(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).
Useless
Cavo Lyrics
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Relaxed moments are kept locked inside
Hold me now as day turns into evening
Here comes the night
All the words and all the lies
I need to find a safer place to hide
Stop me from making the same mistakes as you
Ohhhhhh
Yours are the smiles that make this world worth keeping
Only the ones we remember fade in time
All the words and all the lies
I need to find a safer place to hide
And it feels... useless
And it feels, oh it feels brand new
And it feels, my God, it feels so useless
Stop me from making the same mistakes as you
All the words and all the lies
I need to find safer places to hide
And it feels... useless
Stop me from making the same mistakes as you
And it feels... useless
And it feels, oh it feels brand new
And it feels, my God, you feel so useless
Stop me from making the same mistakes as you
You
You
On the surface, Cavo's "Useless" appears to be a straightforward song about the need to break free from past mistakes and find a new path forward. However, a closer look at the lyrics reveals a sense of longing and despair underneath the surface. The opening lines speak of a "brighter way of dreaming," suggesting that the singer is seeking something beyond the mundane and ordinary. At the same time, the "relaxed moments" that are "kept locked inside" suggest a sense of constraint and frustration - perhaps the singer is stifled by their circumstances and is yearning for something more.
As the song progresses, the themes of regret and uncertainty become more prominent. The repeated refrain of "all the words and all the lies" suggests that the singer has been hurt in the past by someone close to them, someone they trusted implicitly. They recognize that they need to "find a safer place to hide" in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes. At the same time, there is a sense of resignation and despair - the singer knows that they are not immune to making mistakes, and they are begging for someone (presumably the person who hurt them) to "stop me from making the same mistakes as you."
Ultimately, "Useless" is a song about the struggle to break free from the chains of the past and forge a new path forward. It is a reminder of the power of regret and the importance of learning from our mistakes. At the same time, it is a plea for help and guidance - a recognition that we cannot always move forward alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Open your eyes to a brighter way of dreaming
Encourages the listener to envision a more positive future
Relaxed moments are kept locked inside
Suggests that the singer hides their true emotions
Hold me now as day turns into evening
Expresses a desire for comfort during a difficult transition
Here comes the night
Represents a feeling of fear or uncertainty
All the words and all the lies
Reflects on past deception and dishonesty
I need to find a safer place to hide
Expresses a fear of being vulnerable
And it feels... useless
Expresses a sense of hopelessness
Stop me from making the same mistakes as you
Asks for guidance to avoid repeating past errors
Yours are the smiles that make this world worth keeping
Praises a person who brings happiness
Only the ones we remember fade in time
Reflects on the inevitability of loss and forgetting
And it feels, oh it feels brand new
Suggests a sense of renewal or reinvention
And it feels, my God, it feels so useless
Repeats the sense of hopelessness and frustration
Stop me from making the same mistakes as you
Repeats the earlier request for guidance and support
You
Directly addresses the listener or subject of the song
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.