Paul Cafcae - Lyrical (Cafcae Records)

If previous singles such as “The Rider” and “You Cannot Get To Heaven” showed us Paul Cafcae’s more rock and roll side, here he waxes “Lyrical,” literally, and gives us something from the more folky end of his songbook.

If it is folk, it echoes with a sort of archaic vibe. It is not quite the sound of the modern era but more a blend of Dylan-esque vibes mixed with a 50s chanson delivery and channeling the songs of the troubadour’s chivalric traditions. It is not so much the sound of one specific past as a multitude of voices from across the eras.

There is also a fairy tale quality to the song, a sleeping beauty-infused idea of the prince rescuing the fair maiden from the cold castle to give her a new, simpler life away from the palace and the castle, places filled, as we are informed, with liars.

As the sonic intensity grows, as the vocals become more urgent, the temperature rises, spells are broken, our heroine awakens, and the couple flees from the powers that be to a new life.

It may be a folk song, but it is one full of alchemy and eldritch magic. It is a timeless tale that begs to be told again, a fantasy fable that resonates in the real world, and a song gorgeously and graciously out of step with fashion or fad—as all good music tends to be.

We have previously encountered Paul as the rockabilly rider and the punk-infused rabble-rouser; now, we see him don the mantle of the medieval minstrel—albeit one who has somehow found his way to the current age. It is a role that suits him brilliantly.

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