It’s been three years since Dave Cave gave us his first Summer Suite. Those four buoyant tracks hit all the right, sweltering, surfy notes. Now, the pop Fort Worth singer-songwriter is back with a second volume.
Recorded with Bart Rose at his Fort Worth Sound studio in South Main Village (Toadies, Pat Green, Asleep at the Wheel) and Taylor Tatsch at his AudioStyles studio in Fredericksburg (Maren Morris, The Infamists, Cut Throat Finches), Summer Suite 2 is just as surfy and fun and will be feted with a show at The Rail on Sat, Jul 4, with Christian Shields, Arenales, Kick the Crow, and Passive Drivers.
“We get to celebrate 250 years of our country with rock ’n’ roll,” Cave said. “Should be a fun night. … We’re stoked. We know the other bands are bringing their best, so we’re not stepping to it with anything less.”
Along with the EP, Cave will also release a new single. Unlike most of the songs on both suites, the “island-like” “Mellow” has lyrics. “I love hip-hop and hearing different music. I put out instrumentals, and if someone wants to sample my tracks, then that’s cool as long as I get credit for it.”
Cave attributes his surfy fretwork to his Uncle Dean, who played in a surf-rock band back in the day. Summer Suite 2 is a valentine to those bygone years.
There’s also Cave’s Gretsch Jet, whose chunky tone seems to be intrinsically tied to the surf-rock movement of yesterday.
“The Gretsch has a mojo to it,” Cave said.
Along with that mojo-tastic axe, Cave employed some other vintage gear during the recording process, including Rose’s Neve sidecar console (ca. 1969) and a Rickenbacker guitar, another almost stereotypically ’60s-sounding instrument.
Cave said he’s open to Summer Series collaborators and the right label, but right now he’s focused on growing as a songwriter and overall musical force. “I think this release is some of my best work.”
Dave Cave
Sat, July 4, w/Christian Shields, Arenales, Kick the Crow, and Passive Drivers at The Rail, 3101 Joyce Dr, Fort Worth. $15.54. 682-224-3556.
