It’s been four years, but Melbourne trio Camp Cope have announced their third album Running With The Hurricane will land in a couple of months. They’ved kicked off a new era of the band by dropping their title track and it’s a refreshed and revived sound that’s still intrinsically Camp Cope at its core.
The gals — made up of vocalist Georgia Maq, bassist Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich and drummer Sarah Thompson — have said the new record thematically feels like the “calm after the storm”. In a release ahead of the album drop on March 25, Georgia said each of the band’s albums explores a different phase in the journey as a band, and as individual women in modern Australia.
“The first record was us diving into whatever Camp Cope created, the second album was us when we were in the thick of it, and then this album is about how we’ve come out the other side,” she said.
“And we’ve come out stronger, more loving, more peaceful and better friends.”
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Named in a nod to iconic Aussie political folk-rock band Redgum — which included Georgia’s late father Hugh McDonald — ‘Running With The Hurricane’ explores the process of going through some real shit and coming out the other side, back into the brilliant light and calmness, with a renewed sense of purpose and self-determination. Georgia repeats the mantra that “the only way out is up” throughout the song, both gently and impassioned, as if she’s reminding herself as much as she’s declaring it to the world.
Kelly’s bass work is true to form, driving and present in the track, bringing her strength of using the bass as a main element of her music instead of blending into the mix. This is what makes Camp Cope stand head and shoulders above others, continuing to defy the “advice” given to them unsolicited in the past. Again, I can only say: show ’em Kelly.
Sonically, the single sounds mature and confident, like Camp Cope are at a place where they feel at peace in themselves and each other. Between this and the previously-released track, ‘Blue’, are anything to go by, we’re in for a real treat with the band’s third studio album.
Running With The Hurricane is out March 25 through Poison City Records, and you can preorder the album through the Melbourne label’s website.
