Cavetown calls out the meaning of a Big Strong Man in his latest release
Indie, like any other form of art and commentary, is often influenced by a lived experience, and for many artists, it’s impactful enough to them personally that it is often directly reflected by the kind of art they make. After all, the best art can express profound feelings shared through a unique form of expression.
For trans-masc indie icon Robin Skinner’s act Cavetown, his latest track Big Strong Man is no exception. On Big Strong Man, Cavetown transforms interactions with his friend into lyrics to advocate for a larger matter. The song presents commentary on toxic masculinity, tokenization, and how the two play into the queer romantic experience.
He begins by pointing out subtly though the first stanza of the song that his best friend had already started judging him for their transition, and missed who he was “before.” Cavetown continues to expand on their toxic behavior by noting that this person's confusion about his identity manifested in the tokenization that all too many queer people know: a desire or an attraction for a person that challenges their beliefs in a way that's inconvenient to them, all while keeping the queer person at a controlled distance. These contradictions, as they always do, prove too much for the best friend to handle, resulting in bitter toxic masculinity that Cavetown routinely mocks with the hook of the song.
One of my favorite lyrics ties all these themes together neatly, covering the subject’s toxic masculinity and common tendencies to be attracted to queer people while not considering them a serious option: “Did that make you feel like a big strong man? (You always knew I’m not a part of your plan) / Did that make you feel like a big strong man? (You loved somebody who never existed)”
The songwriting and production itself are fairly consistent with the rest of their previous output. For fans of Cavetown’s prior releases, this track feels familiar and fits right into that style. Initially sounding stripped down, it gradually builds into grandiose anthem choruses, with guitar solos that both sound like a buzzsaw while not alienating its more laid back sound palette. Its production comes off as minimal and slick as any traditional pop track. Big Strong Man gives us a gentle reminder that authenticity and competency in production shouldn’t be antagonistic concepts in indie music.
Big Strong Man is snarky without being bitter, and is cathartic without being dramatic or heavy. Unlike its subject, who routinely is miserable due to his own toxicity, Cavetown’s newest song will leave you feeling bright and hopeful, or in other words, like a Big Strong Man.
