“You Gotta Know” by Collaborations is a fully realised statement wrapped in melody and soul. Led by Ed Daniels out of Stratford, CT, this project brings together a remarkable cast of musicians who breathe life into every measure. Released on June 20, 2025, the single strikes a rare balance between vintage warmth and modern purpose. You can hear the fingerprints of the ’60s and ’70s all over it—there’s that golden-era ease in the instrumentation—but there’s also urgency, a clear call to push against complacency. This is music with a message, shaped by hands that know their craft.
From the opening bars, the song draws you in with a confident, unhurried energy. The arrangement—handled with care by Matt Oestreicher—lets each part speak without ever crowding the mix. Vic Steffens’ production work at Horizon Music Group gives everything a rich, unfiltered feel, free from overprocessing. There’s no digital sheen here, but live players doing what they do best. Anais Preller handles lead vocals with remarkable grace, delivering lines like “You gotta know what’s real, what’s broken, what needs your voice” with a mix of poise and quiet fire. Her tone carries the clarity of conviction.
One of the track’s greatest strengths is how organically the parts come together. Scott Spray’s bass playing moves like muscle beneath the groove—steady, textured, and never intrusive. On lead guitar, Tim Dehuff adds tasteful licks that nod to the era of America and Carole King, while Tom Naggy’s drumming grounds the rhythm without ever becoming predictable. The background vocals from Kevin Monroe and Devotion offer warmth and weight, almost like a Greek chorus echoing the song’s plea: wake up, take notice, don’t settle. Every musician here shows up not just to play but to serve the song’s purpose.
Lyrically, “You Gotta Know” is all about shaking off apathy. Daniels and Preller don’t preach, but they do nudge, urging listeners to think for themselves, to question what’s handed down, and to move with intention. There’s a clear throughline in the lyrics that speaks to change, not in a banner-waving kind of way, but in a grounded, human way. It’s not just about breaking moulds; it’s about recognising when you’ve been silently moulded and deciding it’s time to shape your path instead. It’s personal and political, without ever tipping too far into either.
What makes “You Gotta Know” linger is that it sounds like it could’ve come out of Laurel Canyon in 1973, but it speaks directly to 2025. That’s not easy to pull off. And it’s not just a tribute or pastiche, but a living thing. This track proves that live musicianship, honest songwriting, and clear intent still have a powerful place in today’s music landscape. Collaborations may pull from the past, but with this release, they’ve created something that feels fully present and fully necessary.
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