Lora Kelley Combines Desperation and Faith in Her New Single

Four years after the release of 2021’s Domystique, “Will You Hold My Arms Up?” is the new single from Lora Kelley. The song is best described as a prayer in which she places a wealth of biblical imagery alongside the repeated, unanswered question directed at God that is the title of the song.

Her description of helplessness and desperation is frank, but not mellow-dramatic, a quality that owes a lot to her voice.

She has a sweet and sturdy instrument that doesn’t strain for emotion or collapse into breathy fervor but maintains a close, pitch-perfect reading of the melody.

A strumming acoustic guitar opens the song over a flurry of quiet percussive sounds and remains the rhythmic center while piano, electric guitar, and a very quiet keyboard add simple flourishes and support. In the instrumental section, voice and guitar sing and play an Appalachian-style melody in unison, reminiscent of bands like Fleet Foxes from the late ‘00s and 2010s.

As the song comes to a close, Kelley sings the question, “My Savior friend, have you come to hold my arms up?” A slight twist on the title. It implies that He has but doesn’t give the answer away easily as the question hangs on an unresolved chord. She affirms the truths of her faith while holding the listener inside the emotional suspense of waiting. This gives the song a level of authenticity that a too easy resolution would have taken from it.

Reviewed by Christopher Raley