CAEV'S AUTHENTICITY SHINES ON 'BROKEANDTALENTED'

By: Shamus Hill 

CAEV is an enigma within the Massachusetts music scene. Establishing a name for himself through the curation of a wildly authentic and unique discography, he's someone who's routinely done whatever it is that he wants in life. The Boston artist's recent project, BrokeAndTalented, which debuted earlier this month, is one that embodies all of the sentiments from above, and channels them into a substantial, singular body of work. 

The selection of songs that compromise this release are derived from a period in CAEV's life where he describes himself as being both broke and talented. This 10-song offering is one that is composed of both new and old songs, and revolves around much of what CAEV endured on his path toward greatness. As written on his website, CAEV went through a vast amount of trials and tribulations within both his personal and professional life to arrive at this current point in time, becoming molded by his surroundings each step of the way: 

"I’m happy to finally close this chapter in my life that I’ve called “Broke(n)Talented “ I’ve experienced lows that I’ve not even completely processed yet and highs that took me to other planes of existence. Sometimes I felt like a complete fool for chasing my goals and other times I felt like a titan: unstoppable on my path to Olympus. And all through that journey the Talent kept me alive. My talent. My belief in myself. The belief that I can and will. The belief in my worth even when only I could see it. The belief that my talent would help me to conquer all foes, inside and out. This tape is for all my Broke and Talented niggas n bitches who wake up ready to not just “do the work” but are yearning to EXCEL at the work. To push limits, barries, and envelopes (Babyyyyy!)! This for the believers, non-believers, and everyone in between: UUUU CAN DO THIS SHIT <3 !"

One of the standouts on this tape for me was "UpperCut" which was produced by bby.bird and actually received its very own visual treatment from Bridge Visions. Harnessing energy that's reminiscent of a comet darting across the night sky, CAEV floats on this offering with chiseled precision. Additionally, "By Derick For CAEV" is a song that incorporates the several layers of influence that play a role in CAEV's discography, showing off the multi-faceted artistic capabilities that are at his disposal.

​When it comes to local music, there's quite literally nobody on the same level as CAEV, and I don't think I can possibly recommend an album more so than this one. 

Watch the official music video for "UpperCut" below: 
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