Pete Cautious is a veteran of the Chicago scene. His debut self-titled album Pete Cautious came out in 2019 to critical success and played at venues like The Empty Bottle. Through the years, Cautious has got to open for some great bands like Tobacco, Karate, Russian Circles and more. Florida Man is his second album.
In Florida Man, Cautious addresses the darkness that lies in each of us. Rather than point his finger, the record tried to come to terms with it, acting as a kind of backboard to let out your inner angst if you will. The album displays a lot of characters, and these characters from all walks of life deal with all sorts of things from addiction, prostitution, gambling and infidelity. Attuned to this kind of lifestyle, the album ends up becoming very visceral with such gritty themes coming up again and again. While the subject matters lies in the darker region, the lo-fi, stripped-down quality to the music and the mellow vibes coming from the smooth vocal performances does not match the primal vibes of the lyrics. If you just listen to the sound, the music is very much aligned to the alternative, indie rock, psychedelic, soft rock, shoegaze and lo-fi scenes. Add the lyrics and you get an unfiltered, unflinchingly raw and honest portrayal of the highs and lows of living life on the fringes. This X-factor really made the album come alive and stand apart from the mass produced and manufactured sounds of pop music prevalent on radio today. Florida Man begins with “Just Another Love Song,” where shimmering guitar riffs are loosened over the effect of synths. Cautious’ vocals come in, in a smooth manner narrating someone who has a gambling problem and must admit their mistakes to their loved ones. Cautious’ voice is distinctive with real haunting power. On “How Does It Feel?” the guitar riffs can be overwhelming, actually burying Cautious’ voice in the process. I found this effect taxing when what I really wanted was to hear more of Cautious’ singing. “Florida Man” is about the anti-hero to the album, who operates on a very primal level and gets into a lot of trouble due to his antics. The song is executed with more synths powering through this track. The psychedelic-laced guitars roll forth with a sound attached to a real surf rock vibe. Again, the music overpowered the vocals here and I thought the band could do to turn it down a notch or two to give the vocals more fidelity. Sparse guitar riffs sound off alongside the sound of warbling synths on “You Can Blame Me.” The vibes were fuzzed-out and laid-back. “The First Time,” which is about the newness of love and about chasing that feeling, contains more synths that are unleashed as spiraling guitars meet the forefront. Beats give this song traction as well as a sultry appeal. I really enjoyed Cautious’ vocal flavors here. On “Here In My Car,” bongos give this track an island flavor. This works into the mellow, easy-going vibe of the vocals. This song felt like a very laid-back day spent relaxing on the beach. I loved the tropical notes throughout. Sounds of synths clash with percussive beats on “Some Other Lifetime.” Cautious’ buttery vocals softly ascend over the layers of instrumentation. The displays are lush and dynamic. At the core to his sound are the melody-driven guitars and heavily invested synths and this track is no different. The album closes to another haunting groove. While the production and arrangement were very minimalistic and sparse, what Cautious was going for by paring down his sound was that live element characteristic – that distinction that every live band has. Having seen a lot of live bands perform, what comes across to him in their performances is that many seem to serve the production rather than playing music. While you won’t be seeing Cautious going through the motions with his band, you can see he brings to the table the fun and spontaneity seen in a live setting with this recording. While these songs are direct, they contain just the right amount of forthrightness that makes them so bracingly candid and alluring. Cautious imbues these tracks with just the right amount of lo-fi to give them the liveness factor as well as the back to the essentials aesthetic that will appeal to fans of the aforementioned genres. This was a solid effort from the artist and proves this is only the beginning for him and his band. I look forward to seeing where he goes from here.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Critique/insightWe are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
May 2024
|