‘For You’ by Cap’n Al | New Album, ‘The Enchanting World Of…Cap’ n Al’
Exclusive track premiere of ‘For You’ by Cap’n Al, taken from the upcoming album, ‘The Enchanting World Of…Cap’ n Al,’ out September 8th via Baby Dragon Records.
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 will be 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.
“This song began as a fragment of an idea for a bass line while I was at work at Town Hall Lanes (My 2nd job at the time) in Minneapolis, MN. In order to capture the idea, I sang the idea into a voice memo on my phone. When I got home from work, I began to put a chord structure around the bass line idea. It originally had three sections including a half-time bridge. My producer John Scalia and I cut the bridge during the tracking of the song. I believe there were at least 5 bass lines on it (Yes, I’m a bass player…) and over 150 tracks in all that we had to edit and sift through. Special thanks to Billy Thommes (drums) and Karl Koopmann (guitar) for playing on the track along with John and me.
Once the track was in place, I started on the lyrics. Prince had recently passed and I wanted to write a song about how much his music meant to me, as well as to the Minneapolis music scene in general. The song was originally titled ‘For You, Minneapolis’ and later shortened to ‘For You’ as a nod to the title of Prince’s first album. I wanted to juxtapose my love for his music against the act of trying to pick up someone you are very interested in. The passion and directness of his music has always inspired me. Since moving to Minneapolis in 1998, I have played music with many people associated with Prince and I hope this is a fitting tribute to his musical legacy and also the amazing musicians in this city. I’m very grateful indeed!” – Arron Bergstrom
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.
Headline photo: Jill Lindgren
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