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I was first introduced to David Ford when I saw him open
for Gomez on one of their more recent tours. I was impressed
with his stage presence, and his ability to get extremely sonic
all by himself. When I got his record (that was actually released
quite a while ago) I was extremely pleased to find that not only
did the songs translate well into the studio, but the performances
themselves captured enough of that manic stage energy to keep
me on the edge of my seat, but also had the perfect touch of studio
production to smooth out a few rough edges. I Sincerely Apologize…
is a near perfect album, and one that almost seems a bit out of
place for a young artist on his first major release.
The songs on I Sincerely Apologize… are filled with
a fervor and immediacy that draws the listener into the wildly
tumultuous heart of David Ford. Opening track "I Don't Care
What You Call Me" begins with softly strummed acoustic guitars
that slowly build into a maelstrom of heartfelt emotions. Lamenting
the end of a relationship, this song covers musically familiar
ground, but does so on its own terms, being lyrically terse and
melodically brilliant. "And if you think of me/ it doesn't
mean a thing/ so why don't you just tell me/ what you really think
again?/ I don't care what you call me/ because it won't hurt anymore."
On "State Of The Union", Ford launches into a highly
personal diatribe on the current state of political affairs in
the US, as well as the world in general. The song could be dismissed
on certain terms, except that not only is it a dynamically wondrous
arrangement, but Ford's home-style lyrical take on the world's
state is easy to fall into empathy with. "Cheer Up (You Miserable
Fuck)" draws from the amazingly deep wellspring that drives
such dark modern poets as Michael J. Sheehy, combining
a lyricism that exceeds that of most timeless bards with a dynamism
in music that pulls and pushes, creating stark reaction in the
listener's soul. "Cheer up (you miserable fuck)/ this has
gone on long enough/ and I don't want to hear anymore/ because
if you wait for the day/ you find your thinking bends to straight/
you'll be waiting for a long, long time."
"A Long Time Ago" is a delicately acoustic tune that
is the most light hearted on the record, relating circumstances
that were the lead up to what appears to have been a wonderful
relationship. By the time the album reaches the weirdly Pink
Floyd-ian throes of "Don't Tell Me", there is no
escape for the listener. You are wrapped in the enthralling saga
of David Ford and his unique take on the world around us. The
self-deprecating darkness in the lyrics provides sharp counterpoint
to the light dirge of the music. "Katie" is the last
cry of the involved Romeo to his Juliet for a glimpse of what
has gone wrong with their relationship and why they've grown apart.
It's heart-rending pop music at its best, with an amazing Hammond
organ piece in the bridge. The chimingly beautiful "If You
Only" lightens the mood of the record for a brief moment
musically while asking some very serious questions. "Laughing
Aloud" ends the album with an eight-minute symphony of modern
life. The poetry is simply stunning, while the music is liltingly
soft and delicate, leaving the heart with a sense of oddly discomforting
peace after the battles fought on the rest of the record. ""So
question me no questions/ it's a pointless enterprise/ you'll
ask and I'll only tell you/ exactly what I think you'll want to
hear… because the truth, well it's for students of philosophy/
and faith is for losers like us/ and secrets are for people who
intend/ to get away with being in the wrong/ so don't you breathe
a word."
I Sincerely Apologize… is not to be construed as
music for the casual or uninterested listener. These songs are
highly involved, and rate a bit more than the average attention
span. In the new crop of songwriter/ singers, David Ford stands
among the best. His music has the dynamic passion of Glen Hansard
and The Frames, the delicate brilliance of Chris Simpson
and The Gloria Record, the earnest charm of early David
Gray, and the down-to-earth lyrical sensibilities of a young
Paul Simon. It's hard to say if Ford can keep this kind
if intensity up for long, but if he can succeed in that, he's
got an avid listener - and co-conspirator - for life.
-Embo Blake
Track Listing:
1. I Don't Care What You Call Me
2. State Of The Union
3. What Would You Have Me Do
4. Cheer Up (You Miserable F**k)
5. A Long Time Ago
6. Don't Tell Me
7. Katie (What the F**k Is Going On?)
8. If You Only
9. Laughing Aloud
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