Kevin Garrett’s Mellow Drama is an artfully crafted anthology on loneliness and withering love. The Pittsburgh-born, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter serves up doleful vocals and lovelorn lyrics à la Sam Smith in this five-song debut EP.
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Steeped in anguish and regret, Garrett’s vocals stand out against the simple and sparse keyboard accompaniment on “Coloring.” His angelic voice flies through the track, as vulnerable as delicate as glass, seemingly to mirror his own sense of fragility as he tries to mend a threadbare romance. “Stay for the night,” he pleads over and over. “Tell you why nothing’s right if you’re gone.” Neither the words nor the sentiment are very original, but Garrett’s complete self-exposure and aching vocals in this highly emotional outcry adds something new to the mix.
Another standout piece on the EP is “Control.” Kevin Garrett plays up the symbolism as the song opens with distorted vocals, as if caught in that hazy confusion. A clear voice manages to break through the chaos after the first few verses, but still he lingers and tortures himself by staying. “Say you don’t believe in me,” he pleads. “Just so I can finally leave. Cause you’re the only thing that’s keeping me around.”
Garrett’s words are strong although somewhat scattered. He experiments with word choice and tries to add new persepctive to tired expressions: “My hands are tired around you each night,” he sings on “Never Knock.” Still young in his career and love life, Garrett’s lyrics betray the innocence and overwhelming uncertainty of youth and young love: “If you’d take the time to let me stumble through how I feel about you,” he sings on “Never Knock.”
Adding a fresh voice and new perspective to the well-worn heartbreak genre, Garrett is a poignant poet and a superb vocalist. Check him out when he comes to New York in October for two shows with X Ambassadors: October 22nd at the Bowery Ballrooom and October 23 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Article: Heather McAdams
