- Bryon Harris
The Licata Brothers - "Whenever"
Review by Abby Kenna
“Whenever” by the Licata Brothers is a striking message of encouragement, told through a catchy pop-rock hit. With a simultaneous feeling of joy and vulnerability in the expressive arrangement and touching lyricism, this song radiates hope.
“Whenever” begins with acoustic guitar and vocals, isolating these core elements of the song and establishing the touching sentiment immediately. Each verse is laden with imagery depicting the encouragement the narrator is offering, ensuring that he’ll be there “whenever”. Paired with the lighthearted clarity of the acoustic guitar and clean vocals, the depth of these lyrics truly translates through the music, allowing listeners to embrace “Whenever” wholeheartedly. The Licata Brothers slowly build up the arrangement, filtering in rich, warm bass and compelling drums as the pre-chorus intensifies. With expressive delivery, the vocalist matches the instrumental atmosphere, his tone hushed and heightened as he sings:
“When fear kills the flame deep inside your chest
And despair destroys whatever was left…”
The chorus releases all of the built-up tension, opening into a lively array of bright keys, heartening drums, and full vocals. Full of vivid, contrasting textures, the track is cleverly colorful and utilizes each instrument masterfully. The keys fill the high end with a lively rhythm, acting almost as another element of percussion, while the low end features the walking bass line, urging the song forward. The Licata Brothers build on this arrangement in the second verse, launching the vocals up an octave and sending the intensity of “Whenever” to new heights. With dramatic stops and emotive swells illustrating the power within the lyrics, the fervor of the song is tangible:
“Whenever the pain
Keeps gettin' harder to take…
'Cause the weight of the chains
Steals all the joy you remember
…. I’ll be waitin’ here whenever.”
“Whenever” by the Licata Brothers is a wholeheartedly encouraging song, colored by a dynamic arrangement and performance. With its captivating narrative and illustrative lyricism, this song is bound to resonate with listeners searching for a message of hope.
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About The Licata Brothers
The Licata Brothers are an inspirational rock duo from Arcadia that has been playing in the greater Los Angeles area for over ten years. Jimmy and Tony Licata, starting their music careers at ages 12 and 9 respectively, grew up on classic rock and roots music, performing in the San Gabriel Valley and gradually expanding their radius to the rest of LA and even around the world (Canada, Iceland, and Panama to name a few). Their most recent album, Kindle the Flame, is available on all streaming platforms and they are currently hard at work promoting the first two singles off their next album, set to release on June 18th of this year. Being half-Peruvian, they are known to sing popular songs in Spanish as well as in other languages (Mandarin, Persian, and Tagalog). The Licata Brothers strive to blend the music they grew up on with more contemporary styles of music while having an uplifting message that has a positive impact on society.
Visit their Website for more information!