NEVER ENOUGH Album Review: Grow Up and Find Yourself

Music 

NEVER ENOUGH Album Review: Grow Up and Find Yourself 

By Dylan Barbee

Image Provided by Spotify

Release Date: 4/7/2023

Daniel Caesar has propelled the r&b genre forward with his introspective point of view being the focus of his sound and lyrics. Just how his previous albums Freudian and CASE STUDY 01 served as philosophical and intimate pieces of art, Caesar’s new album NEVER ENOUGH is just as emotionally bearing.  

 

NEVER ENOUGH contains 15 songs that spans across an enjoyable 55 minutes. Features on this album come from Mustafa on “Toronto 2014, serpentwithfeet on “Disillusioned”, Omar Apollo on “Buyer’s Remorse”, and Ty Dolla $ign on “Homiesexual”. Daniel Caesar's performances outshine all the features’ verses.  

 
On NEVER ENOUGH Caesar is on the journey of finding himself by navigating through romantic connections, reflecting on his childhood, and balancing his newfound confidence as an artist with his familiar insecurity of the person he feels has always been. These messages are portrayed through a hypnotic late night drive production style and absolutely heart wrenching lyrics throughout. 

 
Some of the tracks in the first half were just too beautiful not to talk about where he focuses on multiple love interests and being caught up in romantic entanglements. I love the calming production style that makes you feel like you are floating on the song “Valentina” while Caesar sings about being part of a love triangle. 

 
Another song that stood out to me on the first half of this album was “Always” where he declares his loyalty to a lover. The chorus almost brought me to tears the first time I listened as Caesar tells his lover that he will always stand by their side no matter what happens between them. “And I don’t care if you’re with somebody else/ I’ll give you time and space/ Just know I’m not a phase” Caesar sings. 

 
As the first half was filled with songs about love and heartbreak, the second half is filled with songs where Caesar self reflects and contemplates thoroughly with the concept of time. He emotionally describes his self-doubts and the battle of him letting go of his past and embracing his present lifestyle as a famous artist. “I’m scared of getting older/ It weighs upon my shoulders” Caesar sings on “Disillusioned” which is one of my favorite songs on the album.  

 
A common writing technique I recognize a lot from Ceasar on NEVER ENOUGH is that he talks about himself in third person when reflecting on his past self. This lyric style makes the tone of this album melancholic but to the point where the concept of this album has a genius and introspective vision. Caesar fears change and becoming an adult but through his art and passion he has inevitably created a lifestyle for himself where he must evolve to continue to thrive as an artist. This existential approach is very prevalent on the song “Pain Is Inevitable” where Caesar describes how being an artist is like being a product that must turn a profit to succeed and how he just wants to be a kid again with no responsibilities or expectations weighing on him. “So long, sweet boy, you will be missed sweet boy/ I used to be a child, I just wanna be a child again” Caesar sings near the end of “Pain Is Inevitable.” 

 
When we are young, all we want to do is grow up and follow our dreams but when we get to that point reality sets in and we all long for the simple days as a child again. Accepting change and the concept of growing up can be an existential process for some, just as it clearly was for Daniel Caesar on NEVER ENOUGH. On this album, Caesar tells us that we must embrace the present as much as we can and appreciate the people we have around us at this time. These circumstances will ultimately shape us into who we are going to be in the future. Pretty soon we will be reminiscing on this moment wishing to experience it just one more time. NEVER ENOUGH is one the best releases of the year so far as it serves as an existential and emotional masterpiece about growing up and finding oneself. 

 
Rating: 9/10