Cap'n Al - For You single
Release date: June 23rd 2023
Artist Information
- Label: Baby Dragon Records
- Genre: Indie Pop / Rock
- Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
- RIYL: Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, The Police, Jaco Pastorius
Biography
It has been said that difficult circumstances can inspire creativity. This has proven true for Arron “Cap’n Al” Bergstrom. For two decades, the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based musician has been an in-demand bass player and background vocalist in original and cover bands. Yet songwriting only came to the foreground a few years ago as a salvation while Cap’n Al was mired in struggles with alcoholism and a toxic romantic relationship.
Today, sober and happily and healthily coupled, Cap’n Al is releasing The Enchanting World Of...Cap’ n Al, out September 8th on Baby Dragon Records. It’s a triumphant, 14-song collection of finely-crafted indie-rock that in its sophisticated accessibility evokes the sharp-hooks of songwriters such as Prince, Paul McCartney, Sting/The Police, and the tuneful-but-edgy alt-rock of Weezer and Green Day.
“I started writing these songs as an outlet for my emotions, and to also maintain my sanity,” Cap’n Al shares. He continues: “This album represents a new chapter for me—I discovered something that no one really expected from me. I’ve spent so many years backing people up, and now it feels time to step out front.”
The Enchanting World Of...Cap’n Al is an eclectic and emotive album informed by Cap’n Al’s personal experiences, his expansive musical tastes, and his formal study of composition for which he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music. The name “Cap’n Al” is his beloved bowling name, and though he is the project’s primary singer-songwriter, Cap’n Al will perform live as a band.
Lead single For You is a sleek funk-pop song replete with pristine clean-guitar riffs, a hooky and propulsive bassline, and opulent 1980s synth textures. The song sprouted from its infectious bass riff, and early on exhibited a Prince sensibility. The music was finished before Prince passed, but by the time Cap’n Al wrote the lyrics, Prince had died. He used the song as a way to salute one of his biggest inspirations. “I wanted the lyrics to be a tribute to Prince’s music and legacy. “They are written as if I’m talking about picking someone up at a club, or someone I am admiring from afar,” Cap’n Al explains. His words feature the kind of sensual innuendo Prince masterfully employed in his songwriting. One juicy passage is: You fill me with such elation/And make me feel every way/I want to start mad relations/And sooner the better, so hot, I’m so hungry for you (for you). The song also offers Easter eggs for Prince fans, its title is taken directly from Prince’s 1978 debut album, and the song’s outro references Jaime Starr, one of Prince's alias names.
Joining Cap’n Al on his maiden solo voyage are distinguished guests from his beloved Minneapolis hometown. These musicians and producers include Tommy Barbarella (Prince & the New Power Generation) on piano, Billy Thommes (Soul Asylum, Jonny Lang, Hairball) on drums, and mastering engineer Greg Reierson from Rare Form Mastering (Prince, The Cure, Miles Davis), among other accomplished working musician friends. The Enchanting World Of...Cap’ n Al was produced by Minneapolis music icon John Scalia with whom Cap’n Al has formed Baby Dragon Records, a musical tandem that will release their own material as well as the works of other musicians and creatives.
