“I’m not angry anymore” by Carley Varley is pure poeticism set to music. The lyrics are a standalone masterpiece, conveying both power and pain with incredible vibrancy. The musical content adds another layer. Each word gets a chord value, and in turn, an extra helping of implied emotion. Then, on top of that, you’ve got the vocal performance. Carley Varley goes from almost a whisper to a belt, letting her delightful idiosyncrasies shine through all along the way. Each new aspect compliments the last, and before you know it, you’ve got a new favorite song.
Acoustic guitar floods the intro, strumming through a few sentimental chords. Carley enters on the title line, then spills a few metaphorical phrases like, “No need to reclaim the land / It was barren long ago.” With the simplistic instrumentation, we get a moment to focus on what she’s saying. You get the sense that she’s remembering a fraught relationship, but one that’s had a lot of time to cool off. It’s a really reflective atmosphere. From there, we begin to witness a gradual build in instrumentation. First, electric guitar. Then, background vocals. Before we know it, the song has erupted in a full, soft-rock groove. Carley wails an impressive, high-pitched melody with immense conviction. You really feel the urgency in her voice. With a final acoustic guitar strum, it melts back into silence with a poignancy you won’t soon forget.
Be sure to give “I’m not angry anymore” a listen! You’ll be blown away by Carley Varley’s musical and emotive talents.
Written by Alyce Lindberg
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