After
two years in the making, Travis Garland released his self-titled full-length album this week. A much anticipated
album by fans – they’ve been fed small portions of it through singles and his
Fashionably Late EP. Overall, the album goes for a mature sound
with a sexy and seductive theme underlying each track – the “explicit” and "Parental Advisory" tags don't lie. Garland’s strongest suit is
the collection of crooning ballads such as “Where to Land,” “Motel Pool,” and
“Blue Electric Roses” showcasing his falsetto range and evoking a sense of
intimacy felt between two lovers. The tracks “Easy,” “Pulling My Hair,” and “Neighbor” delve deeper into the
sexy/seductive theme with suggestive lyrics that relay feelings of fatal
attraction, which make you want to dance. Garland's sound and voice have
been compared to Justin Timberlake, including claims from Entertainment Weekly, and this resemblance can be heard in
“AllSheWannaDo” featuring Casey Veggies and “Homewrecker.” Originally, Garland’s music career began in
the pop realm, but I think he’s found his niche in R&B and he should stick
to it. 8/10
