Cloudy with a Chance of joan
Words by Adrienne Joelle
Graphic by Vic Maltese
joan are back and better than ever with the release of their new EP, cloudy. The alt-pop duo, composed of Alan Benjamin Thomas and Steven Rutherford, first introduced these songs on tour earlier this year, and each single has played a piece in unfolding joan’s story. A powerful showcase of their signature sound, this EP was crafted from Little Rock, Arkansas with love and good intentions to make you feel something. At last, cloudy is here in its entirety, proving to be well worth the wait.
Their first release under Photo Finish Records, the six-song collective follows the trials and tribulations of love, moving on, letting go, and growing from experiences. The dichotomy between good and bad are all-encompassing, ranging from production heavy keyboard synth to more reserved, stripped down acoustics. A mixture of chill and pop-driven beats, joan is the perfect example of how pop music can be composed of many different elements to make it what it is. Every detail is carefully honed during Thomas and Rutherford’s creative process, but songs by joan aren’t just simply pop music. They’re joan.
The EP begins with “try again” – a suspenseful opener that dances with the thought of second chances, led by a mini keyboard loop reminiscent of the early 2000’s. “want u back” is effervescent, fast-paced and straight up catchy; a personal favorite of mine alongside the heartfelt following track, “magnetic.” This song was reimagined from the earlier days of joan; placed on the backburner until now, as a version was previously released by Thomas’ former band. Sentimental and dreamy, the song translates feelings on a personal, intimate level of emotional connection.
Switching gears into acoustic “cover girl,” joan steps back and presents a lighthearted, upbeat song about complete adoration over the person of your dreams, another song that took a while to finalize, dating back to 2017. “love me better” features cutting-edge drums that hit, and the last song on the record, “brokenhearted,” is sure to leave you feeling, well, brokenhearted. The song is a timeless, poignant ballad with well thought-out production – ending with the keyboard accompanied by Thomas’ voice alone, which does just enough to give you goosebumps. “brokenhearted” closes out the EP and allows you to sit with sadness and questioning, which oftentimes is needed to rest, reassess, and grow.
cloudy alludes to a hopeful ending in the way that not all things in life stay the same forever, but there is a lesson to be learned in every situation. Like clouds, things such as love come and go, but regardless of the circumstances, there is beauty to be found in everything. The two recently played a special virtual release show in celebration of the EP, where fans worldwide were able to tune in. From a bedroom in Little Rock to the rest of the world, joan’s music is to be felt wholeheartedly. cloudy is a testament to that.
cloudy is available for streaming everywhere now. Be sure to also check out their new music video for “cover girl.”