A melodically infectious, modern Alt-Indie Pop single, Clifford’s “I’m so Bored” was released just this last month on the 3rd of December 2021. It’s the latest release in a catalog that spans back to July of 2020 according to Clifford’s Spotify discography.

And in that short time, he has found himself gaining some good traction for an audience, most notably with 2020’s “3AM” — eclipsing the 38k mark on Spotify.

However, “I’m so Bored” is distinct to me for a couple reasons, and not due to any kind of abandonment of his signature sound. To the contrary, I would say that what sets this single apart from it’s predecessors, is that it is an enhancement or proliferation of his overall vibe and vision. It would seem as though he has considerably pushed his sound further, finding his voice, and showcasing what is to be his best to come.

Admittedly, Clifford even offers up that the single was on the brink of being shelved:

“This is one of those songs that I just couldn’t find a way to finish. So I said, ‘Oh, forget it, this song is going into the vault.’ Two months later, here we are.”

So what was it that brought this to fruition? Clifford does not go on to specifically say, but if I were to offer my own personal speculation, I would venture to say that it is something along the lines of my observation earlier about settling into his niche and putting more of his personal voice or stamp on it. Part of why I say that, is because he also goes on to say this when asked what the song is about:

“This song is about energy release. It is meant to express the need for it while providing a vehicle for it as well… I suddenly decided that making my hair pink would help in the fantasy of escape. So now I have pink hair 🙂 ”

And I would agree in that I get that feeling when I hear it musically. The visual aesthetic is the accompaniment that adds to what I say makes “I’m so Bored” a distinct release from the rest.

From the onset of the song the listener hears a chant that’s used to drive the song and transition from part to part in the arrangement. I liked the mix of delay and reverb used on the vocals, it reminds me similarly of the effect used on Queen’s “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” However, the vibe of it, I would liken to something like Billie Eilish; low-key and spacy.

As the verses kick in, you are met with a Drum & Bass style beat that hits well. The bass slaps more in this track than in previous, which for me, gave it that more “Alt” feel. When the chant is not present, it’s the bass that hits regularly building up the tension and anticipation for each chorus which is all opened up by Clifford spastically shouting “I’m so Bored!” as if the frustration finally just bursts out whether he wants it to or not. I think the overall arrangement is very melodically intelligent in that sense, the use of the tension and release dynamic is done very well. Mid-way through at roughly 1:47 there is some nice guitar work Clifford plays, similar to surf punk type of licks. The leads at the end of the song are pop-punky. Further incorporating an alternative sound.

The overall lyrical theme is centered around a feeling of restlessness. While Clifford generally states that he penned the song to speak to the relatable feeling of boredom, it does make me ponder about other songs that have been written about boredom. What first comes to mind is The Deftones song titled “Bored” or even Green Day’s “Longview.” All three songs sounding drastically different, but thematically what seems to be the common denominator is that boredom carries a feeling of anxiety and tension. I feel like that does come through a bit on this song lyrically, but not overwhelmingly as Clifford incorporates a lot of examples of what he references as an influence. To name a few: Bowie, XXXTENTACION, Drake, and Talking Heads.

With the right placement, I could see this song working well licensed for an indie dark comedy or quirky horror film.

Learn more about and follow Clifford’s work here:

Spotify // Twitter // YouTube // SoundCloud // Bandcamp

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