Gary Louca – “Rainbows In The Sky” / “Love Sometimes It Hurts (Deep House Remix)”

Gary Louca – “Rainbows In The Sky” / “Love Sometimes It Hurts (Deep House Remix)” – Singles Review

Well…sure…it’s good.

The question is, is it good enough?

Time will always tell the full story on that of course, but if I was Gary Louca, I’d still be encouraged by this initial shift towards a new chapter of his solo career.  He’s got about a million irons in the fire, so I can’t imagine that most of us can even keep up to everything he’s doing all the time, but yeah, in what I’ve gathered from these notes scattered across this dusty desk of mine, he’s going forward under his own name for the time being.  You might remember having seen it here on our pages before when he was working on a project designed for kids through his work with Trovatori on The Spirit Of Toronto – but chances are, like the vast majority of us familiar with the name, you’ve come to know it through his work under the moniker of Deltiimo throughout the years.  Am I surprised to find him going under a different name here in this latest couple of singles?  Not in the slightest!  I’m so unfazed by how the artists and bands of the independent scene change their name more often than they do their underwear by this point in time.  Still waiting on a good argument as to how it’s beneficial, but yeah, 100% unfazed.

I probably like his new single “Rainbows In The Sky” more than I expected that I would, given its close proximity to Adult Contemporary.  If there’s a better category to put it in, I’m unaware of it…so perhaps it’s not a matter of proximity so much as it’s a matter of it just is what it is.  I’m usually pretty allergic to Adult Contemporary tunes, if not completely and totally resistant to them…but hey, Gary knows how to go about making a quality song and he’s proven that so many times throughout the years that he really doesn’t need any more confirmation from yours truly over here.  That being said, considering that he’s considering this to be a new part of his musical journey, I guess it’s only fair to add some commentary.  As I listened to the inherent sweetness of “Rainbows In The Sky” and the spectacular clarity of the guitar that helps it along, I couldn’t help but feel that sting of hearing an Adult Contemporary tune that I’d have to admit is alright.  I’m not here to hate on love-songs if I can avoid it to begin with, because what kind of monster would do that anyhow?  At the very least, songs with the best of intentions will almost always get a passing grade from me, and of course Gary’s consistent consistency as an artist will always earn him a better grade than that.  I feel like people will appreciate the humble sincerity and sweetness in “Rainbows In The Sky,” it’s got a natural appeal to it, and an innocence in its perspective that is rare to find in the world these days.  Nothing’s too complex or complicated here, which works to the advantage of a song with this kind of melody…you’d want something straightforward and laidback for the easy-listening slice of the audience a track like this is aiming for.  Where the real questions probably come into play the most, will be whether or not Gary’s the right voice for his own music, especially when you consider how much access he’s had to a wealth of top-level talent and singers in the tunes he’s put out in the past under his Deltiimo moniker.  Honestly, it’s hard to say.  I think in my heart of hearts, I can hear that he’s capable, I feel like people will connect with the soft & steady tone of his voice, and I think he does a highly commendable job in singing “Rainbows In The Sky.”  Is there opportunity for him to grow and expand on what he does here?  Sure there is.  Like, even when the music ramps up for example…Gary’s still not that far removed from the gear he started the song out in…so…while no song demands that show-stopping moment to be included, he’s still got room to make his own performance more dynamic.  I suspect he’ll get there with a little more confidence in his capabilities on the microphone as time goes on and he continues his venture into this new solo side of his music.  The dude can sing, and I think the melody he’s written for “Rainbows In The Sky” served the song very well.  He’s got all the fundamentals down, now it’s just a matter of belief and really going for it when it comes time to record.  Even the very ending of the song…I suspect that Gary’s still hearing things the same way I do, and he likely knows that he might have left 10%-20% on the table to really stick the landing in a memorable way that demands you come back for a repeat.  Instead we get a bit of a quick and nearly cut-off line to finish this song…and it feels a bit strange & isolated in comparison to how warm and intimate the whole tune has been before it.  For myself, that’s probably the song’s most questionable moment…everything else I hear in “Rainbows In The Sky” likely came out exactly as Gary had intended it to.  From what I understand, he’s done this all in one take, which is definitely commendable as well.  If you’re into the whole Easy Listening/Adult Contemporary thing, this tune’s for you…check it out below.

In keeping with how weird I think you all are for changing your names this way and that way, it gets even more bizarre to me when an artist will start reaching backwards into their catalog as they’re trying to go forward with their career.  I reviewed the Deltiimo version of “Love Sometimes It Hurts” way back in 2021 – click here if you wanna check out my original thoughts on this song.  Obviously at this point, it has some history of its own and the song has traveled the world – don’t get it twisted, I understand the value in that.  I’d also tell you that the “Love Sometimes It Hurts (Deep House Remix)” is easily the best version I’ve heard of this song as well…so don’t get me wrong, I’m ultimately on Gary’s side & think this was a good move to bring this back.  Will that method work with the entire past catalog of Deltiimo, or would that even be a good idea to try?  That’s way harder to say.  I can audibly hear that he brought a powerfully refreshed and inspired vibe to this “Deep House Remix” of his original song…and I mean, if you can get results like these, it’s hard to argue that it wouldn’t be a good idea to pursue, especially when you know you’ve got a catalog filled with reliable material.  I suppose my attitude is one that always has an eye on what’s next and what could be, as opposed to what was and what’s been done – so ultimately, it’s just in my nature to encourage artists to continue going forward, because I guess that’s where I still assume we have the most opportunity to break exciting new ground.  Having said that, when I listened to “Love Sometimes It Hurts (Deep House Remix)” this week, I very much felt like this was the story of a whole song making leaps and bounds in its own evolution…so just to contradict and argue against myself right out here in the open for you all to read…I could easily justify what we hear in this remix as a major step forward for Gary as well.  With the Spoken Word at the start, I had a moment or two where I’d debate that being included…but I suppose there’s no substantial reason to object to it.  It may or may not be everyone’s favorite stylistic inclusion, but I do know enough people that dig that kind of intro that I’m sure the opening won’t be detrimental.  Gary’s vocals exceeded all expectations here…I think he sounds fantastic, and I felt like having the two vocalists was the perfect way to go about hitting the main hooks.  “Love Sometimes It Hurts (Deep House Remix)” is likely a whole lot catchier than you’ll even give it credit for at first, but I’m confident that within a couple spins you’ll recognize how quickly this track becomes addictive.  Lots to be encouraged by in what we hear in these two tracks launching the start of Gary Louca’s new solo career…I’m looking forward to what comes next.

Find out more about Gary Louca from the official links below:

Main music multi-link:  https://lnk.to/GaryLouca

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/garyloucamusic

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/garylouca

Tik Tok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@garyloucasings

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@garylouca

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