queen of love songs, Tswizzle has written countless songs encompassing the raw feeling of love and heartbreak. This song “Mr. Perfectly Fine” is ridiculously underrated and deserves a little shoutout. Breakups are hard in general, but imagine watching your ex be “perfectly fine,” now that’s another story!!! Like many Swift songs- cheesy, but a guilty pleasure. Personally, as a Swiftie myself, I can say the woman always hits the mark and creates a diverse variety of songs for people to swoon to or let out a much needed cry. Both are great options for you this Valentines Day!
“Do You Still Love Me Like You Used To?” — MISSIO* ❤️
Review by Emily McCormack
This song perfectly encapsulates the idea that love isn’t always an easy thing. Every couple is going to experience their ups and downs, but what matters most at the end of the day is getting past the hardship and loving one another. MISSIO released their documentary Love Me Whole in 2020 which explored the process of making their album 2019 The Darker The Weather // The Better The Man. David Butler explains that “Do You Still Love Me Like You Used To?” is a love song dedicated to his wife and the struggles they go through in their relationship with him constantly on and off of touring, and wondering if their relationship can prosper through their differing lifestyles. Butler explains “Life changes, your circumstances change and your responses to certain things change and and we’ve definitely both grown and changed a lot this year and that song ‘Do You’ is about overcoming that bit of separation and that feeling of being lost, even lost with someone you know.”
The chorus is as follows: “We’re not perfect / Always waging our own wars […] / And we wanna let it go / But it’s worth it / This is worth what we’re fighting for / I’m fighting for you.” The lyrics are real and emotional, and I think it’s important that MISSIO aren’t afraid of showing the reality that not everything is perfect just because you’re in love. I’m glad that this song is out there for those in a happy relationship but experiencing bad days with the good, it shows that they aren’t alone. At the end of the day, what matters most is your love for one another, overcoming as many hurdles as they may come your way.
“I DONT EVEN LIKE U” — Royal & The Serpent* ❤️🩹💔
Review by Emily McCormack
Well, if this song is about anything… It’s certainly about hating someone. I interpret this song as one Ryan Santiago wrote reflecting on a past relationship, where she begins to understand it’s not worth holding on to someone she doesn’t even like anymore (hence, the title). She specifically says “Oh my god, I don’t even like you / What the h*ll, I just had a breakthrough.” Looking back, there are a lot of qualities of this person that make her recognize that she’s better off without them, and wonders why she wasted her time with them at all.
The bridge is as follows: “You’re old news / You missed the only chance you had / Don’t come crawling back ’cause I […] hate your guts.” I like that this whole song screams that she’s moved on, is never looking back, and giving up on her was a big mistake.
*These songs contain explicit lyrics.
**Photos from Wikipedia.
Photos from Amazon.com.
You can check out WMSC Favorites of 2022 Music Picks article here!
