“Survival” by Harry Cleverdon is a beautiful and introspective folk pop album that blends country style storytelling with acoustic instrumentation, crafting soundscapes that are inviting and meaningful. Cleverdon was raised on a farm, and his connection to this upbringing is clear in each detail of these songs. Written, recorded, and produced by Cleverdon, this body of work is honest and personal, and he effortlessly lets the listener into his world with this ten track album.
The album opens with the track “House Of Cards,” which begins with layered gang vocals before dropping into an intimate space with Cleverdon’s vocal and a marching kick drum. Lyrics like “we’re a house of cards, ’cause we fall apart when things get hard” and “build it up just to knock it down” tell us that the relationship Cleverdon is singing about is fragile and tumultuous. Yet, he can’t seem to let it go, and wants to keep trying despite knowing the house of cards will inevitably fall again. This simple yet impactful metaphor offers a compelling narrative overtop the energetic production that rises and falls in energy for a dynamic sonic journey.
Another standout on the album is the closing track, “Know I Am Too.” This song begins with emotional piano playing and a mournful vocal, with subtle slide guitar crying through the background of the arrangement. A steady rhythm joins in after the first chorus, adding to the feel of this swaying ballad. Cleverdon laments a past relationship, wanting to stay connected even though their time together is over.
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