CommRadio Weekly Playlist: Feb. 28
The CommRadio Weekly Playlist – 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.
“Black Sheep - Brie Larson Vocal Version” - Metric, Brie Larson
Metric created “Black Sheep” for “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World,” but in the movie Brie Larson was singing instead of the lead singer of Metric, who appears in the movie's soundtrack. For “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World” 10 year anniversary, Metric finally released the Brie Larson version.
Personally, I find the Brie Larson version better than the original. Her smooth singing voice mixed very well with the mellow/epic rock sound. The “Black Sheep” lyrics also help describe evil exes that most people have dealt with and the exes Scott Pilgrim deals with in the movie.
So with great lyrics, an epic sound and a theme that relates to the viewers and the movie, “Black Sheep” is a great song. Plus by sharing this amazing song, I wanted to spread awareness to one of my favorite movies which is filled with many other great songs besides “Black Sheep.” - Ethan Hetrick
“Twin Sized Mattress” – The Front Bottoms
One thing that me and The Front Bottoms have in common is we’re both from New Jersey. But I don’t just like this band because we’re from the same state.
They’ve made a lot of emotional ballads, upbeat summer songs and other relatable tracks that give off an east coast aesthetic. One of their songs that I’ve been listening to on repeat is their most popular song, “Twin Sized Mattress.”
This is one of the most tear-jerking songs they have ever released, as it is about a friendship that is ruined by drug addiction.
The verses are sung over a very catchy guitar riff, slow drum beats and a tambourine.
The song builds up to a hard-hitting emotional ending where the lead singer belts out all his emotions in the bridge and coda. This ending can bring tears to your eyes, especially if you hear it live.
More people need to hear this song, as it is one of the most powerful songs I have ever heard. For this reason, it is in my rotation almost every week. - Jayson O’Connell
“You Signed Up For This” - Maisie Peters
This song just validates so many of my feelings in all the right ways.
Maisie Peters is a 21-year-old pop singer and songwriter from West Sussex, which is on the coast of the English Channel. She has released two EP’s and one studio album since signing a record deal with Atlantic Records in 2018.
The song “You Signed Up For This” is from her 2021 album of the same name. It is, at its core, a song about the emotional twists and turns of being a 20-year-old girl, which is a major theme of the album.
In this song, Peters talks about the complex feelings involved in growing up and trying to become the best version of yourself. The lyrics in the chorus “I know I’ll get better / I’m just not better yet” illustrate the meaning of the song perfectly.
This song has more upbeat verses paired with a quieter, pleading chorus. I like to think this illustrates the ups and downs of trying to find your place in the world and figure out who you are. – Izzy Charboneau
“When I R.I.P.” - Labrinth
With the season finale of “Euphoria” this past Sunday, one of the songs from the show’s soundtrack really stood out to me this week. Labrinth’s song “When I R.I.P. “ is used in multiple episodes and the lyrics reference the heavy topics addressed in the show.
Some of those include social media, substance abuse, street life and always being on the move. Labrinth is singing the song in first person and it is describing the lifestyle of many of the characters.
However, I think we can all agree that the song mostly resonates with Rue, as she is the main character of the show and lives a dangerous lifestyle. The song is first heard in the 'Pilot' episode during the time when Rue talks about her addiction with drugs and how they make her feel.
The song itself is pretty dark, but I really enjoy it because the beats and melody Labrinth sings over are really catchy. I like how the song starts out quiet and then gradually, the music gets louder.
About 30 seconds in, the song starts to get very upbeat and fast paced. The music and the lyrics fit together perfectly. Out of all the songs in the original soundtrack, this one in particular stands out the most. Labrinth writing the music for Euphoria worked out well, as it fits the dynamics of the show really well. - Lara Judkowski
“2 Arabesques in E-Major”- Claude Debussy
All week I’ve been riddled with anxiety over my MATH 110 business calculus midterm. I studied for it throughout breaks between my classes, all the way up until I went to sleep.
When my head started to hurt – a sensation I refer to as “math brain” – I attempted to alleviate these headaches with a classical piano music playlist on Spotify.
The first time I listened to this playlist I thought, “well this is fine I guess,” but for some reason, the fourth track caught my attention. Then I just concluded that it was probably in some cheesy rom-com I watched over the summer.
It wasn’t until after my math exam, when I was finally able to go on TikTok in peace that I realized “2 Arabesques in E-Major” has been used time and time again.
A classical piece being applied to our modern social media age, it's kind of interesting to think about.
It’s nothing new for classical piano music to accompany visuals like movie soundtracks, but the fact that it has found its place in this rapidly advancing 21st century shows how timeless this genre of music is.
Although classical music may have a reputation for being “boring” or “too slow,” in our fast-paced and sometimes very stressful lives, sometimes it’s what we need to slow down. - Abigail Chachoute
Ethan Hetrick is a first-year communications major. To contact him, email eth5186@psu.edu.
Jayson O’Connell is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jbo5216@psu.edu.
Izzy Charboneau is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email ijc5186@psu.edu.
Lara Judkowski is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email lkj5109@psu.edu.
Abigail Chachoute is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email axc6070@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Ethan Hetrick
First-year /
Ethan Hetrick is a first-year communications major. He has done State High and Lady Lion’s broadcasts, wrote multiple movie and music reviews, and sports articles.
Isabelle Charboneau
/ Journalism
Izzy Charboneau is a second-year student majoring in digital and print journalism. She is from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Izzy is in the news department and the arts and entertainment department of CommRadio. In the arts and entertainment department, she contributes to many listicles, writes reviews, participates in talk shows, and co-hosts a podcast. In the news department, she is on a weekly newscast and writes news stories. To contact her, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Jayson O'Connell
Senior / Broadcast Journalism
Jayson O’Connell is a fourth-year studying broadcast journalism. He is from Burlington, New Jersey. To contact Jayson, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). You can follow him on Twitter @jjayson704.
Lara Judkowski
Junior / Broadcast Journalism
