RFBX: ‘It’s Genius, I Swear’ Special – Race Horses on Clifford T. Ward’s ‘Home Thoughts From Abroad’
By: Meilyr Jones
I'm not very good at writing about music, and most of my friends hate this record, but
don't let this put you off Home Thoughts from Abroad by Clifford T Ward.
I think perhaps it’ss a record that’s seen as sentimental and creepy middle of the road 70s soft rock, but this is only half of why I like it. It’s beautiful and moving music, with lush orchestral arrangements and distinctive and strange words.
The album starts with the iconic love song ‘Gaye’, and moves through to the poignant masterpiece that is the title track-
"How is Worcestershire? Is it still the same between us?
Do you still use television to send you fast asleep?
Can you last another week? Does the cistern still leak?
Or have you found a man to mend it?
Oh, and by the way, how's your broken heart?
Is that mended too?"
There is a song that personifies time as a magician-
"Time, the magician played a few old tricks on us"
And in 'Where's It Going to End?', he compares a relationship to a broken-down car-
"Our love is just another broken down motor car
I need your help to get it back on the road
It's brought us such a long way and we could still go far
But for the fact that the engine is cold."
Just listen to it. I love it, you might, you might not. If you dislike it, you are in good company.
Discover more at myspace.com/racehorsesmusic
Artists in this article: Clifford T. Ward, Race Horses