Review: Camp Cope – Running with the Hurricane

Camp Cope
Running With the Hurricane

Run For Cover Records
Street: 03.25
Camp Cope = Sir Chloe + Middle Kids

Running With the Hurricane is the musical form of how it feels and smells after a rainstorm just departed its heavy hand on the world around you, drowning the roses and washing away all the dirt. The third LP from Camp Cope, a Melbourne rock trio consisting of Georgia Maq, Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich and Sarah Thompson, follows their self-titled debut from 2016 and their sophomore album, Hot To Socialize & Make Friends in 2018. Running With the Hurricane is a collection of tracks from three close friends who have faced hardship and have come out the other side closer & more emotionally in touch than ever before. It is a record that is vulnerable, a bit painful, and hopeful, much like friendship is, that all mixed together is a sound so refreshing.

The record is slow-paced in sound and full of tender, passionate emotions lyrically. The 10 tracks go over losing and finding one’s self, as in “Caroline,” loving people who don’t love you back to the point of desperation (“Blue,” “Jealous”), leaving lovers for the better of yourself and feeling regret for it (“Say the Line”) and more. It’s a record that could be a soundtrack straight from the 2000s coming-of-age film full of heartbreak and life lessons, like Whip It (2009) or 500 Days of Summer (2009). 

“Let me show you how vulnerable I am,” sings Maq on “The Mountain,” which is the tone of many tracks on this record—vulnerability, the peace that comes from letting yourself be open & gentle while also embracing the not-so-appealing emotions of yourself, like desperation and jealousy. “I’ll take your scraps as if they’re food,” sings Maq on “Jealous.” Double-texting, pushing everyone away, saying you’re fine spending nights alone even though it’s a lie, even stating you’re jealous of your ex-lover’s dog—all this and more can be found on “Jealous.” Running With the Hurricane ends with a powerful ballad proclaiming how you can change from the worst of you for the better, featuring guitar played by indie rock singer/songwriter Courtney Barnett. 

Running With the Hurricane is an experience you must hear if you’re currently going through life in a confusing mess of finding home in new places, if you are loving for the first time with such neediness it aches, if you are becoming someone you haven’t met yet but are going towards them with arms wide open. –Cherri Cheetah

Read more reviews of Run for Cover albums here:
Review: Young Guv – Young Guv II
Review: Creative Adult – Psychic Mess