Minneapolis’s finest singer-songwriter, John Deering, returns with another marvelous display of his songwriting, composing, arranging, producing, and performing abilities. After “Strip Mall Jesus” and “Groove, Groove, Groove,” two outstanding compositions that we covered on our pages before, Deering brings another exceptional number, further showcasing his continuous progression as an artist. It’s one of those tracks where intelligent songwriting, intricate instrumentations, and ethereal ambiance meet, crafting a one-of-a-kind musical experience rarely heard or seen on the music scene nowadays. The best part about John Deering’s music is that he always breaks the rules and shapeshifts boundaries of his sound, and that’s the case with “Gotta Get Away” as well. Besides alternative and indie rock music, genres he explored in his previous works, he also delivers more elements to the table, decorating every segment of his latest song. Listeners will unquestionably notice how all those vital sonic ingredients borrowed from garage, grunge, psych-rock, and post-punk found their way, but do not be surprised if you stumble upon even more along the way. “Gotta Get Away” is one of those tracks that expands sonic palette and brings more nuances, details, and elements with each new listen. Therefore, you’ll enjoy this fine piece of sonic artistry even if you’re not familiar with John Deering’s previous works.
Inspired by artists and music outlets like Billie Eilish and Nine Inch Nails, the artist intended to achieve something slightly different than his previous work. Although inspired by those artists and bands, John Deering mostly used their experimental songwriting, composing, arranging, and producing approach, delivering a song that leans more into psychedelic post-punk waters with subtle touches of alternative and indie rock. These aesthetics are notable in all the instrumentations and segments, significant details that define the route “Gotta Get Away” is heading to. The perfectly assembled song structure has many ideas, carefully implemented not only in the overall ambiance but in those tiny nuances, details, and elements, usually missed after the first listening. Therefore, “Gotta Get Away” demands repeated listens so the listener can fully grasp John Deering’s songwriting brilliance. Even the vocal delivery differs from his previous works. Instead of using straightforward, traditional vocal harmonies, heard in alternative and rock music, the artist takes an experimental approach to an entirely new level, delivering a combination of low, mid, and high notes with precision and finesse. With all these fresh, unique, exciting vocal maneuvers, “Gotta Get Away” gets a completely different dimension. You’ll notice how his vocal performance supports every instrumentation and segment, yet it works like a separate element that creates an almost otherworldly listening experience. It resembles techniques that David Bowie, Bjork, Cocteau Twins, or Sigur Rós would eventually perform in their works. However, John Deering elevates these vocal techniques on an entirely new level by bringing his style upfront.
Of course, this epic sonic journey wouldn’t be complete without an impressive interplay between keys and guitars. You’ll notice how all those marvelous synth leading themes, melodies, harmonies, and other sonic maneuvers complement subtle guitar works. The ambiance gradually evolves just like Deering’s vocal performance, and these guitar works become even more intricate. The artist brings more rawness, abrasiveness, and grittiness with tastefully distorted chord progressions and riffs. These are moments where Deering’s admiration towards post-punk music shines in the limelight. The equally detailed, warm-sounding, powerful basslines continuously rumble beneath those mentioned instrumentations, delivering more heaviness, clarity, and depth while acting as a glue that binds synths, guitars, and rhythmic patterns. Every layer is carefully considered to satisfy such a luxuriant ambiance. In the meantime, the exceptional drumming performance keeps the groove and pace throughout the entire track while keeping the remainder of the instrumentation in line with all those well-accentuated, flawlessly performed, and cleverly assembled beats, breaks, fills, and other percussive acrobatics. Everything sounds so perfect, promising such a fascinating listening experience worth repeating over and over again.
John Deering continuously pushes the boundaries of his sound, tastefully implementing more elements, details, and nuances with each release. “Gotta Get Away” demonstrates all his artistic brilliance by putting all those majestic, ethereal, otherworldly, complex layers in the limelight. Therefore, you should immediately place his latest single on your music radar. It’s available on all streaming platforms. Don’t miss it!
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