Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
The Castle & Falcon
Review by George Wainwright
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – Youth as an act of resistance
Youth is perhaps the greatest source of inspiration for any accomplished songwriter, a fleeting universal experience best immortalised in music. As a teenager, Sam Duckworth went about penning his childhood pitfalls, culminating in a raw recollection of his adolescence. Under the moniker of ‘Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly’, Duckworth released his debut album ‘The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager’ in 2006. In honour of the belated 15th anniversary of his acclaimed works, Duckworth is joined by a live quintet for a victory lap of live shows across the UK.
The prelude to the story of Sam’s youth is taken from the latter part of his discography. Set-opener ‘Collapsing Cities’ is a playful ditty citing urban living, fleshed out by sharp percussion and a catchy brass section. Follow up ‘Adults’ wallows in introspection, Duckworth taking a glance into the gaping chasm of his infancy. The opening chapter of ‘The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager’ is ‘Once More With Feeling’, an eternal self-love letter. “Don’t let the people think that just because you’re young you’re useless” croons Duckworth, an accurate and appropriate mantra for this album. The lyrics are sincere and heartfelt, as true today as when they were first written. There’s a certain timelessness to the song, a youthful buzz which refuses to erode with age.
‘Get Cape’ aren’t a band who are fearful of ageing, despite their being a lingering sense of reminiscence in regards to their fifteen year career. ‘The Lighthouse Keeper’ encapsulates this sentiment, a melodic retelling of stories from Duckworth’s hometown in Southend. At the time of writing, Duckworth yearned to escape the mundanity of his day to day existence. Having fulfilled his deepest desires in the time since, there’s now a hint of homesickness in Duckworth’s wavering voice. 36 years of age, he isn’t the same naive youngster who composed the lyrics. Yet he delivers them with childish glee, relishing in all the memories they evoke.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve, Duckworth expresses his gratitude to the endearing albeit thinning crowd. Ceasing the opportunity to use his platform, he urges people to “use your voice” and “use it loudly”. As a prominent activist and talented vocalist, Duckworth rarely shies away from utilising his. Drawing upon his roots as the son of an immigrant, ‘Call Me Ishmael’ tackles the discrimination faced by immigrants to the UK, a topical issue that continually plagues our society. Elsewhere on the setlist, the band performs a delicate rendition of ‘Glass Houses’. The song is best likened to a warm hug from a stranger; comforting in an unfamiliar way.
The show is bookended by ‘Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager’, the title track and closer of the commemorated album. ‘Chronicles…’ is Duckworth at his most vulnerable, an open page narrative of his transition from a boy into manhood. The song also represents a turned page in the story of the band, alluding to pastures new in their subsequent releases. Brimming with playful energy, ‘Get Cape’ sound as exciting as they did when they first burst onto the Birmingham live scene in 2004. Despite the fleeting nature of time since, Duckworth’s youthful resistance ensures that his band remains as relevant as they were upon the release of their debut album. This tour has seen ‘Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly’ breathe fresh life into their matured material, through finely-crafted lyricism and cohesive instrumentation.