Heroism: sometimes, it feels like it simply isn’t recognized. These days, life seems to require constant acts of courage, yet the long-term effects of daily bravery can be hard to see. Have patience, the musicians in Now Endeavor tell us. We don’t know what the next twenty-four hours will bring, let alone the next twenty-four months. A good deed done today may cause the sort of reverberations that reshape an entire world. That’s the message of the winsome animated lyric clip for “You Know Me,” the duo’s latest single, and a subtly profound statement of faith in the power of benevolence. Do something positive today, and you might be surprised by the rewards you’ll reap tomorrow.
But positive thinking has always been at the heart of the Now Endeavor project. With absolute confidence and utter disregard for trends, the two Detroit songwriters and vocalists have fashioned their own glittering brand of pop: one that draws evenly from soul, hip-hop, classic rock, and electronic blues, R&B, and maybe a little modern jazz, too. Just Pete and Thom The Disco Spider aren’t the sort of artists who follow models anyway – they’re instinctive musicians and restless explorers, and that spontaneity and sense of playfulness is inscribed in every cut on Survival, their latest EP. The members of Now Endeavor aren’t ostentatious about their risk-taking, but their faith in the power of the unexpected is palpable. “You Know Me” is a short cut – it’s over in less than three minutes – but it says everything it needs to say in its modest running time, and it takes more left turns and incorporates more elements than most groups do on entire albums. The message is clear, focused, and uplifting: stay on your toes and remain open-minded, because life changes fast.
Those who’ve seen prior Now Endeavor clips know how energetic Pete and Thom can be. Their animated counterparts, as it turns out, are every bit as lively. The “You Know Me” clip finds them on the road, driving blithely through a world of peril, and staying as optimistic as possible in challenging times. But when they see a cat crying in the attic of a burning building, they’re duty-bound to stop the joyride and perform a rescue. Naturally, they all become great friends after that – and friendship, the members of Now Endeavor learn, can have profound, life-saving benefits.
