Warmly romantic, vaguely nostalgic, sweetly wry,
Clifford T. Ward's third album might have arrived without any fanfaring hit singles, but rides the accompanying goodwill regardless. Bookended by the homey "Scullery" and the homesick "Tea Cosy," light-of-touch observation pieces that quickly put one in mind of
Al Stewart, it is a collection of loving songs for lonely people, drawn together in a manner that suggests they don't need to be lonely for long. Indeed, "All Modern Conveniences" tells the tale of a single woman that, in a way, sums up everything
Ward is aiming to say, and the people to whom he's saying it. "She likes to listen to the radio, music,
Clifford T....she says he's nice, he's flattered," and the background strings soar a triumphant "Gaye." It's a clever touch, but not too clever, a delicate balancing act that might well be
Mantle Pieces' greatest accomplishment. It's a lush and sometimes over-produced album, oozing strings and girlie choruses, and occasionally it does get overwhelming. No amount of tasteful guitar can rescue "Are You Really Interested?" from the all-style-no-substance MOR pit, while "Not Waving -- Drowning" can thank a memorable chorus alone for getting it through the overwrought arrangement that flounces around behind it. At its best, however,
Mantle Pieces touches all of the peaks climbed by its predecessors, and even sets its sights on some new ones. Loosely modeled around an insistently thrumming folky air, "To an Air Hostess" is especially enjoyable, melding a fear of flying to the Mile High Club, and anticipating
10cc's "I'm Mandy Fly Me" in everything but denouement (and clumsy drug references) -- indeed, one can readily picture the late-'70s incarnation of
10cc spending a lot of time listening back to
Mantle Pieces, as "A Sad Cliché" all but blueprints the laughing-at-love balladry that would pock their last few albums.
Mantle Pieces is no masterpiece --
Home Thoughts from Abroad had already snagged that mantel. But it confirmed
Ward's emergence as one of Britain's finest period songwriters, and whiles away as many empty nights as you could wish. ~ Dave Thompson