Monday, November 13, 2017

“Don’t Give Up On Me” by RIVVRS – A Song Review

     When the message is passionate and the voice is soulful and stirring, the instrumental support needs to step back. Thankfully, that was the strategy behind the arrangement of “Don’t Give Up On Me.” The track from RIVVRS begins with gentle piano and minimalist percussion and guitar. They enhance the beauty of the track without stepping on the passion in the lyrics and vocals. The instruments step forward during bridges, but seem to understand the importance of respecting the message.

     RIVVRS is the performance name of Brandon Zahursky, who claims San Francisco has his hometown. He is currently based in Los Angeles. “Don’t Give Up On Me” reflects hope and resolve following RIVVRS’ struggles with depression and anxiety upon moving to Southern California without his support structure. According to RIVVRS, there was a feeling of becoming a different person, and the song is “a mantra to keep swimming even when you feel like you’re drowning.”

     The video of “Don’t Give Up On Me” is consistent with the sense of abandonment during the struggle. The video was shot in desolate surroundings (an area of Joshua Tree National Park) and RIVVRS’ hands are tied during most of the three minute and thirty seconds.

     “Don’t Give Up On Me” will be on RIVVR’s upcoming album, “Cosmic Dream,” which is scheduled for release in the Spring of 2018.





Lyrics of “Don’t Give Up On Me” by RIVVRS
I push back the poison
To help me forget
All the voices
Making noise in my head

Take another round
Better make it two
I'm staring at the clock
Counting the minutes
That I lost to you

Hanging on by a thread
Hanging on to the man I used to be
It feels like we're getting closer to the end
Honey please don't give up on me, yet
Don't give up on me

I'm slowly fading
Chasing a ghost
Drifting away
From the way of my soul

There's time for every town
That I'm passing through
Don't do a thing
Shake off the minutes
I lost to you

Hanging on by a thread
Hanging on to the man I used to be
It feels like we're getting closer to the end
Honey please don't give up on me, yet
Don't give up on me
Don't give up on me

Don’t give up on me

Come undone
Come undone
[Repeat 3x]

Honey please don't give up on me, yet

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Quoting SubmitHub content regarding “Don’t Give Up On Me:”
   Produced and co-written by Drew Pearson (Kesha, Phillip Phillips) and mixed by Nick Rad (Jason Mraz, Rachel Platten), “Don’t Give Up On Me” features prominent piano chords and haunting harmonies that reflect RIVVRS’ complex and conflicting emotions. “The song was written about that fear of abandonment. Both from the people in my life, and from myself,” says RIVVRS’, about the new track. However, he believes in finding a silver lining of hope, “..it’s a mantra to keep swimming even when you feel like you're drowning.”
   Originally hailing from Northern California, RIVVRS – née Brandon Zahursky – comes from a very diverse background, from which he draws inspiration for his music. His sound has the authenticity of Americana music mixed with prominent pop influences from bands such as Alt-J, Glass Animals, and Shakey Graves. Since releasing his first material in 2014, he has had over thirty song placements in films such as "When We First Met," television shows including "About A Boy and Bates Motel," and commercials for Reebok, UFC, and ESPN. He has also amassed over eight million streams on Spotify alone, all while remaining completely independent as an artist.

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