Originally appeared on the 405, view archived article here.
Pop music is no stranger to indifference—well, that’s how it may seem on the surface. In late 2011, Drake revealed the title track of his then-forthcoming record, Take Care, which was a tender declaration of love and not a passive aggressive goodbye, as the title may suggest. The following year, Icona Pop and Charli XCX had their own massive hit, though it went in the other direction: “I! Don’t! Care! I love it,” they sang, proclaiming their messy freedom. Not to mention one of the biggest songs on the charts right now—a collaboration between Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran called “I Don’t Care”; they imply that the only thing that matters is the presence of their “baby.”
Gabriel Gutierrez, aka smileswithteeth, has made his own statement on the subject of care, having just released an LP with that name.
Sawdust & Gin 