Sometimes a man just has to make a stand and draw the line. That’s exactly what Darrell Kelley does on his newest album, “Here Ends the Lesson”. This collection from the prolific performer begins with the song “Evil”. Using reggae like backbeats Kelley delineates the differences between the parties involved in the eternal battle of good versus evil in our world and points out that there’s a battle going on out there which we’re all part of whether we voluntarily enlist or not. It’s a good choice and sets the tone for what he wants to convey with “Here Ends the Lesson”. Because as he instructs us; the way to fight evil is you first call it out, and then you must denounce it.
It also sets the stage for “Mama”, the next track. This tune laments the passing of the woman in each one of our lives who gave birth to us. The loss that not only leaves an emptiness in the bereaved one’s life but, many times, a well of regret for those left behind to bear the pain of this loss. On one hand, while this one’s a real downer, on the other hand, it apprises us to the reality that with this kind of pain comes enlightenment; enlightenment to the fact we should never take for granted that the ones who are with us today in this world will be with us here tomorrow. Several times throughout the piece the singer’s voice cracks. I’m pretty certain it’s not from the high notes he’s reaching for but from the emotion he’s sharing with us.
Thankfully, “Get Wild” gets the BPMs, as well as the mood, back up to a happier level. This is fun little club banger that any DJ worth their weight in turntables could use to get the crowd off their rumps and onto the floor to dance. Club owner know that the more their patrons are dancing the thirstier they’re getting. DK does justice to the dance music genre here and gives a tip of his hat to the long gone yesterdays of those hot boogie nights in those strobe light stained discos. DJs know the key to keeping your crowd moving is by switching up the rhythms and Darrell does this with “Tell Jesus on You”. Even though the message here is serious it nonetheless is a perfect track for a slow dance before the night is over.
Employing a bit of pitch shifting and vocal coding “Voices” delivers the contemporary Christian content that Darrell Kelley began his musical career with. Good and evil are of course contrasted within along with gated snare drums that sound like they could bring down the walls of Jericho. “God Is Good” carries on in this spiritual vein as does “Reason” and “God On My Side”. The cut Kelley chooses to close out this album is the eponymous title track, “Here Ends the Lesson”. Served up as a rousing sermon preached from a pious pulpit it’s the logical way to conclude this melodic opus. And as any good Bowery Buddhist knows; once you get the message – you just hang up the phone. Enough said.
