“Oh Loretta” by “Caleb Minter” is another awesome track in recent years. The structure of the track is sensational, as each moment unfolds you can hear the next one gearing up to reveal itself, though nothing about what follows can be predicted. As this soundscape pours over you, those synths, that mellow and atmospheric beat, that slick and satisfying, slightly distorted leading riff – the whole thing fills the space around you with imagery and possibility.
As mentioned, Caleb Minter’s leading vocal performance is just beautiful – the further you get into the track the more those unique intricacies step forward, and the more emotional this delivery of lines appears to get. The repetition of the hook as the music builds and intensifies is powerful. For a track that opens with a simple set of piano chords and some alternative take on a glockenspiel, the whole thing pretty swiftly evolves into this mesmerizing culmination of video gems. The slightly theatrical nature of the lyrics in that opening verse helps add to the effect of the music as everything begins to build and erupt. The truth within the words is compelling, and something about the simplicity of the instrumentation lets you really soak up each riff and effect as if it were being created right there in front of you.
The style and swagger of that leading vocal is on point, the tone of voice, the confidence, the underlying message – the sound has rhythm and power and showcases a constantly evolving, ever-capable lyricist and performer. The structure of the track pays tribute to that minimalist element in a way, there’s an abundance of creativity in terms of the layout – the arrangement of the lyrics, the verses, the hook – but for the most part, the whole thing has been very cleverly crafted so as to draw your focus to the flawless finish of it all and the strength and energy of those vocal parts.
The hook takes hold from the second you hear it, and Caleb Minter is, without a doubt, a singer with an intense and memorable sound and flow. “Oh Loretta” strikes as something of a smash hit from yesteryear, or an underground, independent revelation – the kind of discovery that makes all the searching seem worthwhile.