Cautious Clay Karpeh

Since 2017, Cautious Clay has been steadily building a devoted fanbase with his heartfelt songwriting and a unique sound that moves fluidly between pop, alternative R&B, and indie rock. On his deeply personal Blue Note debut Karpeh, the New York based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer also known as Joshua Karpeh takes a giant artistic leap forward with an ambitious yet introspective album about growth, conceptions of intimacy, and lineage that reveals a new side of his artistry by delving deeper than ever into his jazz influences.



Cautious sequenced the album thematically in three sections with interludes throughout containing audio recordings of his family members recounting bits of family history.



Part 1. THE Past Explained

Part 2. THE Honeymoon OF Exploration

Part 3. A Bitter & Sweet Solitude

Part 1. THE Past Explained

My early life going up in Ohio + my family's past experiences being the cornerstone of what shaped me for better + worse. Themes of unwavering self-reliance, the "tides" of family/work life balance, race, + cultural identity are throughout this section.



1. 102 Years of Comedy (Intro) 0:33

2. Fishtown 2:57

3. Ohio 2:51

4. Karpehs Don't Flinch 2:09

5. The Tide Is My Witness 3:39

6. Take a Half (a Feeling We Chase 0:42

7. Another Half feat. Julian Lage 2:29



Part 2. THE Honeymoon OF Exploration

Branching out from my past/family members before me embracing vices, personal gratification, and deep self-reflection - different forms of intimacy, psychedelic drugs, + togetherness are a crucial part of this section.



8. Repeat Myself 2:08

9. Glass Face feat. Kai Eckhardt and Arooj Aftab 3:17

10. Walls & a Roof (Interlude) 0:27

11. Unfinished House feat. Julian Lage 2:33





Part 3. A Bitter & Sweet Solitude

Learning how to be alone with my "thoughts" in order to be the healthiest version of myself when I am around friends, family, etc. No matter where I go in life, being alone is a beautiful + eternal truth. There are themes of greed, death, + speaking for myself/my own needs. While this section lacks alot of lyrical content, sonically it is oscillating between heavier/aggressive and more soft/mellow sonic components.



12. Blue Lips feat. Julian Lage 4:07

13. Tears of Fate 4:33

14. Yesterday's Price feat. Immanuel Wilkins 5:16

15. Moments Stolen 3:57





Cautious Clay (artistic conception, vocals)

Joshua Karpeh (saxophone, flute, guitar, synthesizer, bass, bass clarinet)



Additional Musicians: Alwyn Robinson (drums), Joshua Crumbly (bass), Julius Rodriguez (piano), Julian Lage (guitar), Sean Rickman (drums), Daniel Pappalardo (bass), Kai Eckhardt (bass), Arooj Aftab (vocals), Joel Ross (vibraphone), Immanuel Wilkins (alto saxophone), Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Meryl Cooper, Titee Marion Karpeh, Olivia Howell, William Dingus and Caitlyn Harris (spoken word), Georgia Heers, Sarah K. Pedinotti, William Dingus (additional vocals)