Review by Sylvie Marie & Staff
A blast of bouncy, melodic energy commences "Do You, Don't You Want Me" written by J. R. Wilbur and performed by vocalist, Karen Ranieri. The song's flavor is pop coated in sweet nostalgia. The intro is a bit, just a bit, reminiscent of "Modern Love" by Bowie, but without the punk edge. Background vocals harkens back to the great days of female doo-wop groups making for a musical experience you can snap your fingers to.
A pop-rock band plays the song with crisp, light percussion and stumming guitars. An interlude includes a tasty guitar solo and well-conceived background vocals. Karen's vocal performance is both sweet and confident, perfectly matching the song's character.
Signature to Wilbur's writing, the chorus leaps off the page with an extremely catchy melody that gets instantly stuck in your head. Wilbur knows how to write a strong hook. "Do you, don't you want me. I gotta know. I gotta." To keep you on your toes, the words change up with every repeating chorus asking slightly different variations of "Do You, don't you want me?" This is a light-hearted song about feeling uncertain in love and trying to find out if the other person is into you or not. With a univerasl theme that everyone can relate to, Wilbur treats this subject matter with straight-forward lyrics.
"Do You, Don't You Want Me" is a contagious song about love's uncertainity that manages to be uplifting and fun at the same time. It's the kind of song you can tap your foot or dance to. Karen's singing is charming and engaging, adding to the magic of the song. The song goes by quicky, like a breath of fresh air, so you'll be playing it on repeat.
About Karen Ranieri
Karen Ranieri is a wife, mom/writer/and singer who grew up in NYC and now lives north of Boston Massachusetts. She reveres Bonnie Raitt, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ray Charles as influences, and for the joy in their artistry.
This song is from the Mood Swings album by J.R. Wilbur and the Just Right Singers, now available for downloads, as well as in vinyl form, at www.jrwilburmusic.com .
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