David Ford
Koko, London
08/07/2010

David Ford may not have the exposure he deserves, but he’s certainly bagged some of the best fans going. And they’ve all made it out on this muggiest of nights to sing their hearts out for the former Easyworld frontman at Camden’s Koko. They sing all the louder because they are privy to the same secret: David Ford is a fantastic singer-songwriter. Not in the Blunt sense, not even in the Fyfe Dangerfield sense; Ford aspires to blend Bruce Springsteen’s muscular protest song with Tom Waits’ smoky bar room balladeering. He is an angry, and you guessed it, sensitive troubadour with a talent that would cause much bed-wetting amongst fellow artists, if they had only heard of him.

Tonight, Ford is backed by a full band featuring indie-rockers The Late Greats along with Gary Page on percussion and the lovely Hannah Peel on trombone, violin, and those all important harmonies. The band bolster Ford’s sound on tracks like ‘St Peter’ and the recession-themed rockers from new album, ‘Let The Hard Times Roll’, including the laid-back groove of ‘She’s Not The One’, as much a homage to Maggie Thatcher’s sex appeal as it is to The Faces’ ‘Stay With Me’. Max Arnold’s lead guitar provides a welcome snarl throughout, particularly on the up-tempo politicising of ‘Surfing Guantanamo’.

When Ford is left alone on stage mid-set, he delivers ‘This Is Where I Stand’ with stripped down emo power. Then comes the breathtaking ‘State Of The Union’ where Ford loops several instruments into a soundscape that is in equal parts venomous and technically impressive. It’s Ford’s ability to nail so many styles convincingly without losing his amiable personality that makes him such a captivating performer. And whether it’s the gravelly power ballads, the breezy country-rock or the heart-on-sleeve singalongs, you can’t help but go with him. The fact that his swansong, ‘Cheer Up (You Miserable Fuck)’, is so damn-right euphoric makes it not only the most excellent of sign-offs, but also the most apt of in-jokes.

Tom Spooner