Cape Crush Released Debut EP “San Souci”

Cape Crush is a power-pop/emo band hailing from the North Shore of Massachusetts. The band consists of scene-veterans Ali Lipman on guitar and vocals, James Christopher on guitar, Jake Letizia on bass, and Cody Rico on drums.

Of the bands debut EP, ‘San Souci’ (out Friday, April 14 via Ancient Injury Records), Lipman says, “‘San Souci’ is a collection of six songs named for the neighborhood in South Carolina I lived briefly in my early twenties. San Souci means, “without a care,” in French and I always loved the irony of living somewhere called San Souci while being full of care and worries – hence why the opening track is named, “Avec Souci,” or, “with care.” It’s a mix of older songs and newer songs that were written in response to or as a continuation of the older ones. Each song is a reflection on that time in life when your mistakes feel colossal and irreversible. I feel like the EP as a whole looks back on events from the perspective of someone who has loved, lost, and learned a little about what’s important.

There are themes of homesickness and isolation written into the lyrics – whether it’s phoning your friends back home in “Sunny & Boone” to ask them how their pets are doing, or the description of feeling like a statue in a snowglobe in “Mother’s Day.” We also explore themes of addiction and loss in both “Avec Souci,” and “Del Water Gap.” There’s a lot of personal imagery, but these are relatable themes that I hope are as cathartic to listen to as they were to write.”

On the writing process:

Ali: “James and I began arranging these songs together in the winter of 2021-22. I had wanted to put together a band for a long time and James knew just what to do with my songs. He has an incredible gift for taking a folk song and turning it into an anthem. We developed a feedback loop with each other when it came to songwriting that helped to establish our overall sound. Cody brought even more vision when he joined on the drums. He was able to pick up quickly on what we were going for and gave us a lot of driving momentum. The same is true of Jake who plays bass. It’s helpful that we share the same inspirations but aren’t trying to emulate any one band.”

On recording:

Ali: “Recording at God City was so cool. I think it was a dream come true for all of us to make our EP where so much important music has been made. Hearing the songs finally come together in their final form was so exciting. We spent 5 days in the studio with Zach Weeks. He’s a fast thinker and understood the vision very quickly. He helped us get what we needed to put together something we’re proud to share. The EP was mastered by Magnus Lindberg who is also a total pro.”

Jake: “God City has always been one of those “wouldn’t it be so cool if…” places that I’d hoped to record at one day. Having Zach there just made the actualization of that ‘what if’ scenario even better. Despite being friends for over a decade, I’d never had a chance to record anything with him up until this EP. He’s supportive, calm, and insightful in so many ways – I’d recommend him to anyone looking to bring the most out of their own material.”

Jake adds, “It’s been such a joy to write with these three. I’ve been lucky enough to have been friends with all of them in overlapping spheres for about 15 years, which may explain how fun and organic the songwriting process has been. Being fans of all of their other musical outputs definitely doesn’t hurt either. I’m so excited to get the rest of these songs out into the world, and continue rounding out the songs that will be on our first full length!”

Known for their catchy hooks, relatable lyrics, and high-energy performances, Cape Crush is poised to make waves in the music scene.

Cape Crush was but a twinkle in her eye when James Christopher approached Ali Lipman in the winter of 2021 about putting a band together. With shared influences like The Get Up Kids, and the Weakerthans, they started writing and arranging songs that explored themes of heartbreak, hardship, and change. They were soon after joined by friends Jake Letizia on bass, and Cody Rico on drums both of whose love of emo music influenced the overall sound of Cape Crush.

In 2022, Cape Crush entered the studio to record their debut EP, ‘San Souci’ which is set to be released in April of 2023. The EP is a collection of six songs recorded at God City Music in Salem, MA that showcase the band’s infectious energy and heartfelt lyricism.

Other tracks on the EP include “Sunny & Boone,” a poignant reflection on the feelings of homesickness and growing apart from friends, and “Del Water Gap,” a raw and emotional exploration of addiction and its impact on relationships.

With their debut EP on the horizon, Cape Crush is ready to take the music world by storm. Their infectious energy and heartfelt lyrics have already earned them a dedicated following, and fans are eagerly anticipating what the future holds for this exciting new band. San Souci – released on Ancient Injury Records is available everywhere music is streamed on 4/14/23.

Upcoming shows

April 29- Salem, MA @ ChagallPAC

June 3- Allston, MA- @ O’Briens (Benefit Show For Cody Rico)

July 20-23 – Somerville, MA -Nice, A Fest