By now, you will know that we are huge fans of Garland Kelley, having featured his first two releases, A Mind of Your Own, and The Point Of No Return, so when we heard that the rising star had released The Higher Road, in conjunction with a solar eclipse, the new moon, the start of Taurus season and even Earth Day, we couldn’t wait to experience it!
Drawing us in with a luscious, acoustic guitar soundscape, almost akin to Ayahuasca integration music, Garland Kelley opens The Higher Road with his signature vocal timbre and metaphorical prose with reference to his muse.
He sings assuredly, “I am the one that you are looking for to give you the world…” as he takes us on an evocative journey. Speaking on the message of The Higher Road, Garland confesses, “This was written when I was sixteen, during the rise and fall of my first heartbreak. There is a sense of duality as the verses have a mournful beauty to them while the choruses are brighter and more hopeful.”
The conscious artist continues, “I feel there is a timeless and universal quality to this innocent perspective and the journey of maturing in the understanding of love.”
We appreciate the self-realized perspective that Garland shares, and his signature alternative-folk vibe, with elements of Americana and blues rock, as he showcases his poetic approach to songwriting. He describes the intention of the track as an “invitation to take a chance and understand the power of love and togetherness.”
Fans of The Tallest Man On Earth, Of Monsters And Men, The Lumineers, Wilco, Francis Moon, Damien Rice, and Glen Hansard will certainly be able to connect with the opus, although it is clear that what Garland Kelley creates is unique to his own design.
We have added The Higher Road to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream A Mind of Your Own, and The Point Of No Return, and anticipate the music video for The Higher Road which is set to be released soon on Garland Kelley’s YouTube channel!