“You Gotta Know” from Collaborations, led by Ed Daniels, is a throwback with a mission: to remind people to stop and think, to act and care. The arrangement and beat immediately immerse the listener in the nostalgia of the 60s and 70s radio, made familiar by the influence of artists such as America, Carly Simon, Carole King and The Association. “You Gotta Know” is both derivative and unique. It doesn’t try to hide the original inspiration but rather freshens it with a clean, modern production and live musicianship recorded at Horizon Music Group in West Haven, Connecticut. It’s not flavored or textured with synthesizers and non-musicianship production tricks. There is nothing effected or overprocessed about it, and every musician who played it means it.
The vocals of Anais Preller share the message front and center with honesty and emotion, and the importance of this song is amplified by the feeling that the artists care about every word. Lyrically, it challenges the listener to question their surroundings and to take action without being judgmental or heavy-handed. In a time when many artists are content to write a couple of hooks that get stuck in a person’s head without actually saying anything, “You Gotta Know” will not only get stuck in your head but is more than deserving to because it actually has something to say. The mix is not only smooth and tasteful, but every instrument has its place and each sounds as though it was meant to be there. Grammy-winning bassist Scott Spray lays down a bedrock groove but never overpowers and other musicians: Tim Dehuff’s guitars have some punch to them, and Tom Naggy’s drums also jump without overpowering. Kevin Monroe and Devotion add background vocals that really make the chorus soar.
This was a great team of people. From Ed’s vision, to Matt Oestreicher’s work on orchestration and Anais’ lyrics, the production that Vic Steffens and Scott Spray engineered and the musicians who played on the record, all the elements came together to create something special. It is at once familiar, with allusions to earlier influences and yet something completely new. “You Gotta Know” is one of those songs that doesn’t even try to be slick or cool. Instead, it connects with the listener through its music, its lyrics and its honesty. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to listen over and over and just feels good.
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