The release of Cap’n Al’s new single “Desperation Day” can be looked at as a real moment of triumph for the singer and songwriter. When the chips are down, and nothing seems to be going right, you just have to push on through, and that’s what the Minneapolis, Minnesota native did, and it led to this impressive new song and forthcoming studio album The Enchanting World Of…Cap’ n Al, due out September 8th, via Baby Dragon Records.
With its title and conversational and glaringly candid lyrics, “Desperation Day” taps into the unhappiness and anxiety he experienced in a tumultuous relationship that was inevitably going to turn out badly for both parties and did.
Discussing the songwriting process, Al states:
“This one came together pretty quickly and was very fun to write. First, on guitar, I came up with the intro and then came up with what turned out to be the bass line of the song. The verse form followed, then the chorus, and finally a bridge. The lyrics came last as they usually do in my music. I like to come up with a solid form that I can put lyrics to.
“This song is basically a, ‘Conversation between two people in a relationship where one is trying to satisfy the unrealistic demands of the other’ type song. It’s fairly semi-autobiographical. One of the coolest things about the track in my opinion is the trading of lines during the verse. My producer John Scalia is the person trading verse lines with me and he is also performing the keyboard parts. Also appearing on the track are Karl Koopmann (Guitars) and Billy Thommes (Drums).”
There’s a tension within “Desperation Day” that inspired the way it was written. As Al explains:
“The style of the song is a driving, urgent rocker. The way John and I sang the melodies (and the way the instruments were played) lends itself to a Police-like sounding song (not originally intentional). I had no idea what the end product would sound like, but I knew I had something pretty good when I wrote it. I hope people enjoy listening to the song as much as I enjoyed writing it.”
Al is a longtime veteran of his local music scene, playing in various bands and lending bass guitar playing to those looking for an accomplished bassist, but he didn’t really write songs in any serious way until a few years ago. The toxic relationship he alludes to in “Desperation Day” and struggles with alcoholism led him more towards music, and he found songwriting as a form of personal salvation. It kept him busy, and gave him something to focus his mind and emotions on, and now he has an impressive new 14-track record of banging indie rock tunes that has completely turned his life around. An eclectic, but accessible album, The Enchanting World Of…Cap’ n Al is Al’s time to step out front, and illustrate all of those worthwhile songwriting talents he always had in him.
