Buried Treasure: CRAVITY – Love Me

A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve. Over the past few years, CRAVITY has quietly been holding it down for those of us who love the sounds of older K-pop generations. They’ve mostly stayed away from current trends, and when they do dip their feet into familiar soundscapes they find a way to wrap them around actual songs. Their new mini album is a highlight reel of tried-and-true boy group hits and the bombastic Love Me stands as its strongest b-side. I knew I’d love this song from the very first second. It charges out of the gate with such a widescreen sound. The blend of guitar and bounding percussion gives me that “anime boss battle” intensity I love from pop music. And apart from a frustrating (but brief) breakdown at the start of verse two, Love Me maintains this energy all the way through. It’s a very straightforward song but succeeds because of this, delivering on all the promises you’d expect as a listener. In my perfect world, th...