Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions – China Rose (2024)
Delving into all sides of humanity from the gritty lows to the soaring highs, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions embrace life in totality. Across their discography, the international group have explored the intricacy of love in ‘Something About You’, touched on responsibility and expectation in ‘The Cry of War’, and explored themes of inner conflict in ‘Self Sacrifice’. From shimmers of indie-pop to sassy blues, growling grunge and hard-hitting nu-metal, Dranow and his crew step outside the paint-by-numbers template leading the way with original eclecticism and experimental melodies. Take a breath as we dip our toes in their single ‘China Rose’ – not literal dipping, of course.
Following the remix of their well-received 2023 single ‘When The World Is Too Much’, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions shift from blues-rock to a lighter slip of classic rock trimmed with a sprinkle of synth-pop. Breathing life into vintage rock, each of Dranow’s singles is a fun drag back to the 80s; however, ‘China Rose’ brings a modern-day sheen of indie-pop to the melting pot of sound. The crash of Jason Jones’ drums match Chris Zoupa’s soaring guitars with Dranow binding the tune in his rugged but rich vocals.
For me, I can easily have ‘China Rose’ on repeat as a laidback, singalong, fun to play in the background after a long day’s work song; however, the single is far more profound than its pleasant exterior presents. The band explains:
“Through ‘China Rose’, we offer a realistic lens on the plight of people, wherever autocrats rule such as communist China, North Korea, Iran, and Russia, just to name a few. This song celebrates Dranow’s empathy and oftentimes his view of current world affairs. It’s a tribute to the complexities of human experience and the profound evolution of self-awareness.”
In addition to the single, Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions released an official music video for ‘China Rose’. You can view the video below or on their YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
For more from Gary Dranow and The Manic Emotions, check out their official website, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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