With age comes experience. Those experiences create stories which define who you are. Gary Dranow puts his years of experience and musicianship on display in a neat little package with his latest EP release, “Never Give Up.” Starting with the title track, Dranow wastes no time in pulling you in with a captivating track.
The title track kicks the album off and hits the ground running. A defined bass groove cradles the voice of Gary Dranow, his bold crooning dancing well with the ramblin’ guitar strums. With the way the drums and bass take control of the track you’ll never see the rippin’ guitar solo coming about halfway through the 2-minute mark. After this, the track comes into its own with the instrumental becoming a bit more free-wheeling as the percussions pop and the guitar hits some bold licks. “Never Give Up” kicks the EP off with a sunny attitude and high energy that sucks the listener in with a welcoming vibe.
“Bodywise” brings things down as the track starts up. The low, contemplative strums over soft percussion creates an introspective mood wholly different from “Never Give Up.” The acoustic guitar creates a soothing atmosphere when combined with the emotional delivery of Gary Dranow’s vocals. It makes lines such as “For every man she meets, his eyes objectify her. Those silly games they don’t define her” and the chorus hit hard and gives the track a heavy emotional weight. While it may be a drastic change from the first track, “Bodywise” keeps the theme of overcoming one of life’s many difficult times.
“Shimmering” makes a bold intro with heavy guitar riffs and slammin’ drums. The vocals of Gary Dranow reach sky high on this track to deliver a breathtaking impression when he explodes onto the scene. The track has an epic feeling to it, using the familiar stringy guitar strums with the epic electric guitar chords and powerful percussion to achieve a titanic sonic scale. This stadium-style rock atmosphere makes lines such as “So beautiful, eyes of green and grey. Hypnotized to keep me in a trance” and “by happenstance we crossed paths on that wintery day. Funny how the heart knows what the heart wants, I never changed my mind” feel powerful in that classic rock anthem style, making “Shimmering” an easy stand-out on this EP.
“Ripping” lives up to its name and starts things off with a bang. High octane guitars and drums that pound with power instantly create a sonic atmosphere that will make you want to get up and move. The track rocks hard and embraces the chaos, as evidenced in lines such as “Danger’s afraid, the problems arrayed It’s all happening too damn fast and my mind is blown, my hair is on fire I need a will to fight, I can’t sit down” and the catchy chorus. There are a ton of memorable instrumental moments in “Ripping.” Whether it be the deep bassline that grounds the track in the first half, the face-melting guitar solo around the top of the two-minute mark, or the cool-off afterward before the track picks back up its mind-bending pace, “Ripping” has at least one moment that will leave your head spinning and makes for one Hell of an outro track.
“Never Give Up” is an EP that takes the listener on a ride. It starts things off with easy and contemplative tracks before picking up the pace that rockets you into the stratosphere. The triumphant and reserved charms of the title track and “Bodywise” serve as great counterbalances to “Shimmering” and “Ripping” to create a listening experience that plays with the idea of an impactful impression. It gives “Never Give Up” a unique personality and makes it an easy recommendation for anyone looking to go on a short but satisfying ride.
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