Clifford’s first offering since last year’s debut album ‘Birdwatching’, its wall of relentless, bouncy, jangling guitars bring the Beach Boys-esque surf rock of the ‘60s to mind, in a track so teeming with life that it will surely be impossible for any listener to emerge from these two and a half minutes with anything but a grin from ear to ear.
What the melody and instrumentation envelop are lyrics that express Clifford’s clear desire to be clear of the treadmill of modern life - to achieve freedom and inner peace. He alludes to all of the pressures faced by those around him, and how there is seemingly little time for anything else: “How do my friends fit the childcare in?/How do my friends fit in full-time jobs?/Think I’ll hide away/Start my hermit phase.” For a track that is so inherently lively and busy to the listener’s ear, its words do have an ironically calming effect. The noise and clutter suggested by jobs, childcare and parties is countered by the prospect of the slower and more idyllic lifestyle a hermit phase could offer; “Welcome no delays/Cancel those soirees/Reach a higher plane.”
This is a song all about self-care and self-improvement, and its overriding message is one of positivity, and the relief that can accompany casting off the shackles of responsibility. It’s the idea that better and brighter things can lie ahead (“It might pave the way/For life’s rich buffet”) that makes ‘Hermit Phase’ a great tune to enjoy as the days get longer and warmer, and one that will keep those in search of serotonin coming back for more time and time again.
Mason Hawker
@HawkerMason
Image: Amateur Ornithologist (Facebook)
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