Open Eyes" strays from Cas’s usual upbeat mode. A melancholy vibe is "usually not my M.O.," laughs the Texas singer-songwriter and guitarist. But when this particular song was conceived, life had interrupted Cas's rhythm. In 2018, his wife had a dangerous form of breast cancer. Suddenly life seemed much darker. Would music flow again? Inevitably, it did. Amid all the twists and turns of his life and career, two things remain constant: family and the message of unity and love woven through his songs.