By Cynthia Gross
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Westminster, Maryland-based multilingual artist Clifford released his latest single, “I’m So Bored,” today, December 3. The wildly creative song is best described as glam rock, and it captures the raw, all-to-familiar emotion of feeling stuck in the monotony of everyday life.
Clifford, a dual U.S./UK citizen, grew up on a farm in rural Maryland, which contributed to his love of fantasy. He speaks English, French, and Arabic, and his genre-blending music is evidence of his passion for connecting with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
“Just put in eight hours in the day / And I can’t stay late / Cuz I gotta do it all again in the morning,” Clifford sings in the opening lines of the song. He notes that he wanted to write a song about boredom, which is something that everyone experiences.
Despite the heavy-laden topic, “I’m So Bored” evades feeling like a downer thanks to the spacious, lively musical composition. Clifford, a multi-instrumentalist, showcases his percussion skills on the track with a driving drumbeat and brisk hi-hat accents. There’s a lightness and levity to the song because of the juxtaposition. Each element – from the robotic vocalizations to the guitar distortion – amounts to listeners feeling like they are on a never-ending wheel that’s increasing in speed at an alarming pace.
Fans of T. Rex will identify with Clifford’s tasteful theatrical style, in which aesthetic is just as important as the music. Clifford shares his simple and effective strategy for overcoming boredom: energy release through music while dancing in front of a mirror. “The whole energy of the song is about tension release through music,” he explains.
Clifford describes dance as “a way to escape into a fantasy world where you can be whomever you want,” adding “I suddenly decided that making my hair pink would make the fantasy clearer.”
Throughout “I’m So Bored,” the protagonist cycles through a number of distractions in an attempt to alleviate his boredom, including making sexual advances to his significant other. “I’m so bored / Really like to feel your love tonight / But if I can’t have your arms tonight / I have my own,” he sings.
These lines are about “being comfortable in your own company,” Clifford notes. “If you don’t have anybody else, you always have to be able to be happy with yourself.”
“I’m So Bored” treads a humdrum topic without wallowing in its own self-pity. When you peel back the layers of the song and go beyond the overt subject, you encounter depth of perspective. Not only does the track provide a 3-minute reprieve, but more importantly, it challenges audiences to discover new ways of being constructive in the midst of the mundane.
Learn more about “I’m So Bored” and Clifford’s musical journey in his behind-the-scenes video, and stay tuned for upcoming projects from this original rising talent.
Cynthia Gross is a freelance writer and award-winning spiritual pop artist based in Maryland. With more than a decade of experience as an executive ghostwriter, she understands the power of each individual’s voice to create positive, meaningful change.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
