Carly Rae Jepsen - Curiosity (2012)

I've always wanted my musician friend to cover the title track in a death metal format, changing just one word: "Curiosity" to "Furiosity", but I don't know how to approach him about such a thing. If only we still had "Dear Abby" :(

Picture me in - Wait, you probably don't know what I look like. Picture an ugly dude with shaggy hair in 2011 when "Call Me Maybe" was released. Picture that guy using a YouTube-to-MP3 converter and thinking in his teenage insecurity "What if my friends think I'm gay? Ah, screw it. I don't care." and you have a 17 year old Kenny making a major personal breakthrough that'd last forever in how he views himself, and his self-confidence. JK I'M DEPRESSED AS SHIT!!

And of course that'd be the song to do it: Hit single "Call Me Maybe" is basically the absolute most perfect pop song in concept. Catchy, recognizable instrumental, with memorable verses, hook, and chorus. You could go into your bedroom and try to create a song even half as catchy as that, and no matter how long you try, it won't hit the spot in the same way that only this track can. Look at yourself for a moment: If you're reading this, you probably have it on your iPod, love hearing it on YouTube, or "ironically" turn it up in the car and sing along to it when it comes on the radio, but if you don't like this song, you are a demon in human skin.

See, when you get Carly Rae Jepsen, sure, she'll make some catchy shit, but given that this EP is just six tracks long, it benefits her IMMENSELY in the way that she doesn't outstay her welcome, there's no fat to trim off of the tracklisting given that it's so short and all of the tracks are of good quality, even if none of them necessarily reach the same heights as "Call Me Maybe", it's a solid little selection of happy, uplifting pop songs that almost serve as a greatest hits collection at that point in her career, given how damn good these songs are. I mean, shit, there's even a cover of "Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell on the tracklist! Great to see that Carly didn't forget her folk roots.

The only downside to this EP that keeps me from rating it higher is that it still feels a bit too clean and serene at times, but it's still a big step in the right direction for Carly Rae Jepsen. Do not pass it up if you're into uplifting pop music that you claim to "ironically" enjoy. There ain't anything ironic about singing these songs in the shower, you insecure plebe.

7/10
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