Here is an incredibly beautiful new song from Annie Dressner and David Ford. Over fluid fingerpicking that rolls and sways through a compelling melody, their voices rise and swell, combining like they were always meant to perform together. The blend of their tones is irresistible and the song sweeps along, their words taking us through the unravelling of a relationship. When their voices lower during the verses, it has the feel of an intimate conversation, of trying to work things out but, in the chorus, they soar and sing together: “If we go on like this, I don’t know what damage we might do // And if we go and break down, I don’t know if I could make it home without you // Would I even want to make it home without you,” and there’s a sense of desperate confusion. The words are cleverly chosen to create this tension and it seems that in the song’s narrative we are close to a break-through, of ending or reconciliation. It’s captivating stuff. The accompanying video reinforces the idea of a relationship moving through these stages. We see the duo sitting on a sofa in various locations: a beach, an amusement arcade, woodland, a garage and a breakers yard. The sofa seems to represent their domestic situation, a place of cosy comfort amidst the busy-ness of daily life. It’s an intimate space where couples spend time together whatever is going on in the outside world. However, by the end of the video, the pair stand up, walk in opposite directions and we are left with the lingering image of an empty sofa.
This is the first video from their brand new album ’48 Hours’, which has just been released. Both Ford and Dressner are accomplished singer-songwriters and they met while performing on the same bill early in 2022. As they became friends, the started to share the stage for a couple of songs in one another’s sets. Before long, these moments became the highlight of the show and they began writing together. Such is the naturalness of their vocal combination, it’s easy to imagine that they have been working together for a long time. However, this is a brand new collaboration and, indeed, the album’s title reflects the fact that most of the new songs were written in a startling, two-day burst of creativity. We recommend the pair’s solo work over the years but their duets take them to a new level. New York’s Dressner, now based in Cambridge, has released three albums that are full of compelling, confessional song-writing while David Ford, thanks to his excellent live performances, has gathered awards and critical acclaim here in the UK.
Dressner and Ford are celebrating the release of their debut together by setting out on a headline tour of small theatres across the UK, mostly in seaside towns. Taking place throughout July, they are calling it The Summer Holiday Tour. Check out the dates here.
