Claudette in the Clouds – On Top of the World (2021)
Claudette in the Clouds have taken moments of life and turned them into the engaging tracks of On Top of the World. Through the five tracks, the band takes you on a journey of hope, sadness, cheating and parties. While all the songs were written on the acoustic guitar, they took on a new life when recorded with includes Americana, folk, pop and rock.
This look at different moments of life comes from Kim Coupe (vocals) and Rob Clark (instrumentation, backing vocals). While it has been a few years since the duo worked together to create new music, you would never be able to tell from this EP. Through the EP, they effortlessly take you into the ups and downs of life while making you want to shake to their sound.
The EP opens with the title track ‘On Top of the World’ which fills you with a sense of hope from the very start. The light acoustic guitar lifts your spirits from the first note while the keys add a swell from the depths. Coupe’s vocals have a delightful country-folk feeling to them that puts a smile on your face. Through the lyrics, you are encouraged to grab your dreams. There is a real hit of country in this track that has your foot tapping to the beat while your head sways to the melody. It is impossible to listen to this song and not feel like you can take on anything that the world has to throws at you.
‘Lipstick’ brings more of that foot-tapping goodness to your ears but in a more infectious manner. The song hits the ground running and makes you want to dance around to the country tones. While the melody is upbeat and packed with good vibes, the lyrics are another story. Through Coupe’s country twang you are dropped into the moment you realise your partner has cheated. While this could turn into a tragedy, the upbeat vibes of the track have you picking up the pieces, leaving and feeling good about all of it. If you were to listen to this track with someone else, you are going to be swinging each other around the room because that is how infectious the music is.
The EP takes a sad turn for ‘Missing You More’ which opens with rather mournful strings. There is a melancholic rainy day feeling to this track that really comes through in the acoustic guitar. The vocals choke you up with the depressing emotions of the lyrics. While the lyrics first seem to be about a breakup, there is a much sadder loss that comes through as the song progresses. This is a wonderfully depressing single that is beautiful in its execution while reaching into your soul and plucking all the sadness that rests there.
‘Oh Pierre’ brings a rather unusual sound to your ears that is a slight lift from the last track. There is a rather playful feeling to the vocals that is sarcastic, sassy and woeful at the same time. As the lyrics tell the story of Pierre, the vocals performance makes you want to sing along particularly on the chorus. There is a real sing-along vibe to the track that makes you think of it playing in a bar with all the customers singing with. While you feel the need to sing along, the unusual sound to the melody winds its way into your brain and you may find yourself tapping out the beat long after the song ends.
The EP comes to a close with the paced tones of ‘Compromise’. The heavy hit of country is back for this song that makes you think of line dancing and cowboy boots. As you feel the urge to do a little jig to the melody, the lyrics give you some really good relationship advice. Through the vocals, you ate encourages to compromise as some give and take is what is needed for a healthy relationship. While you let this lesson sink in, you have to move around because there is no other option.
Claudette in the Clouds have you dancing around, learning good life lessons and diving into the depths of sadness through the tracks of On Top of the World. Each song has a different vibe as it takes you into a new aspect of life and helps you work through the emotions of them. While all unique, each track slots into your soul and leaves you better for having heard it.
Find out more about Claudette in the Clouds on their website and Spotify.
