Drawing us in with an intricate acoustic guitar soundscape featuring melancholic folk strings, Trail Hawk opens The Place Called No Way Out with the situational, metaphorical prose, “Kentucky cold and the rain, to the bone wash away the pain, his mom rocks back and forth, half smiling, still hears his voice, calling from the place called no way out… a destination you don’t wanna go, not on a map or any road…”
We immediately connect with the high emotional quotient of the piece, and the raw authenticity that transmutes with Trail Hawk‘s story. Speaking on the release, Trail Hawk tells us how the song is dedicated to his son and his fight with addiction. He adds, “I’m also a recovering alcoholic who by the Grace of God and my mother’s prayers survived The Place Called No Way Out. He wasn’t so lucky. Written to help others going through the same experience.”
There is no doubt that The Place Called No Way Out serves as a moving and cathartic tribute to his deceased son, his own fight, and the journey his son’s mother has endured through unimaginable grief, as Trail Hawk shares the words, “He was a good son, loved by all, drugs and booze made him hit the wall, lost all hope, the will to win, tried everything to get through to him…”
The build of the track is sublime and has us on the verge of tears, due in part to its relatable theme, but also the emotive nature of the strings, particularly the solo and finale. We could imagine the track being featured in a film like Imaginary Heroes, Boy Interrupted, or Ordinary People, which are all productions that explore the suicide of a son and the aftermath for the family left behind.
On his intentional nature, Trail Hawk, who is also known as Greg Wilcheck, tells us, “This song touches a lot of lives in today’s times. Wanted to give back and help others through music and lyrics.”
Needless to say, we are very grateful that Trail Hawk created The Place Called No Way Out, and we have added the song to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream Trail Hawk‘s wider discography, including Behind The Scenes, and Living in a Perfect World.