[NOTES: This review originally appeared on Netlabelism.com (#RIP) in October 2014 – the twins referenced below must be all grown up now! The album is now available directly from either the Good Weather For An Airstrike or the Hawk Moon Records Bandcamp pages. It looks like GWFAA is still very active releasing music and playing live, so check them out.]
On first listen I found this music to be a both peaceful and uplifting, and as I later read through some of the information about this release, I discovered other reasons this entire package should make anyone feel good. “A Home For You” is great execution of a great concept. Here’s a hint: it involves cute babies.
Good Weather For An Airstrike is a one-man project of Tom Honey from Winchester, UK. But it turns out “A Home For You” is very much a family affair. Rob Honey contributes to several of the songs and Lauren Honey contributed the artwork. Opening track “Lungs” a really beautiful song. It starts with some stark, slow piano chords, and then adds some very subtle heartbeat percussion and occasional embellishment of electronic strings. By way of comparison, it could have been one of the calmer piano pieces on Moby’s “Everything Is Wrong” LP.
Several of the remaining songs have an ambient feel, while others have more melodic keyboard or guitar elements. “Breathing” combines both elements; it starts with more of the slow piano with synth washes, then about half way through some nice, bright electronic keyboard play enters the mix. The three shortest tracks are interspersed throughout this album and feel like they are intended to be interludes between the main tracks. One of them, “A Break For Christmas” could be a deconstructed version of Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmas Time.”
“Tides” is another stand out track, featuring some heavily echoed strings being plucked, with occasional embellishment from dramatic string washes and electronic chorus. The longest track, “Welcome Home,” closes out the proceedings. It starts very quietly and builds like the day starting, with crisp synth wash drones with other subtle noises. In one way it is probably the most minimalist track here, but if you listen closely there is actually a lot going on in the recesses.
After listening to the music I started reading through some of the information available about GWFAA and Tom Honey. It was then I noticed the mention that “the album has been recorded as a gift for the birth of his newborn twin girls.” That probably explains the overall vibe in this music, as well as many of the song titles. In addition, as I later stared at the seemingly abstract/washed out artwork, almost like the sudden emergence of a stereogram image I could see what appears to be a pregnancy ultrasound photo. It all ties together beautifully.
In their bio they say GWFAA was initially conceived specifically to help Tom Honey alleviate tinnitus by creating relaxing sounds which would help induce sleep. I hate to break it to Tom that infant twins likely have the opposite effect on sleep. But, if you must be awake, this music is a great option.