o·paque /ōˈpāk/
Learn to pronounce adjective 1. not able to be seen through; not transparent.
It’s been a minute since King Youngblood released anything new. Good reasons for this. Cameron and the King Youngblood crew together with multi-platinum Grammy winning, Golden Globe-winning producer Adam Kasper have been busy in the studio recording dozens of new songs.
“The sound, the writing, the subject matter, the playing, just everything has just gotten better and better. This next collection of music is so elevated. Cameron and the team have just out done themselves,” says Very Juicy Entertainment label owner Maurice Jones Jr., “This is what artist development is supposed to be about.”
Indeed the songs have gotten tighter and more to the point as Cameron pushes his boundaries on subject matter and subsequent lyrics working with core band members Hamoon Milaninia and Cory Cavazos and best friend homie and star lyricist, Jon Corn (Hats off to Jon, he just graduated from UC Berkley in poly-sci! woo hoo). The first single of this brand spanking new crop of fresh rock music for your listening pleasure is a somewhat dark melody and message called Opaque. Originally released unplugged in 2019, this version rocks hard as Cameron wails “But You see me, right through me, like I’m not there, I’m Opaque.” Cameron explains, “ The song is about marginalized people wanting to be seen for the right reasons not tokenized but instead, heard and seen thoroughly. I wish this song was not so relevant today.”
This song, especially during this tragic pandemic is more relevant than ever for homeless people, people of color, people who are not conventionally heterosexual, people who don’t matter economically to the political elite, people suffering from social justice inequities, and well, people who can get shot down just for jogging because of the color of their skin.
“This pandemic has brought out the worst of the worst in some people as others suffer. People feel opaque and unseen. We don’t know what to believe from the federal government. We need to put the pieces of our lives back together while maintaining social distancing, mitigating catastrophic economic loss, death, disease, and this horrifically woefully narcissistic government so-called leader,” explains Cory Cavazos, cellist for King Youngblood and youth mental health advocate leader for the band’s non-profit Hold Your Crown project.
And through it all, art emerges because the music cannot be denied. Maya Angelou wrote “A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream til the current ends, and dips his wings in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky.”
King Youngblood can’t wait any longer. They must claim the sky and their rightful place as the future of rock music. And for this, the music has started flowing again. It is seeping out of the seams like water bursting from a dam and cannot be denied any longer.
“I am so happy to be getting ready to put out this song and shoot this video while practicing safe social distancing. We have a plan to stay safe and healthy while creating another gem of a video,” said Hamoon Milaninia, bassist for King Youngblood.
Opaque - the song and the video featuring the one and only Matt Cameron (Pearl Jam, Soundgarden) on drums, produced by Adam Casper and written by Cameron Lavi-Jones - arrives Friday May 29, 2020. Watch for it.
Opaque written by Cameron Lavi-Jones cp 2018
Walk through me at a pace so strong My body is here, my mind is gone My 20/20 wisdom is lost Read nothing from you, you can’t seem to talk But you see me, right through me Like I’m not there, I’m Opaque I’m Opaque Maybe, it could be all in my head My logic is wrong, my morals are dead I give but don’t receive my bread I baked it myself with sugar of lead But you see me, right through me Like I’m not there, I’m Opaque I’m Opaque But you see me, right through me Like I’m not there, I’m Opaque I’m Opaque