Camp Cope – Running With The Hurricane | Album Review

Simply put, this is an uplifting and liberating record that puts you instantly in touch with your feelings whilst also making you want to put your head out the sunroof and sing along at the top of your lungs. 

Running With The Hurricane is the third full-length record from Melbourne power-emo trio Camp Cope. Made up of Georgia Maq, Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich and Sarah Thompson, the album cites what happens after chaos hits; when you’ve walked through the fire and come out stronger, calmer and happier than ever before. The band’s last album, 2018’s How To Socialise And Make Friends, put them on the map though now they find themselves in different professional and personal circumstances and it shows.

In the making since late 2019 has given the trio the time to learn and understand their craft, to reflect and consider the album during its creation. Themes of growth, change, positivity and peace are all present and sonically it is clear that the trio are feeing this too. An earnest and refreshing listen throughout with moments of beauty and impressive vocals, lyrics and vocal harmonies throughout.

Opener ‘Caroline’ sets the tone with it’s simple meandering guitar riffs that uses verse structures to build it’s instrumental inclusion whilst Maq tells a raw and open story of reflection. The consecutive title track reflects on previous romances, the intricacies of love and having more self-confidence in the future whilst also considering how to pull yourself out of future holes these feelings get you into. “There’s no other way to go, the only way out is up” Maq repeats throughout the chorus whilst brooding basslines and subtle harmonies complete the backdrop.

This album clearly see’s Maq flexing both their incredible songwriting ability as well as their vocal ability. This is evident on ‘One Wink At A Time’ where they can hold the song with one note of pure delicacy. The vocal runs in the chorus and the power she then produces in the bridge can only be marvelled at, truly astonishing. Other highlights on the album include ‘Blue’ with some of the catchiest pop hooks on the album, a garage grunge feel to ‘Jealous’ with a mildly more raucous mix that is juxtaposed by Maq’s tenderness and ‘The Mountain’ that oozes compassion and heart.

Closing track ‘Sing Your Heart Out’ is, for the most part, a piano track with the odd harmony. This builds to the final minute where there is an almighty crescendo whilst Maq sings “you can change and so can I”, a summarising line to tie together the album. It demonstrates perfectly the two different gears Camp Cope can switch between.

Camp Cope have created an honest record that is bound to resonate with listeners in some capacity. There is a fine quality that makes it easy to feel the touching beauty of lyrical content and relatable themes whilst being made wholly enjoyable by vocal intricacies and the moments where they let it all hang out or switch on the full band element. Lyrically the themes are raw, honest and introspective with the lens firmly on yourself and feeling comfortable with that.