BY: CAMERON B. GUNNOE

 

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Verskotzi has made waves in recent weeks with his eclectic new single, “Better Get to Know Me.” Further defining the artistic vision for the tune, Verskotzi has premiered a captivating new music video for the single, directed by JD Verschaetse.

 

“Better Get to Know Me” comes in the wake of Verskotzi’s dynamic third album, SHIRING, released one year prior to the single, nearly to the day. The full-length release would see the artist embrace classic instrumentation to evoke a sound which comes across organic and polished in equal measure.

 

 

 

 

 

“Better Get to Know Me” comes as the next step in the evolution of this aesthetic, offering up to listeners an earworm track that toes the line between vintage and modern, while remaining distinctly true to the artistic identity developed by Verskotzi over the course of previous projects.

 

“The song is about learning to love our Selves, heal ourselves, and relinquish what no longer serves us,” the songwriter said of the single, which follows a sparse piano melody upon which the arrangement steadily builds to a celebratory crescendo – more on that shortly.

 

While at first glance, “Better Get to Know Me” could potentially be interpreted as a tune directed toward a romantic partner, perceptive listeners will pick up on an inherent spirituality within the lyrics. This should come as no surprise to those familiar with Verskotzi and his work. The singer has openly professed to his own spirituality and ongoing journey of nearly half a decade in sobriety, meditation, and study of Eastern spiritual teachings and practices.

 

The second verse of “Better Get to Know Me” presents narrative flashes of what appears to be the protagonist of the lyric wrestling with standardized ideas of spirituality informed by traditional religious practices rather than an by intuitive, individualistic perspective.

 

The song seems to represent a personal resolution of sorts that the idea of what many are seeking in the notion of “God” could actually be a universality and inter-connectedness between all people. This isn’t to put words in the mouth of the artist with regard to how their art is meant to be perceived, however. This is merely the interpretation of one writer – an interpretation informed the effectiveness in execution of passages such as:

 

“Poking holes in holy words that they force-feed/ Come to find that what I longed for is inside me”

 

Fans of The Beatles will immediately pick up on parallels between the presentation of “Better Get to Know Me” and the work of the Fab 4. As such, it was a delight to learn that Verskotzi is indeed a fan of the iconic group. With dry, idiosyncratic drumming, tasteful, Harrison-esque slide guitar, rich mellotron – played by Verskotzi himself, along with acoustic guitar – and a heavy emphasis on melody, the number sounds akin to a Lennon-fronted Beatles tune from a universe where the band were still making music together in 1972.

 

This is particularly true for the coda section which brings the song to its conclusion. Featuring the Sanskrit mantra, “IDAM NA MAMA” – which translates to “This Is Not Mine” and functions as a Hindi mantra for surrender – the section appropriately wraps things up with an appeal for peace within one’s self. The spiritual nature of the lyric, in conjunction with the droning repetition of its execution, brings to mind George Harrison’s solo hit, “My Sweet Lord,”  with the celebratory tone conjuring shades of “Hey Jude.”

 

“Better Get to Know Me,” according to Verskotzi himself, essentially serves as a bookend for the SHIRING era of his artistic journey – an era that absolutely warrants attention for those unfamiliar with the material comprising the 2024 album. In bringing one period of creative and personal exploration to a close, the single is also effective in establishing a palpable anticipation for what is to come next from one of the most exciting artists and musicians currently working today.

 

“Better Get to Know Me” is available to stream on all major platforms, along with Verskotzi’s latest album, SHIRING. The “Better Get to Know Me” music video, directed and edited by JD Verschaetse, is now streaming on YouTube.

 

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