CommRadio Singles Round Up: April 4

Story posted April 4, 2022 in Arts & Entertainment by CommRadio Arts & Entertainment Staff.

The Arts and Entertainment Department takes a look at some of the recently released singles from the past week.

“As It Was” - Harry Styles

After three long years of no music, Harry Styles has blessed listener’s ears with music.

Out of nowhere, Styles released to Instagram the album cover, album title and release date. A week later at a random hour on Thursday, he released “As It Was.” The album, “Harry’s House,” will be released to major streaming platforms on May 20.

Opening the song is a child asking Styles if they can say goodnight to him and harmonic piano and bells begin playing. Then, a basic drum beat comes in to complete it. The song has an upbeat tune that many will find themselves whistling to themselves (if they know how to whistle).

Styles has been known to have a pop-rock sound. He has entered his indie-rock era and we are here for it.

He can do it all with his voice - his range is outrageous. However, nothing is more enjoyable than light, whisper singing from Mr. Styles. The style of the song (no pun intended) and his vocals match perfectly together.

This song is like Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” - a cheerful song smothering deeper, darker lyrics. Styles sings about wanting to go back to how it used to be. “In this world, it's just us / You know it's not the same as it was.”

But with what? Pre COVID-19 pandemic? Is it about a significant other? The album will tell the rest of the story.

Many of Styles’ songs are vulnerable and have deeper meanings that fans have been analyzing for years. This song is the bluntest. He sings, “Why are you sitting at home on the floor? / What kind of pills are you on?" Will he open up about these lyrics?

Again, listeners will have to wait for May 20.

He paired the song with a music video, directed by Ukrainian director Tanu Muino. It can be watched here.

As per usual, Styles did not disappoint. Fans are itching for more singles to come out, but most importantly the album. May 20 is a national holiday for Harry fans. - Emily McGlynn

"Rain On You!" - JELEEL!

JELEEL! is one of the most explosive artists to break out onto the scene in recent times.

His energy in his live performances is quite unmatched by any other rapper. From massive stage dives to superhero-type jumps, it seems like JELEEL! is an indestructible human being. He is also massive. The rapper is well over six feet tall and is shredded.

What does this have to do with anything?

Well, his music sounds almost nothing like the way he looks. JELEEL! has an incredibly high-pitched voice that he uses to its fullest extent. Every single hook and chorus he writes is full of charisma. On “Rain On You!” vocally, he varies to an extent that listeners have not seen before.

The beat, produced by Shoto, is an energetic trap beat laced with a bit of hyperpop influence. It sounds like a perfect track to mosh to.

The biggest critique surrounding this new artist is his songwriting ability. Nearly every song in his discography is exceedingly short, including this newest one. “Rain On You!” is only a minute and 24 seconds long. One or two more verses would have gone a long way.

This track makes it apparent why he has blown up so fast. With the right people surrounding him, JELEEL! can become a fleshed-out artist. This single is just taking baby steps until that moment. - Caelan Chevrier

“Sugar” - Surf Curse

Surf rock band Surf Curse, known for their song “Freaks” that recently went viral on TikTok, released their newest single, “Sugar,” on Wednesday.

Said to be on their upcoming fourth studio album, “Sugar” starts off slow with a catchy guitar sequence and an introduction to lead singer Nick Rattigan’s gravelly voice pining for a lover through sugar metaphors.

On the shorter side, the single consists of only two verses. The first half of both start off mellow before crescendoing into an intense drum beat and an amplified version of the introductory guitar melody.

The final 30 seconds of the song are reserved for random guitar progressions and sporadic drumming littered with moments of Rattigan’s raspy vocalization.

With a new generation of fans from their viral moment, and on the cusp of warmer weather, “Sugar” holds a lot of promise for Surf Curse and their unnamed album. - Megan Kelby

“Ur Mum” - Wet Leg

To prepare viewers for their highly anticipated self-titled debut album coming out this Friday, Wet Leg released one final single along with a hysterical music video. “Ur Mum” features all the best qualities in a Wet Leg song, and is an amazing final song ahead of the album release.

This song is filled with charm. The lyrics are humorous, yet never reach a level of parody that would be unprofessional. Although some lyrics are outrageous, the topics are strong enough to be taken seriously.

The chorus in this song is very catchy, even if there are no lyrics featured in it until the 3rd time they do the chorus. A very unique format that makes this song all the more impressive.

This song also features their longest and loudest scream, a necessary addition that elevates the charm and uniqueness Wet Leg has. Vocalist Rhian Teasdale also sounds sensational on the track. Although she may not feature a wild range on this track, her vocals sound beautiful, especially when she is just melodically singing without any lyrics.

Finally, the instrumentation in this song is stellar. Wet Leg’s music always features vibrant beats that have memorable guitar riffs as well as groovy drum lines. Their music is always reminiscent of good positive vibes, which is why it is the perfect time of the year for them to release their album.

Wet Leg continues their streak of only releasing sensational music, which makes the hype of their debut album incredibly high. Definitely check this track out. - Jack Freiser


Emily McGlynn is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email esm5378@psu.edu.

Caelan Chevrier is a second year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email cjc6789@psu.edu.   

Megan Kelby is a second-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email mkk5701@psu.edu.

Jack Freiser is a second-year majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email jef5614@psu.edu

About the Contributors

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Emily McGlynn

Third-year / Broadcast Journalism

Emily McGlynn is a third-year from Birmingham, Michigan majoring in broadcast journalism at Penn State. She is the Co-General Manager alongside Alex Rocco and Dylan Price. She is involved in the news, arts and entertainment, sports and production department. In the news department, she is one of the news producers. She frequently writes reviews for the Arts Department as well. Listening to music, watching movies, and staying updated with news and pop culture are some of her favorite things to do. To contact her, email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Caelan Chevrier's photo

Caelan Chevrier

Third Year / Marketing & Journalism

Caelan Chevrier is a third-year student in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University studying marketing and broadcast journalism with the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in four years. His career goal is to spread informative, meaningful, and entertaining content across various platforms and to be a positive impact on the community. He has also spent time working at WWE in the communications department and writing for The Westport Local Press in his hometown of Westport, CT. If you’d like to contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Jack Freiser's photo

Jack Freiser

Third-Year / Telecommunications

Jack Freiser is a third-year student in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University studying telecommunications. He is very passionate about both music and film. He aspires to impact the music business as a successful A+R by signing artists who will be culturally relevant and will leave an impact on the world, and through keeping a strong relationship with the artist and their team. Email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Megan Kelby's photo

Megan Kelby

Fourth-Year / Journalism

Megan Kelby is a fourth-year from Newark, Delaware majoring in journalism and minoring in English and history at Penn State. She is a member of the arts & entertainment department for CommRadio. To contact her, email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).