Under the name Charlie Alpha Papa, Albuquerque’s Michael Capshaw, continues to ignite the poetic fires that fueled him in high school. Capshaw, who asks his fans to call him Cap, dominates the mood with the tropical delight “Bora Bora” out now via his own Capish Music Label. Whatever name he prefers, he should get used to the title ‘hit maker.’
Rousing the listener with a break beat, and easy to follow lyrics, “Bora Bora” puts the listener in the French Polynesian perfect setting. Cap is struggling in his relationship and is recalling the first trip to the island with his lover. Wet bodies on the sand, basking in the sun on the boat’s deck, his dreamland and ideal time away can’t be sustained. He does, however, build momentum in the song’s melodic music. A subtle drum roll and an airy music base assist furthering the song’s setting. The electronic music bed is robust, little beeps and drops aplenty. The keyboard dubs – a snappy sound overlays, breaking the way for Cap to sing above. He creates subtle avenues of bright, albeit brief, turns.
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Cap’s singing is at times subdued. I sensed a sadness and maturity in his voice. A veteran, this former military globe trotter’s world view is straight forward. He can serious sounding at times, giving “Bora Bora” a contemplative tone. But, he changes, too. When he sings ‘water’ he adds a little flare at the end. The song moves in a few different directions, sometimes his vocals show more emotion. Just the right amount. The lingering lyrics take me back to Bora Bora, stay for hours, like laying in a hammock on a hot summer’s day. The more you hear them, the more they fester in your mind and you share the same cravings. Drenched in hypnotic rhythms the back-and-forth between Cap’s vulnerable vocals and the stirring music bed drives the listener near ecstasy. The drums sometimes sound like empty, gallon buckets hitting the waves; his fresh vocals ride the sonic wave with sheerness and a light vibe. He slips in the stanzas with such ease and confidence. And, yet again, the complex, sometimes glassy music bed flips the switch and seems to go deeper into his psyche and the listener’s beating heart. Like an echo chamber, “Bora Bora” rhythms match Cap’s hope and heartbreak in one swoop. The flow functions as water in “Bora Bora”, I can assume, but in reality, the flow is also his optimistic mind mending his memories.
Nostalgia has not overtaken him, nor should it veil its listeners. “Bora Bora” is an earnest adult contemporary / urban hit. Cap, who also owns his own studio and has been an actor, continues to build his resume. His rising talents have already nabbed him listeners and exposure in such countries as Australia and Zimbabwe. Wherever his compass points, things are going up, up and up for this talented songwriter. His inventive beats and open-diary writing approach is a winning ticket. No matter his name, Cap’s “Bora Bora” speaks for itself.
Jodi Marxbury
The music of CHARLIE APLHA PAPA has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division. Learn more https://musikandfilm.com