Single Review: Worth It

Kiwi-Austrian artist Cloudy’s new single Worth It ushers in a new sound and a new era for the Auckland-based singer/songwriter. Now accompanied by a full band, the vibe and the energy of the material has been lifted, and this has opened up exciting new songwriting territory for Claudia Paine and her upcoming EP.

The track Worth It feels easy-breezy and carefree, with a lush and layered feel to the recording. It is definitely a very catchy indie-pop sound, and I hear modern influences such as The Beth’s in there, especially vocally. But also for me, I hear a retro new-wave sound, reminding me of bands like The Smith’s, and The Cure’s Friday I’m In Love, for example. But that’s just me showing my age probably!

The bridge gets a bit grittier, and I hear more of a pop-rock edge start to nudge through, with some Avril Lavigne-type vocal motifs, which then lead the song into a very cool breakdown. It’s a great section of the song, and I think showcases more of Cloudy’s emotive range with her voice, which is mostly very measured, smooth, and calming throughout the rest of the song.

The climactic finish involves a succession of rhythmic changes that build tension and continue to ramp up until it reaches its final crescendo. I really like the one-chord finish, it’s quite effective. But I did get a bit lost in the timing of the ending, it was a bit confusing for my brain and it felt a little chaotic! But perhaps that was the deliberate effect of it? Nice little synth tail-off at the end too.

Overall, this is a really pleasing track that feels good and is very catchy and fun. I’m looking forward to hearing the rest of the EP which is being written and developed at the moment. I hope you get to play some live gigs as Auckland begins to open up too! Great work and well done team.