(1)For those in need of labeling artists, a band like CAVO could be described as radio-friendly. In years past, the crowds and enthusiasm at their shows, coupled with solid songs and quality recordings, would cause the record companies to come a-sniffin’.
Given the uncertainty of today’s music industry, though, a band like CAVO wouldn’t be faulted for growing discouraged…but it hasn’t. A band like CAVO is a band that perseveres, a band that believes in its own strength, continually challenging itself while staying true to its collective vision.
But for this strength, The Painful Art of Letting Go, their second independent release, may have never been. The group endured production missteps, substance abuse and the decline of personal relationships, only to pull together in solidarity…and creativity.
The title reflects just one side of the multilayered album. Explains vocalist Casey Walker, “The album provides a unique balance of opposites: happiness and sadness, shallowness and depth. Even though we’ve all experienced loss and disappointment recently, it’s made us who we are today, and we’re quite proud of what we’ve become as a band."
“There are definitely songs on this record that show the harsh realities of life and trying to keep your head above water,” he concedes. “Songs like ‘Awake,’ ‘Nameless’ and ‘Painful Art’ came to fruition as the band dealt with several internal and personal struggles.”
Finally, the tide turned, as 2007 proved to be a good year for CAVO. After earning an opening slot with Staind, the band returned to the studio to begin writing and recording their as-yet-untitled album. They closed the year with the honor of being voted 2 indie band on Alternative Addiction.
Songs from the forthcoming album are already making a splash. First single “Champagne” is garnering accolades on hometown alt-rock station 105.7 The Point; also noteworthy is “Come Undone,” a smooth cover of the Duran Duran classic featuring Republic Universal Recording artist Shannon Nicole.
With CAVO, all four members are in it together: each contributes to the songwriting process, each shares in the band’s triumphs and setbacks. Says drummer Chad Laroy, “Bands are like having four other girlfriends. That is one hell of a relationship, and it has to be fairly equal.”
Chris, too, recognizes the camaraderie of the quartet. His idea of success? “Having a group of your closest friends, and being able to create and play music together.”
By their own account, then, the guys in CAVO have already made it; it won’t be long before the rest of the world catches up.
(2) "Japan's mysterious Cavo, who just happen to be labelmates of the amazing (and amazingly monickered) Bathtub Shitter, and feature a member of Corrupted! The first two tracks are a bit misleading, a hazy pagan ritual of gutteral almost-throat singing, temple bells and slow chants. Reminds us a bit of Ghost or Comus. But the ritual quickly grow in intensity until it's a chaotic swirl of tribal drums, shouted vocals, sludgy low end, repetitive riffs, and thick viscous ambience. Like a primitive mix of the Boredoms and Crash Worship. The tribal melee continues, interrupted briefly with one more ambient interlude, all low end rumble and groaning vocalisations, sounding like Keiji Haino with strep throat fronting Earth. Toward the end of the record the sludge coalesces into a weirdly catchy Viking style sing-a-long, lots of WOOOAH OOH OHHH's until things wind down in a truly creepy ritual of spoken female vocals, clapping, manic chanting, shouts, screams and whistles. Comus meets the Boredoms? The Wickerman performed by Corrupted? Boris covers the Incredible String Band? More amazing and baffling Japanese weirdness!" (Stolen from the Internet).
Grounded
Cavo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You swear you watched the best things fade away
You stole yourself from insecure to make it right
And never planned on ending up this way
But doesn't it just kill you
To know they're coming back again
What would you do
If the weight of the world
Was keeping you grounded
I could be the highest point of any sky
And I can tell you're dealing with the pain
And nothings changed but maybe just the most in us
I never planned on ending things this way
But doesn't it just kill you
To know they're coming back around
Chorus
All the strength that you found in this world
Couldn't save you I could save you
Did you figure out there's something more
Than finding yourself on the ground
Can you make it past what you ignore
All the things they love
Chorus
The lyrics to Cavo's song "Grounded" speak of a sense of loss and regret. The opening lines express how fleeting experiences can be, and how quickly they can slip away. The singer reflects on a past relationship and realizes that the feelings he had for this person have faded away. He acknowledges that he tried to make things right but ended up in a painful place, feeling grounded and unable to move forward.
Although the singer is struggling, there is a sense of resilience in the lyrics. He wants to know what he can do to lift the weight of the world and find a way to move on from this grounded feeling. He acknowledges that the pain is real, and he is dealing with it, but he is also looking for a way to find light in the darkness.
The chorus repeats the question, "What would you do if the weight of the world was keeping you grounded?" It's a powerful question, one that speaks to the human experience of feeling trapped, stuck, and unable to move forward. The lyrics suggest that there is a way out of this place, that there is a higher point to reach, and that there is something more to life than being stuck on the ground.
Line by Line Meaning
If only for the moment now the moments gone
You wish you could relive the past, but time is fleeting.
You swear you watched the best things fade away
You feel like the greatest moments of your life have come and gone.
You stole yourself from insecure to make it right
You worked hard to overcome your insecurities and improve your life.
And never planned on ending up this way
You didn't anticipate your current circumstances.
But doesn't it just kill you
To know they're coming back again
It's painful to think that things you thought were gone forever might resurface.
Chorus
What would you do
If the weight of the world
Was keeping you grounded
If you feel like you're weighed down by the world, what would you do?
I could be the highest point of any sky
And I can tell you're dealing with the pain
And nothings changed but maybe just the most in us
You're in pain and struggling, but perhaps your perspective has changed the most.
I never planned on ending things this way
You didn't intend for things to turn out like this.
But doesn't it just kill you
To know they're coming back around
The thought of something or someone coming back into your life is painful.
Chorus
All the strength that you found in this world
Couldn't save you I could save you
Despite all your strength, you feel like you need somebody else to save you.
Did you figure out there's something more
Than finding yourself on the ground
Can you make it past what you ignore
All the things they love
Have you realized that there's more to life than being stuck in a bad situation? Can you move past the things you've been ignoring and embrace the things you love?
Chorus
Repeating the chorus reminds us of the weight that we carry when we feel trapped or held down.
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.