In addition to highlighting that he has new music out, take it from us: you should take 25 minutes or so and get familiar with The Hours: Morning. The latest offering from Cautious Clay, otherwise known as Cleveland-born Joshua Carpeh, dropped a couple of months back, marking a further evolution in his sound since making an impact with his 2021 debut album Deadpan Love.
It looks like there's yet more to come from him this year, and "Fade Blue (11pm)" is as good as we've come to expect from Carpeh. Like the entirety of its predecessor, the song's in and out in less than three minutes, a dramatic string intro giving way to a muscular bass line and grooves for days, rounded out by jubilant background whoops. It's got a sense of confidence to it that flies in the face of his punning stage name; rather than being cautious, he's going for the gusto.
That swagger plays into the song's lyrics too: "I just wanna live my life, make it all up on sight / 'Cause all we got is every day." Carpeh's got plenty of time for living in the moment, simply taking things as they come and trying his best not to be dragged down by expectations, whether internal or external.
He expands on the song as follows: "[It's] very much about removing all expectations about what you might be connecting to in your life versus how you are living your life, because they are not always the same. Being present-minded is something that is becoming harder and harder to do today, and throughout all The Hours, I’m not only the Morning but also the Night, and I’m trying to prioritize being present. Blue is also becoming one of my favorite colors.”
That looks like Carpeh's dropping a sneaky hint about a counterpart release, and we're already tentatively excited. He's out on tour next month; read on to watch the video for "Fade Blue (11pm)," which is out today via Fantasy Records, and scope those tour dates.
September 27 – Philadelphia, PA – Foundry
September 30 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair
October 3 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
October 4 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis (sold out)
October 5 – Washington, DC – The Atlantis
October 7 – Toronto, ON – Axis Club
October 8 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
October 21 – San Francisco, CA – Bimbo's 365 Club
October 24 – Los Angeles, CA – Regent
