Sometimes, an artist’s bio can lead a listener to expect something different from what they end up getting, even if everything in there is accurate! Case in point : the latest single from alt-rock wunderkind Garland Kelley. Based on his bio (and seeing the lyrics in print), I was expecting a heavy, thudding modern rock track with little in the way of subtlety and dynamics. What I got instead, however, was far more interesting.
Now, make no mistake…this definitely qualifies as modern alternative rock. However, rather than getting something like Black Veil Brides or Coheed and Cambria, the Nashville-based artist treats us to something more akin to the latter-day work of the dearly departed Scott Weiland. Indeed, “The Point of No Return” is far more melodic than one would expect; its heaviness actually lies in Kelley’s passionate delivery of lines such as “the Earth is weeping blood/destruction is the calm before the fire”. Somehow, he manages to make such lines sound uplifting rather than aggressively melancholy and bleak.
What helps lift this from the “pretty good” and into the “gah, I must add this to my playlist immediately, cap’n” category is the absolutely brilliant production and arrangement, especially that bassline. The chorus is none too shabby either, managing to sound epic without coming across as bombastic.
The best way to sum this up is “subtle bluntness”, a seeming contradiction in terms that proves to be most apt. Brutally honest without being pompous or judgmental, “The Point of No Return” will likely lead to many happy returns for the talented Garland Kelley. A definite must-listen for sure.
Listen to "The Point of No Return" on Spotify here -
You can check out Garland Kelly’s website here: