Gary Dranow has one of those elusive tones. I don’t talk about his instruments, but his phrasing. He and his band, The Manic Emotions, have brought about a unique spectrum, something that is extremely rare nowadays. It is a comfortable slice between Peter Frampton and Gary Moore, if they were to collaborate. This might seem absurd now, but hear it in his single, Destiny Road.
With a synth punch and the band kicking in together, this is something you don’t hear much now. People try to build to their sound, but Gary Dranow gives you the whole story together. A beautiful guitar intro brings us into their well sculpted verse. The arrangement keeps the song exciting, trying to blend in the fresh aspects of instrumentals and the lyrical surrealism. The breaks also focus on the magic of the guitar and the kind of shift it can bring, to the style. I’ve loved the synth sound for the entirety of the song, almost carrying the background till it hands the baton to the guitar.
This is a song I can definitely hear in films that would be defined by songs, such as Rock of Ages and maybe in The Karate Kid follow-up series, Cobra Kai. It has the definitive early 70s rock touch to it, yet has the soul to ride in to any rock packed film or series. Listen to Fool Outta Me and & Twisted Minds as well, to see his entire dynamic range!