Alwyn Morrison – Chained (Single Review)

Have you wondered about the central question, that is, love is a force that binds, but what happens when devotion becomes a tether?

I’m sure instantly, a lot of you would have your neurons tingling at such a statement, just by the sheer relatability or philosophical feasibility of the tumultuous journey of love. Meet today’s artist this review will revolve around Alwyn Morrison, as he explores and grapples with the exact question through his latest single titled Chained.

Before we get into the gist of the single, let’s get ourselves familiar with Alwyn. Alwyn is a New York City-based artist who is a former music journalist turned songwriter. He has spent years shaping stories, including his own and others, honing a sound that bridges rock’s raw energy with pop’s soaring melodies. His take on music isn’t meant to be simply heard, but also felt within every inch of your cells. This includes anthemic energy as well as introspective lyricism, drawing influence from the likes of The Cranberries, The All-American Rejects, and Counting Crows.

Through Chained, he seeks to expand his artistry by capturing the weight of commitment, the longing for freedom, and the quiet ache of sacrifice. He delivers the track with his signature blend of sounds, intending to speak to anyone who has ever felt caught between their own desires and the unrelenting pull of love. As a gauge, this song blends the melancholic urgency of The Cure with the emotional depth of Oasis.

Chained is also produced by Michael Carey (Escape The Fate, Pablo Alborán) and composed by longtime collaborator Michael Ales.

The song also prides itself in its multipotentiality, not just simply being tied to the emotional core of the song, coloured by Morrison’s own journey of being a loving caregiver to someone struggling with depression. It definitely leaves room for interpretation, inviting listeners to reflect on their own experiences of love, duty and self-sacrifice. At the end of the day, love can hold us together, hold us back, and also leave us wondering whether we should stay or break free.

Listen to Chained.

The song definitely starts off with a very compelling and emotionally jarring motif, before revealing itself to a twirling series of metaphorical ‘steps’. In these metaphorical steps, the song builds up with a steady groove accentuated with acoustic licks from the guitars present. The song truly adds on to itself, starting off more simplistic before getting more complex and ear-catching.

It does bear a generic structure associated with songs that have a similar lyrical and thematic content, which isn’t a bad trait, but it can get quite predictable to someone familiar with these genres. The lyrics boldly present itself with a really clean delivery by the vocalist, which is commendable.

The guitar and melodic segments of this song go through various chord changes within the duration of the song, representing desire, sadness and struggle at the same time. I think this song has an ability to resonate with almost anyone, bearing motifs and chord structures that are melancholic but relatable at the same time. It’s an extremely clean and direct song, delivering exactly what it promised to do.

SCORE/Good: Chained is compelling in its delivery and will take you through a journey of emotional melancholy, determination and self-realisation throughout its duration. With clean-cut vocals, direct lyrics and simple instrumentation that adheres to the chord structure of songs with a similar theme, it’s a song that’s hard to miss or dislike. It has the potential to resonate with a large number of people.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

Follow Alwyn Morrison on:

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or, on his Official Website: ALWYN MORRISON