‘I Could Never Be Sick Of You’: A Vibrant Rock/Pop Anthem from Brisbane’s Ben Konarov
Located in Brisbane, Australia, ‘I Could Never Be Sick Of You‘ by Ben Konarov is a lively rock / pop track infused with the spirited energy reminiscent of iconic bands like The Police and U2. With lyrics that delve into societal frustrations while maintaining a playful tone, this collaboration between lyricist Ben Konarov, Composer / Producer Gary Cubberley, The Songbayteam, and vocalist Clay Collins is a testament to their collective talent. Drawing from influences such as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and Dire Straits, Ben’s knack for storytelling shines through in this seventh collaboration with Gary, marking another milestone in their musical journey since their initial connection on Songbay’s platform.
There’s a popular saying – “too many cooks spoil the broth” – and that can often be the case when too many people get involved in a collaboration because everyone wants a say and things get muddled, and the original direction gets lost. However, I’m more than happy to say that this is most definitely NOT the case here. ‘I Could Never Be Sick Of You’ is a gem! Great production, nice dynamics, and everyone playing their part really well – but more importantly than that, they are playing their parts for the benefit of the song and not their own egos.
‘I Could Never Be Sick Of You’ starts with a lively bounce reminiscent of ‘Mona’ by Craig McLachlan; Check 1-2. The vocals are in early (regular readers will know, I like it when that happens!) and set the tone with a nice timbre, good melody and clear lyrics. The verses build with the guitar coming back in as they progress, and there are some nice little funky wah-wah nuances that catch the ears… side note – we need more wah-wah these days… before we get to the chorus that is joined by backing and harmony vocals and some nice little percussive punctuation via a shaker. It all adds interest and keeps the song moving forward.
After the chorus, we’re treated to a funky sounding keyboard, reminiscent of Stevie Wonder’s ‘70s style (think ‘Superstition’), before Verse 2 comes in. There’s a clever use of reiterating certain lyrics (“whinger” – great word!) – a nice touch to make things catchy and memorable throughout – before some call and response for the second chorus comes in. And, tightly and rightly, this brings us to the outro section and the choruses which repeat to hammer home the melody and hook lines. Just over 2 and a half minutes, the song grabs you and is over. Perfect pop!
Lyrically, the song is a middle finger to politicians, fat cats, and journalists, and while it’s light-hearted in its approach, don’t let the fun energy of the song hide the fact that what it has to say isn’t substantial. It is. But, while there’s plenty to be sick of in the world today, the overarching sentiment gives a glimmer of hope that love might well indeed conquer all – “I could never be sick of you.” Let’s hope so! But, let’s not dwell on the dour side of life; this is music for dancing and enjoying. Short, punchy, fun, and energetic!
In my opinion, Ben and the folks should keep up this collaboration because this is strong writing, solid production, great performances, and more than worthwhile!
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