‘The Fall’ is the debut solo EP from Come On Live Long co-frontman Robert John Ardiff. Born of a series of stealthy one-take recording sessions in a church in Paris after mass – with Jonathan Attard, an acquaintance Ardiff made following a performance in a Parisian café at the helm, and with later sonic enhancement from bandmate Ken McCabe – the EP is an intimate affair showcasing a side of Ardiff somewhat removed from the typical Come On Live Long sound. ‘The Fall’ is an intimate, melodious acoustic-based affair, embellished with some ambient sounds.
The EP’s title track opens proceedings with dextrous guitar picking and Ardiff’s signature croon recanting a tale of a downtrodden ne’er do well, with minimal backing in the form of vocal harmony and ominous, chilling soundscapes coming in at the tail end of the song’s chorus.
This is followed up with the tender While You Were Sleeping, with some pretty xylophone-like sounds and some very frank lyrics addressing what seems to be a failing relationship, yearning for honesty: “Is it me or another you’re waiting to discover?” ‘The Fall’ winds down with A Farewell Glass, opening with some eerie, ghost like, crystalline vibes but a markedly bouncier, more lighthearted guitar lick set to a gorgeous melody.
A textured, melodic and warm offering; ‘The Fall’ is a testament to Ardiff’s notoriety as a songwriter and performer. His work stands on its own, outside of the more voluminous work of Come On Live Long. With a launch coming up on February 26th at Ranelagh Arts Centre, ‘The Fall’ is now live on Bandcamp with all proceeds from purchase going towards the completion of the remaining four tracks from the sessions which birthed this EP.