Cautious Clay (the recording/stage name of Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer Joshua Karpeh) performed to a sold out crowd at The Foundry in Philly on Saturday, February 2nd (Sophie Meiers was the opener). This show was the last of his North American tour before heading off to play some dates in the UK/Europe.
While still an independent/unsigned artist, Cautious Clay’s brand of minimalist indie R&B has generated tremendous buzz. His debut track “Cold War” (see official music video below) was featured in Season 3 of Issa Rae’s HBO series Insecure. He was introduced to an even wider audience after being featured in a NPR Tiny Desk concert in late 2018. In the last year, he has been a prolific songwriter and touring performer – he released 2 EPs (Blood Type and Resonance) and he just released a brand new track (“Honest Enough“) that will be included on a forthcoming EP.
Cautious Clay started off his set with “Silos”, which had him strumming along on a soprano ukulele while delivering his buttery smooth vocals. Throughout his set, Karpeh also flexed his strong woodwind game and alternated between playing tenor sax and flute, which made my band geek former self swoon with delight. In between songs, he asked if anyone was from Chestnut Hill because that’s where his mother grew up – unfortunately, he had never been there, but was just sayin’. The banter was limited, though, as he made his way through a relatively short hour-long set; however, he was deliberate in making the most of his time. His effortless and laidback style demands your attention, but that didn’t stop the audience from trying to sing along (unsuccessfully, IMO) especially during his set-ending performance of “Cold War”. He closed out the night with a new song, performing solo with an electric guitar.
He won’t be back in the area again until he plays The Governors Ball in NYC at the end of May; however, I’m guessing/hoping that he hits the festival circuit. I’m also guessing that this was the last time we’d be seeing him in such a small venue – big things are on the horizon for Cautious Clay.
Keep scrolling to see more photos from the show.
