Cloudbelly – “Bend”
Photo by Bob Krzykowksi.
From Montague, Massachusetts, Cloudbelly returns to us with “Bend,” the third single from their forthcoming LP, Throwing The Game.
“Bend” doesn’t keep you guessing, immediately beginning with an upbeat ‘80s-inspired pop-rock arrangement, including a steady rhythm section that lays the foundation for an earworm melody on a synth-like lead guitar. As the first verse begins, all but a soft chugging guitar depart for the vocal performance, and if you’re quite keen on Julia Jacklin or Angel Olsen, you’re going to absolutely love what you hear, both in delivery and subject matter.
On the hook, “Bend” steers itself into the realm of alt rock, with a dynamic shift that perfectly exemplifies ‘90s nostalgia. From the power chords to the double-tracked vocals, this is a chorus that bounces with the spirit of Urge Overkill’s “Positive Bleeding.” The fluctuation between verse and refrain is quite delicious, leaving listeners with more than enough ebb and flow to mirror the song’s internal push and pull.
Lyrically, “Bend” is not puppies and rainbows. We’re picking up a great deal of past trauma and how that can change who you ultimately become, from a childhood home where the narrator was “assembled and unmade” to the lingering question of whether they could have “saved / My sisters and me.” There are signs of survivor’s guilt throughout, but ultimately, this song is about recognizing the wounds, recognizing the ways those wounds have affected other people, and asking for the courage to change—to “soften me up where I need to bend.”