Going back in time to early middle school when I discovered Rex Orange County through his song “Sunflower,” I decided that today I would review his latest album: WHO CARES?. I was very excited when this album dropped, mainly because of how good the songs “KEEP IT UP,” “AMAZING,” and “OPEN A WINDOW (feat. Tyler, The Creator)” sounded as singles before the album was officially released.
keep it up
I feel like people already know what I’m going to say about the instrumental of this song… If it has a violin playing in the background, it’s automatically a good song. Instrumentals aside, this song always tends to put me in a good mood. The lyrics are very motivational and peppy, and the background sound quite happy as well. This song was automatically added to one of my happy playlists. I would rate this song an 8.5/10.
open a window (feat. Tyler, the creator)
I have to say that I’m in love with the instrumentals at the beginning of the song, even before Rex begins to sing. One of my favorite lyrics from this one is, “Seasons change but you don’t ever, oh / Oh, as soon as I can see your face, I’m fine I’m sure.” I also just love whenever Rex Orange County and Tyler, The Creator collaborate on a song together. On Tyler, The Creator’s 2017 album Flowerboy, Rex Orange County was featured on two songs with Tyler, such as “Foreword (feat. Rex Orange County)” and “Boredom (feat. Rex Orange County & Anna of the North)”. Needless to say, both of these Tyler songs that Rex featured on were good, and I feel like they fit well together, musically and lyrically. I would rate this song an 8.5/10.
worth it
Again, I’m immediately obliged to say that this song is good because there are orchestral instruments in the instrumental. The lyrics are a little depressing and seem to be referencing the struggles of moving on from grief, which in this case might be referring to Rex and his ex-girlfriend splitting in 2020. Although the lyrics are a bit sad, I really like the instrumentals in the background. I would rate this song an 8/10.
amazing
This is another song off of the album that was automatically added to one of my happy playlists. Out of the three singles he released before dropping the album, I have to say that this is my favorite. I’m also loving all of the romantic and sweet songs on this album. Plus, the instrumentals are great. I would rate this song a 9/10.
One in a million
This has to be one of my favorite songs off of the entire album. I’ve had it on repeat ever since I first listened to it. Again, this is another romantic and sweet song, and I think I’m seeing a trend with my favorites— it looks and sounds like I favor the more romantic songs off of this album than the others. Well, moving on from my music preferences for a moment, I love how the instrumental behind this song sounds so chill and relaxing. I would rate this song a 9/10.
if you want it
This song is definitely the odd one out on the album, with the drums and the synths in the background. It sounds somewhat intense with the instrumentals, and I kind of like how it sounds different from all of the other songs on the album. This song, like a majority of the other tracks on the album, appears to deal with self-acceptance, and this track particularly focuses on self-acceptance in a new relationship. I would rate this song a 9/10.
7AM
I love how upbeat this song sounds with the instrumentals in the background. Rex has said on Twitter that this song is about not feeling good and wanting to give up when that’s the last thing you want to do. I feel everyone can definitely relate to this song in some aspects, with not feeling good enough and wanting to give up at some points in their life. I would rate this song a 7/10.
the shade
This is another one of my favorites. It’s just such a sweet and romantic song that I don’t understand how someone could dislike it. It’s just one of those songs that make you feel all fuzzy and warm inside. It gives off hopeless romantic vibes, and that definitely applies to me, so it’s no wonder I like this song so much. I would rate this song a 9/10.
making time
This is a sweet, although short, track. It’s the shortest off of the entire album, in fact. It’s also a pretty simple song, with repeating the same two sentences throughout its entirety. As always, I really enjoy the instrumentals. I would rate this song a 7/10.
shoot me down
I absolutely love the piano in this song. Especially at the end, where all the instruments slowly start to crescendo and then suddenly quiet down as the last few seconds. Along with the instrumental, I like the vibe of this song a lot, and the lyrics as well. I would rate this song an 8.5/10.
who cares?
This is another simple song off of the album. This song primarily talks about how Rex feels self-conscious, and also touches upon some struggles he might be going through. The “who cares?” that is sung throughout the chorus could either indicate that it doesn’t matter anymore or could be asking, literally, “who cares about me?”. I feel like this song and “7AM” definitely pair well together, and I feel as though people can definitely relate to both of these songs. I would rate this song a 7/10.
If you’re a fan of Rex’s old music or are a fan of Indie Pop music as a whole, I would definitely recommend this album.