Claud on Their Debut Album, 'Super Monster'

In the midst of all of this crazy, a lot has happened for Claud. The artist formed a band, signed with Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records, and just released one of the most promising albums of 2021. Claud’s new album, Super Monster, is spectacular. The album’s strength lies in its vulnerability. Claud’s gift for storytelling is what makes their debut album so raw and real. I got the chance to ask Claud a few questions about the release, and you can read their answers below.

WHEN DID THE ALBUM PROCESS START? HOW DID YOU CHOOSE SONGS FOR THE PROJECT?

Super Monster is a collection of songs from the last few years, so it’s hard for me to pinpoint a start date. I stopped writing and buckled down with the record around May of 2020 and spent the summer getting the production and mixes right. Picking the right songs was one of the hardest parts for me. I had narrowed it down to about 15 songs by July and it took a lot of other people’s opinions to help me eliminate 2 of them.

IS THERE AN OVERALL MESSAGE OR GENERAL THEME THAT LINKS THE SONGS ON SUPER MONSTER TOGETHER?

Most of the songs are love songs, some are about friendships, and some are more romantic. There isn’t any one thing that links them all together, but the album serves as a reminder to myself (and hopefully others) that you are worthy of love even when you feel like you don’t deserve it.

THERE ARE SEVERAL COLLABORATIONS ON THE ALBUM. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO MAKE SUCH A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT DURING SUCH AN ISOLATING YEAR?

It was tough, but I feel lucky to be able to connect with so many people on the internet. Pretty much all the features were done virtually— just texting mp3s back and forth.

THE LAST TRACK ON THE PROJECT FEATURES YOUR BAND, SHELLY, WHICH YOU FORMED WITH FRIENDS YOU MET AT COLLEGE. THINKING BACK TO WHEN YOU STARTED RELEASING MUSIC FROM SYRACUSE A FEW YEARS AGO, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO HAVE THOSE SAME FRIENDS BE A PART OF THE ALBUM NOW?

It’s the best feeling ever! I’m so grateful for Syracuse for a lot of reasons. The main one is that it introduced me to my closest friends on the planet. It’s so remote and unique up there and the experiences I had are all very sentimental. I really cherish my Syracuse friends and memories.

IS THIS THE TYPE OF ALBUM YOU WANT LISTENERS TO LISTEN TO FROM START TO FINISH?

I spent a lot of time on the sequencing of the record, so it would be amazing if people listened from top to bottom, but I also think that each song on the record can stand on its own and has its own voice separate from the others.

IS THERE A PART OF THE ALBUM THAT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF?

“Rocks At Your Window.” I produced that one all by myself.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE SONG OR LYRIC FROM THE PROJECT?

No! I can’t pick a favorite.

YOU CAN LISTEN TO SUPER MONSTER ON STREAMING SERVICES LIKE SPOTIFY AND APPLE MUSIC. MAKE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO TWENTY MINUTES LATER AND FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM TO STAY UPDATED ON FUTURE POSTS.