We’ve all been a bad friend before: looked the other way when they’ve littered, made excuses for them, or just didn’t pay them back for something when you knew you owed them– whether it was through inaction, ignorance, or willful blindness, being a bad friend is somewhat of a universal experience. In Chaz Cardigan’s newest lead single “Rashomon,” which is part of an upcoming LP with AntiFragile Music, Cardigan sings of this predicament while accompanied by a complex combination of indie-pop and folky influences, backed by his tactile songwriting that immerses its listeners into his universe. “Rashomon” is a summery song that feels like a warm afternoon next to a breezy window while talking with a friend– it’s energetic and exciting while also being heartfelt and soulful.
Inspired by the concept that the movie Rashomon– a Japanese thriller-crime film from the 1950s that tells the tale of four people lying about the same story– was based on, Cardigan crafts “Rashomon” around lies, friendship, and turning a blind eye. As the chorus goes, “So I let you get away/With picking up girls/When you had a girlfriend… I let myself get away/With living rent-free/in your apartment.” The songwriting here is phenomenal– I particularly enjoyed how Cardigan describes the narrator’s friendship: “I loved you like a brother loves to fist fight.” It’s such a great way of summing up their friendship, being both brotherhood and violence– two things that occasionally go hand-in-hand with one another. The instrumentals, too, make “Rashomon” an amazing song; as mentioned before, it’s a mixture of indie-pop and folk, which you can certainly hear at some points in the song as strings twang in the background. With all the synth, strings, and percussion (and a killer piano solo at 2:27), “Rashomon” is sharp yet upbeat, and Cardigan’s strong vocals only serve to improve on both pop and folk.
Singer-songwriter Chaz Cardigan, originally from Kentucky, now based in Los Angeles, is a delightful smoothie of alternative, pop, rock, and folk influences that amalgamates into his very own style of music. Best known for his song “As I’ll Ever Be,” which was featured in the Netflix film To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love YouCardigan is a musical sensation. In addition to his music being in films, his single “Not OK!” reached a top 15 Alternative radio hit and has amassed over 24 million streams across a multitude of platforms. His bubbly personality and cheery demeanor have helped him grow a blossoming community amongst his Patreon, Discord, TikTok, and other streaming services. For now, “Rashomon” is Cardigan’s first single from his upcoming, very first, full-length album. I’m certainly looking forward to this release– “Rashomon” paves the way for what is sure to be a fantastic album.
Written By Alexa Leung
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