Clem Cahill, a.k.a. Cadderwall, is a 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and indie artist. Currently a senior at Boston University, they have already released three EPs, the most recent one released this year entitled “fall 2018.” Their sound is eclectic and emotional, simultaneously exuding chill vibes and immense lyrical depth. I had the joy to talk with Clem via Zoom and learn firsthand about their writing process, gutsy philosophy on taking risks in art and exciting future plans.
Originally from a beach town in suburban New Jersey, Clem has written “silly little songs” since they were a kid. They started taking piano lessons at six years old then transitioned to the guitar and have been making music ever since — “I’m a Pisces, so I feel like it’s built in.” Their hometown was not a very artsy environment but they made the most of it with what they could; they made bands with kids around the neighborhood and attended rock band camps and music programs. They cite their purchase of “Give Up” by The Postal Service on vinyl in 2011 as what sparked their love for indie rock and interest in that narrative style of songwriting. From there, they got into ’80s new wave, specifically The Smiths and Johnny Marr (but not Morrissey). They took inspiration from elements of this music such as the guitar riffs and tried their hand at songwriting. Music became an emotional outlet for them in high school but they believe that once they attended college, their life experiences grew and they had more material to write about.
Clem moved to Boston at 18 and got more serious about music making and performance, diving into the house show scene in the city. “I don’t identify as a singer,” they said, to my surprise; their voice is fantastic, so raw and expressive. They described how they just wanted to put music out and had a vision for their sound so figured they would just tackle it all and sing it because they knew what they wanted it to sound like. In a similar vein, they also impressively accompany themself in all of their instrumentation, including keys and guitar. They tune down the guitar to play bass and program a drum machine for percussion. As for their writing process, it is not cut and dry, but rather “kinda crunchy.” They start by just generally fiddling around when they practice. If they come across a chord progression that they like, they build a piece around it to match the vibe and produce the most organic result.
Clem is hesitant to define their sound as one thing, claiming that “it’s fun to not pigeonhole yourself.” When they started out their music was on the indie-pop side of things, and it has become more folky and more introspective as they have evolved. However, their EP “Lunch Poems” was all digital production! Moral of the story, you can do anything, switch up your sound without anything tethering you. Clem’s work truly embraces the freedom of expression.
“fall 2018,” Cadderwall’s most recent release, was their first experience recording professionally in a studio and not arranging and producing their own tracks. The story of this EP is thrilling: One night when they were 19, on a whim they decided to email some producers who they admire, figuring that it was worth a shot and they had nothing to lose. They looked up albums they particularly love the production on, two being Snail Mail’s “Lush” and Barrie’s “Happy To Be Here.” Attached to these collections they found the name Jake Aron. They love the “genuine,” “human” sound he brings to his work, so they reached out to him, not expecting a reply. He responded saying he really liked their stuff (which was only on SoundCloud at the time) and invited them to Brooklyn to record. He produced and arranged a track that Clem wrote, “rabid dogs,” a super catchy tune about “somebody who doesn’t care about you and makes you feel like you’re with a ghost when you’re with them, and the liberation that comes from separating yourself from that kind of energy.” Clem played most of the instruments except the drums, which were recorded live in the studio. They say that working with him was fantastic, a privilege and the moment that they felt like a real musician.
“massachusetts,” the other track on the EP, was also recorded in Brooklyn at The Creamery with Quinn McCarthy. The song is analog, they recorded it on an 8 track tape, and they love the “dreamy, warm quality” it gives the bridge. It is about calling a past part of yourself back, even if it no longer serves you, to help you in the present.
Clem expressed that the most important part of songwriting is how crucial it is to the human experience; different people interpret music in infinite ways. They hope people can connect to their songs by being able to see themselves within the narrative. Many of their songs have very personal and sensitive themes, because “to move people you have to move yourself.” They say that it is sometimes scary to share such vulnerable art but that it is important to take chances and be honest because that is what makes it meaningful; “people can tell when you’re bullshitting.”
Adrianna Lenker is Clem’s biggest songwriting inspiration, describing her writing as “spiritual.” Their dream duet would be with Marisa Dabice from Mannequin Pussy because they want to write a real punk song. They also mentioned Sufjan Stevens because “I love a horn section and we’re both water signs.” Of course, Clem and I bonded over a common love for Sufjan. They released a cover of his “Futile Devices” on their 2020 EP “Lunch Poems” which I absolutely love because of how different it is from the original; their interpretation evokes a whole new side to his words. When I asked how they approached it, they said that they think it is the greatest love song ever written, it is so simple yet so intense, and they wanted to see what it would sound like to transform it to a bedroom pop track. It is definitely a success, quite a fascinating, unexpected take.
I was intrigued by how the name Cadderwall came about, as it is striking and memorable. They said it is hard to be creative when it comes to this stuff, but after going by East Coast Ghost for a few years, they wanted to rebrand and began to brainstorm along the lines of search engine optimization (think the band CHVRCHES). They thought of the unusual word “caterwaul,” which is the sound that cats make, and altered it to be spelled phonetically with the hope that it carries a strange familiarity despite the original configuration of letters.
On breaking into the music industry, Clem advises: Just put yourself out there! “If you feel like you’re not ready to put music out or if you feel like you’re not ready to share it, or if it’s not good enough just send it and don’t think about it too hard because I think there’s a weird curve for artists where they think they’re about 50% worse than they actually are.” They also said, “Cold calling, cold emailing venues and producers and record labels is underrated” — they know from experience! Additionally, they encourage artists to go with their gut and not to try to emulate someone else; trust in your own intuition.
Coming up from Cadderwall: a “sonically intimate” folk EP on the way that they have been working on during the pandemic and hope to release soon. They also may start selling cassettes. Most of all, they would just love to tour and hope to start playing shows again as soon as it is safe. They lament the tragic pandemic-induced closing of Great Scott in Boston, a venue they would have loved to play. Clem’s dream gig? Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Because they grew up there, it would feel surreal. They would also love to play Baby’s All Right in New York and The Sinclair in Cambridge, their favorite Boston venue.
I cannot wait to attend one of their shows once concerts start happening again. Their music is beautiful, I am fully unable to stop listening to “New Jersey/Careful Chaos.” It is so exciting to see a new, unique and imaginative talent on the scene and I eagerly await what they create next.