NEVER ENOUGH / Daniel Caesar / April 7, 2023
- Joshua Yoo
- May 3, 2023
- 1 min read
The progress of Daniel Caesar’s career took a halt due to both public and private turmoil, and his return to the limelight is still somewhat of a shaky situation. In contrast, ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ is a firm reminder that regardless of the social context, the music proves that his brand of R&B is still one of the most captivating in the genre today.
In pockets of the album, his knack for capturing varying shades of love is still present as ever, such as the shimmering ballad “Always” that soaks in saccharine, superlative lyricism. It’s often the straightforwardness of his songwriting that resonates the most, his relaxed vocal delivery creating a disarming atmosphere to listen.
This applies to other areas of the record where he touches more on the internal battles he’s had with his identity, his public image, and the music industry at large. “Pain Is Inevitable” paints a sad picture of losing his joy and innocence to the music industry machine, while “Cool” focuses on keeping composure both in private and the public eye; both are musically intimate moments within the album, but elevated by the honesty of his thoughts transcribed.
Especially after not hearing new material for a long time, the range of subject matters and deep well of creative musical styles that ‘NEVER ENOUGH’ houses is impressive. It’s nice to hear what’s been going on during the long hiatus, and even better that the music that accompanies is quality too.
Highlight(s): Pain Is Inevitable, Always, Cool, Shot My Baby, Ocho Rios, Superpowers, Let Me Go, Toronto 2014, Homiesexual
Lowlight(s): Buyer’s Remorse, Valentina
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