Each Measure Feature: Lipford

FEATURE

With classic names like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jeff Buckley, and Tears for Fears listed as influences, I had pretty clear expectations for what Lipford would sound like. But I love being surprised, and that’s exactly what happened when I first heard All Night Long. Not the tongue-in-cheek pop rock song of my imagination, this new single is a cozy romantic serenade that shows off the artist’s passionate new sound as a solo artist. Giovanni Lipford started his solo journey in 2019 after the alternative rock band MANTRAM came to an end. After hearing his new track, it's clear to me that his 17 years as a guitarist and composer for the group translated beautifully into the new possibilities of continuing alone.

While MANTRAM may have struck more of an edge, Lipford is a modern complement and almost an inversion of the electricity that the Italo-American quartet sustained for so long. The song is technically clean and complete, starting simply and swelling towards the end to heighten the romantic passion he sings with. Well balanced in its minimalism, All Night Long has few bells and whistles beyond guitar and Lipford's own luscious voice. The pared-down arrangement after his rock and roll years is a sensitive approach to songwriting. It brings us one-to-one with who he is outside the group identity, complete with a characteristic twang of his silky vocals.

A crooning melody with an acoustic charm, what happened to those classic inspirations? The more I listen to Lipford, the more I get a sense of how his influences present themselves, in that clear-as-a-bell whine, subtly dramatic builds, and tender moments of storytelling, to name a few. The result is a nuanced and unique sound, without imitation but pride in his musical background. With a steady stream of fresh singles, listeners can definitely expect more from Lipford in the journey to come!

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