The gentle, double-tracked strumming of acoustic guitar opens the latest single from Caleb Kopta, "Pour Over." "Give me all your love," he requests over triumphant horns and thumping drums. There's a vintage quality that isn't rendered by any pastiche, but rather imbued through tasteful flair. "Pour Over" is full of brilliant production flourishes that neither steal the spotlight nor fade into the background. Just try to resist a smile as Kopta's background vocals swirl through a phaser in the bridge. Most enjoyable is the guitar playing: full of indelible riffs and sweet flourishes. The final chorus is distinctly rousing, but it's not a stark contrast in energy. Instead, "Pour Over" basks in its fullness, like Kopta has maneuvered into the exact position where the sun strikes his face with maximal warmth.
"I can't win," Kopta admits on the first verse. The feelings of adoration expressed in "Pour Over" are impossible to manage. He describes love as it reaches the point when it exists on its own terms. Anxiety, hesitation, defiance: all rendered useless in the glow of true affection. "You pour over my cup," reads the divine chorus. Love, in Kopta's pop vision, is an act of submission. It is accepting that you are at the whims of your emotions, even as they bubble over into excess. "Need a bit of you to get me up," he sings. Like a cup of coffee in the morning, Kopta savors the feeling. The lines between indulgence and necessity become blurred.
Caleb Kopta is set to announce his sophomore EP very soon. The project will release in 2024 and feature previously released singles, "Pour Over" and "Outta My Head." The latter garnered support from 91.3 WYEP in March, earning Kopta the title of Pittsburgh Artist of the Week. Local radio stations have remained significant to the singer/songwriter's growing career. As a singer, songwriter, and producer, Kopta has built a tremendous catalogue of music since his debut single in 2018. Primarily, his music pulls from retro influences, such as 70s rock and roll. Since his debut, the Pittsburgh-based artist has shared stages with esteemed peers, such as White Reaper, Punchline, and Michigander.
Written By Andy M.
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