REVIEW: Kevin Holliday Introduces His Next Era With “Strange”
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY ALICIA ZAMORA ☆
KEVIN HOLLIDAY’S “STRANGE” FEELS LIKE A SONG MADE FOR THE LAST STRETCH OF SUMMER—Built around hazy guitar slides, a steady bassline and Holliday’s warm, soulful vocals, the track has an easy rhythm that pulls you in almost immediately. There’s a softness to the whole thing, but it still has plenty of movement, with each layer giving the song a little more depth.
What makes “Strange” especially good is how naturally Holliday lets the emotion sit alongside the groove. The song looks at friendship, grief and the process of accepting that a person can still mean a lot to you even when your relationship with them has changed. He captures that feeling without losing the warmth of the production, making the song feel personal without ever becoming overly heavy.
His voice is a huge part of that. Holliday has a way of sounding completely at home in the track, moving between the verses and hook with an effortless quality that makes the whole thing feel lived-in. The production gives him plenty of room, too. The guitar and bass carry a subtle funk influence, while the softer edges of the track bring in the alt-R&B and indie elements that make his sound feel distinctly his.
“Strange” is the first release from Garden, Holliday’s self-produced album arriving on November 10. The project draws from the soul and funk records that have influenced him as well as memories of family, childhood and the people who have shaped his life. Those ideas give the single a bigger context, but “Strange” works just as well on its own—a warm, beautifully arranged track about growing around the things you can’t change.
If “Strange” is our first introduction to Garden, there’s plenty to look forward to. Holliday has found a sound that feels rich without being overworked, nostalgic without living in the past, and personal without needing to spell everything out. It’s a strong first glimpse at what he’s been building.
