UPC 655469636347
ISRC - USPXQ0601001-USPXQ0601014
1. I Believe In You 2:55
2. I've Been Waiting For You 3:45
3. Meant To Be 3:47
4. A Dream Come True 4:06
5. For Better or Worse 3:09
6. Baby-On-Board Blues 3:15
7. Live It Up! 2:58
8. Tonight 3:02
9. Everything We Dreamed 2:27
10. Every Moment 4:01
11. Adieu 3:15
12. I Gave My Heart To You 3:13
13. I Miss You 3:30
14. Written In The Stars 3:13
About Clark Ford (BMI) - an award-winning songwriter from California, living in Iowa. He writes songs in several genres, including pop, country, rock, sacred, jazz, and blues. He has released several albums, including "In My Heart" (pop/country/rock relationship songs, 2018), “Anthem” (country, blues, folk, jazz, and sacred anthems, 2019), “We Must Have Angels” (sacred and meaningful songs, 2020), “You’re The Best” (country, 2021), and "I'm Lookin' At You" (pop, 2022). Awards include: The Halloween song "Spiderwebs In My Hair!" won the 2018 Dallas Songwriters Association award for Novelty song; The country love song "In Your Eyes" was nominated for a Josie Music Award (2021); the fun country song "I Don't Want To Work Today" was picked for a 2021 Spotify/M&Ms curated playlist of 20 songs about work, advertised on packages of M&Ms candies: and the country/pop crossover song "Unconditionally" was voted #15 in the 2022 best songs chart on Museboat Live internet radio; Many of Clark's songs have been accepted on the first ballot of the Grammy awards®. Clark's songs have been recorded by Underground Treehouse, Nashville, featuring a variety of singers. Many singles have been released on Bongo Boy Records on Multi-Artist albums and by the artist himself. Artist Website: http://www.clarkfordmusic.com/
Clark Ford engages in a jazzy pop elegance with “Meant To Be (feat. Underground Treehouse).” Instrumentally rich, there is beauty to be found with the many different flourishes. Vocals rest right at the heart of the matter, allowing the songs to float gracefully. Melodies bounce off the walls, further adding to the inherent bliss of the piece. Rhythms keep things relaxed, for there is this sense of looking inward, of exploring one’s motivations. Saxophone work has a soulful Chet Baker quality adding to the work’s warmth.
Piano delicately flows through the swinging opener “I Believe in You.” Spry accompaniment on “I’ve Been Waiting for You” unfurls with cunning grace. The playfulness of “For Better or Worse” messes with the theme, throwing the listener for a loop in a humorous, carefree manner. “Baby on Board Blues” has a gritty edge, perfectly working off the rest of the album and helping to further flesh out the narrative. Slow moving with its noir theme, “Live It Up!” has a significant buildup to that explosive finale. Much more subdued, “Tonight” has a wintery, late-night fervor. The laid-back atmosphere continues as “Every Moment” has a sparse, fragile quality. Great drumming adds to the meditative “I Gave My Heart to You.” Yearning dominates the sweetness of “I Miss You.” Closing things off on a high note is the delicate “Written in the Stars.”
“Meant To Be (feat. Underground Treehouse)” reveals Clark Ford’s uncanny ability to craft lyricism that drips with love and affection.
Clark Ford is a man of many musical moods. This ability to deftly move between genre, sound and style has resulted in an array of singles and albums that take in everything from pop to country, jazz to folk and from novelty tunes to devotional music…both in the sense of love songs and those that affirm faith.
Meant To Be sees him in a romantic mood, an album full of songs about love and longing, songs about meeting and about marrying, of first fleeting moments, and reflections on long and happy relationships. It is a celebration of love, of being in love and of being in love with being in love. Yes, it is idealised and sentimental, but who doesn’t occasionally need some of that in their lives? And when you do, this is the perfect album to play.
It is also an album of duets, the perfect symbiosis of boy/girl vocals in the ideal setting. The songs are gentle, jazzy, soulful, seductive, sentimental, and serenading. There are obvious ballads, like the opener, I Believe in You, a song where pianos chime charmingly as sensual saxophones waltz around the vocals, and there are songs which fit more easily into the crooner-era, chamber pop style, such as A Dream Come True.
For Better or Worse sees things lean into a more old-time, musical hall country jig, the clarinet giving things a lovely, traditional jazz edge, and Every Moment sits on the accessible end of the modern jazz spectrum, one that fits perfectly into a sort of sophisticated, uptown, piano bar vibe.
Adieu gives us a different take on things. Although the majority of the songs found here are celebratory and love-affirming, here we have a song which reminds us that loss and love are two halves of the same coin and that things don’t always work out, as reflected in the melancholy tones of the music – and that, no matter how hard things are, heartache is all part of the human condition. Similarly, I Miss You sits in that space between love and loss, the personification of the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Gorgeous, understated, and relatable.
And things sign off with Written in the Stars, a song about destiny and patience, that feeling that there is someone out there for you, a sentiment driven by the music which is both chilled and somehow gently epic at the same time.
It is a beautiful album, one that perhaps harkens back to more sentimental and eloquent times but is full of timeless messages, messages relatable to today’s audience. Musical styles may come and go, but love is a constant.
Album opener, “I Believe in You,” begins with soft piano and sax – a tasteful jazzy prelude for an incredibly capable female singer (one of many exceptional vocalists recorded for this album). Her voice is rich, effortless, and lilting between lovingly cradled notes. If I was forced to use one descriptor, I would go with “flawless.” And when the song ends on a sustained falsetto? Yep, “flawless.”
Track #2, “Been Waiting for You,” features a talented male singer accompanied by an answering female vocalist as their musical dialog pervades this more upbeat track. This is a pleasant little number promoting an incredibly healthy romantic engagement.
Track #4, “A Dream Come True,” adds a little swing to the mix, filled with subtle strings and perhaps finger-snapping percussion. There are some nice orchestral changes here, and I’m fighting the urge – a very strong urge – to sing, “DOO-WOP, DOOBY-DOO…”
And then, the Blues kicks down the door, and demands you make it dinner. Track #6, “Baby On Board Blues,” starts with some serious Blues licks, and a lyric that immediately explains the song title: “Well I’m a pregnant woman. I got a baby on board.” This is a standard Blues arrangement that cleverly (and comically) conveys the everyday struggles during pregnancy.
Track #8, “Tonight,” returns to that slow, sultry jazz with exemplary male vocals (LOVE his trembling vibrato) and a responsive sax. This is melodic chamomile, and I’m immediately lulled into a comfortable, restful state. In a word, this track is absolutely hypnotizing.
Track #10, “Every Moment,” continues with easy, slumbering jazz, and a gorgeous, note- perfect female vocal. There are crystalline piano arpeggios, slowly brushed percussion, and a quiet, supportive sax. This is beautiful, subtle, and may generate an unexpected tear or two.
And then, we arrive at album closer, “Written in the Stars.” With a strong male vocalist managing a higher vocal register during the chorus – a moment lifted by layered horns – “Written in the Stars” tiptoes into orchestral pop with some serious emotional highs and immediately memorable melodies. Folks, the album couldn’t have concocted a more personal, empowering finale.
And then, we arrive at album closer, “Written in the Stars.” With a strong male vocalist managing a higher vocal register during the chorus – a moment lifted by layered horns – “Written in the Stars” tiptoes into orchestral pop with some serious emotional highs and immediately memorable melodies. Folks, the album couldn’t have concocted a more personal, empowering finale.
If you’re looking for drifting, magical jazz or expertly arranged and performed music that casts a calming spell, Clark Ford’s Meant To Be is easy – but captivating – listening.
Official Video for "Celebrate The Sun", a fun pop/country song about summer and laying out in the sun. Music and lyrics by Clark Ford, 2022. Recorded by Underground Treehouse. Video by Clark Ford and Frans Moritz using CCO videos and stills from Pixabay and Pexels. #summer #sun #beach #fun #sunbathing #popmusic #countrymusic #Americana #clarkfordmusic
It's a perfect day
The sun is shinin' and the sky is blue
I want to spend the whole day with you
Just layin' out in the sun
It's fin'lly warm outside
The grass is green, the clouds have blown away
It's so fun to see ev'ryone
Who's come outside to play
Oooh, it doesn't get any better than this
Oooh, this is a day I don't wanna miss
I just wanna share the way I feel
I'm walking on air, dancing in the street
I just wanna shout out to everyone
Come on outside, let's celebrate the sun!
It's been cold long enough
I've had my fill of grey skies
Stuck inside I felt barely alive
Doin' nothin' but watchin' TV
But I'm ready to go
I got my tunes and a tube of sunscreen
I got our blanket laid out on the grass
With a place for you next to me
Oooh, it doesn't get any better than this
Oooh, this is a day I don't wanna miss
I just wanna share the way I feel
I'm walking on air, dancing in the street
I just wanna shout out to everyone
Come on outside, let's celebrate the sun!
We don't need a crowded beach or a swimming pool
We'll have fun in the backyard just me and you
Don't want to waste another minute of this perfect day
Come on let's get outside and catch some rays!
I just wanna share the way I feel
I'm walking on air, dancing in the street
I just wanna shout out to everyone
Come on outside, let's celebrate the sun!
Let's celebrate the sun!
Bongo Boy Record‘s resident multi-genre songwriter Clark Ford is becoming a fast favorite of ours. His previous two singles In Your Eyes and I Won’t Give Up On You were full of high notes, but this most recent work might be his best yet. Now releasing his third single on the label, Ford gives us the sweet, bright pop track Celebrate The Sun that’s absolutely perfect for the upcoming change of seasons.
Celebrate the Sun is the essence of summer in a 3-minute package. Everything from the strummy guitar and the tropical percussion to the saccharine female vocal just radiates that carefree energy that is endlessly reminiscent of the season. It’s light, airy, and warm – the quintessential summer mix. As always, the musicians bringing Ford’s work to life are expert level, bringing a polished cohesivity to the track that makes it effortlessly easy to listen to.
Often times Ford’s songwriting appears as the highlight of his work, and this new release is no exception. He’s managed to fully capture the feeling of the shift into summer weather in his lyrics, bringing thoughts of that first warm day after a long winter immediately to mind. The imagery is uncomplicated and extremely relatable, leaving plenty of room for you to imagine fond summer memories of your own as you listen:
“We don’t need a crowded beach or a swimming pool
We’ll have fun in the backyard just me and you
Don’t wanna waste another minute of this perfect day
Come on let’s get outside and catch some rays”
This is the perfect track to take us out of winter and get us ready for the warm weather that’s on its way. Bongo Boy Records has a winner in Clark Ford, whose songwriting never ceases to impress, no matter the genre he chooses to work in. Get ready for summer by adding Celebrate The Sun to your favorite playlist now, or look for it appearing on Bongo Boy Records Volume XXI, set to release later this year.
Le soleil et la douceur s’invite dans nos oreilles grâce au titre que nous écouterons en boucle cette semaine : « Celebrate the Sun »magnifiquement arrangé et enregistré par Underground Treehouse.
Dans un monde de grises nouvelles et dans lequel tout va vite, le morceau nous offre un moment de détente musical de toute saveur. L’instrumentation folk et les lignes de chant colorées de pop nous emporte hors du temps, nous plonge inexorablement dans les accords relaxants et les voix chaleureuses qui nous rend accros au passage.
« Celebrate the Sun » attire l’été de la plus belle des façons et est le résultat d’un excellent travail d’équipe, honorant la créativité mais aussi la qualité musicale.
New Digital Single 2.11.22
Worldwide
Feat. Underground Treehouse, Jonah Folsom, Glen Ford
UPC:688130658249
ISRC: USPXQ2202111
Clark Ford is a songwriter from California, now living in Iowa. He writes in multiple genres including country, pop, and retro rock. His songs in several albums are widely available online.
Clark Ford wrote this song for all the people in his life who are in pain that he doesn't want to give up on, even if they're pushing him away. It's a song encouraging people to howl at the moon if they need to, it won't drive him away, he just hopes they don't give up on themselves.
Romantic country love (wedding) song about falling in love, getting married, and connecting deeply. Music and lyrics by Clark Ford, 2019. Arranged and recorded by Underground Treehouse Studio, Nashville, featuring Michael Lusk as singer, 2020. This song was included in "2020 The Musical" (book, music, and lyrics by Clark Ford).
Release Date: November 2020
Richly rewarding romantic single Clark Ford – IN YOUR EYES: We don’t get a lot of country tunes in here for review, but that may be about to change… Clark Ford has produced a richly rewarding romantic single that shows clear understanding of how to grab your ears… watch the video first…
If you enjoyed Clark’s stellar lyrics and vocal mastery on that song, you should be sure you SUBSCRIBE to Clark’s YouTube channel, where you’ll find many more singles and albums to enjoy.
To listen to only the audio, go to Clark’s page for the single… many readers here know me for my reviews of jazz and world music, but I spent several years (an even dozen) in the heartland of country soul, down in Huntsville, Alabama… I can tell you right now that this tune ranks right up at the top of the country charts… I predict it will be getting infinite spins on stations of all types around the globe!
What was most impressive to me about Clark’s song was the video production… deeply moving and full of all the emotions that love can bring… it has a real “down home” feel, and you’ll be watching it over & over again, folks.
I give Clark and his players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED rating, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) score of 4.98. Get more information on Clark’s page. Rotcod Zzaj\
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