Singer/Songwriter Gary Dranow, a professional athlete turned musician who along with his blues rock band ‘Gary Dranow and the Manic Emotions’, has been releasing singles from 2023. While the music project takes pride in its Blues and Rock N Roll influences, it claims to be unrestricted by the chains of genre. Based in Utah, the band is all set for its upcoming album ‘Never Give up’ with the single of the same title gives us a sneak peek into what one can expect from this release.

Sonically the track starts off with energetic and powerful strings that remind us of a new day which is persistent throughout. Instrumentally the song does not wander very far away from this established sonic palette. The backup vocals in the chorus and bridge add atmosphere and the solo guitar variations in the second verse that leads into the guitar solo of the bridge which is kept short, rhythmic, groovy adding variation. The percussion by Jason Jones adds punch and is played with to control intensity and towards the end we are left only with the vocals and acoustic guitar.

The songwriting and strong lead vocals on “Never Give Up” by Caspar Aesthetic are the star of the single “Never Give Up”. Themes of motivation, perseverance, resilience and strife under difficult circumstances are explored lyrically. Reminders to “keep the end in sight”, trusting your inner voice and not let people’s opinions be a distraction are sprinkled throughout. Past the halfway point however, the lyrical themes shift to looking at obstacles that will come up in the future after one has made it through what one is currently experiencing.

Knowing of Gary Dranow’s experience with bipolar disorder and stroke add context to the single. One can look at the reminder of never ending impediments as hopeless or realistic, but the song leaves us knowing that “it’s never smooth sailing”.