Joel Sarakula is back, and this time, he’s cruising down a soulful, sun-soaked highway with his new single, “I’ll Get By Without You.” The first taste of his upcoming album “Soft Focus”, the track is a quintessential Sarakula offering—a smooth blend of soft-rock nostalgia and contemporary cool, produced by the inimitable Shawn Lee. With a breezy, bittersweet melody, the single feels like a sonic time capsule, capturing the essence of a late 70s summer day.
Joel Sarakula has always had a knack for crafting songs that feel both timeless and timely. “I’ll Get By Without You” is no exception, underpinned by his signature Fender Rhodes electric piano and adorned with the elegant, sparse guitar work of ‘Silver Fox’ Shawn Lee, who also contributed drums and backing vocals on this recording. The lyrics are a poignant meditation on love lost and found, with Sarakula’s wistful delivery floating over the track like a memory half-forgotten but not quite gone. “I’ll get by without you, will you get by without me? For the moment we’re through but think of what will be,” he sings, striking a perfect balance between resignation and optimism.
While Sarakula’s work often draws comparisons to contemporary artists like Young Gun Silver Fox, Drugdealer, and Prep, his latest single also carries echoes of yacht rock legends like Ned Doheny and Michael Franks. It’s a track that’s steeped in the lush, laid-back sounds of the 70s, yet somehow perfectly suited to our present moment—a testament to Sarakula’s ability to filter vintage influences through a modern lens.
“I’ll Get By Without You” is the culmination of Sarakula’s adventures in soulful soft-rock and his defining statement in the genre. As we await the full release of Soft Focus, one thing is clear: Sarakula is an artist who, like the music he loves, only gets better with time.
Photo: Rafael Montezuma
