Photo by Jeremy Reynoso
At first sight, the album artwork for Claud’s Super Monster immediately reels you in — a brightly colored daydream. Super Monster explores love in its truest form, from falling in love and all of the ins and outs along the way that prod at our vulnerability and fears.
The first track, “Overnight”, sets the foundation for the rest of the album, especially in terms of theme. Who doesn’t love love songs? Thankfully these are more than just love songs. “Overnight” isn’t just a song about someone pining away for someone else, but the rush of emotions when you coming to terms with strong feelings for someone in such a short period of time.
The album flows with a cool as a cucumber vibe, even when Claud sings about betrayal and pain in “Gold”. Claud sings, “Don’t say (don’t say) / You were there when you weren’t / Cause I don’t think (don’t think) / You were there when I was hurting / And now I don’t know if I wanna come home / Now I don’t know if I’ll ever go back.” There is pain behind the lyrics, but you’re still able to angrily jam out.
Claud tackles the anxiety and fear that often accompanies love in “Cuff Your Jeans”. The track tackles the inevitability of growing up and changing, not only you personally, but someone whom you once knew who has become completely unrecognizable to you.
Claud goes deeper in their feelings with “Guard Down”. They make it abundantly clear that it’s difficult to be vulnerable. The track also shares the fear of aging amidst not having all your shit figured out — a very relatable sentiment, but one that is not often shared via song. The track seamlessly blends from in studio to acoustic bedroom vibe during the outro.
Claud becomes undeniably cooler with “That’s Mr. Bitch To You”, featuring Melanie Fay. The track cleverly calls out the patriarchy without explicitly saying, “fuck you”. Claud sings, “Honestly, I’m glad you had the balls / To get up in my face just like a dog / I turned my back, / I’m stronger than you thought / Bet you didn’t know / I won’t let a straight man throw me off”.
Claud concludes the album with “Falling With The Rain”. The track details the multitudes that sadness contains. It’s not linear, but something that fluctuates sometimes with no reason behind it. There is the reminder that we are allowed to feel things, though, and to allow yourself to feel.
Claud cleverly gives listeners more than a record about love. Claud shares a fully fleshed out, personal look at the complexities of being in love in a way which listeners can relate and reaffirm their own belief in not only love, but themselves.