Will Michael Clifford and Waterparks Give Each Other A Break?

Are you looking for a fun pop rock song that’s really an anthem for imposter syndrome and never measuring up? Well, give me a break! by Michael Clifford featuring Waterparks is just the song for you! The Five Seconds of Summer guitarist recently launched his own solo project, with give me a break! being the second release under this project. Stream the single here.

Fans of both 5SOS and Waterparks have been awaiting a collaboration between the two artists as far back as 2018, when Waterparks frontman Awsten Knight performed Shes Kinda Hot with 5SOS. Clifford and Knight have kept a friendship alive since then, repeatedly meeting up at festivals since then. Finally, 7 years after their initial musical meetup, the two pop-punk/pop rockers came together to create a unique song that draws on both musicians’ styles.

Knight and 5 Seconds Of Summer meeting circa 2018. Photographer unknown

give me a break! is an earworm of a track that features a perfect blend between the musical styles of Clifford and Waterparks. The track is composed of a very simple simple synth rhythm, mellowed out and reverbed guitar lines from both Clifford and Waterparks guitarist Geoff Wigington, fuzzy electronic basslines and snappy electric drum beats from Waterparks drummer Otto Wood. Don’t be fooled by simplicity of the track; the uncomplicated instrumentals allows the lyrics to shine through. The lyrics aren’t too complicated either; every word and phrase rings clear with one sentiment: fear of not being enough.

Both Clifford’s and Knight’s parts explore themes of imposter syndrome, which most artists report experiencing. So how did Clifford and Waterparks go about putting their own spin on in this concept and making an almost universal sentiment unique? There were different elements that really made the track stand out. The first and biggest aspect was the shouting of the chorus. Upon first listen, a listener might expect a more melodic chorus, but instead, the song takes a bit of a turn and instead has Clifford shouting “won’t you give me a break” with some extra effects added to his voice.

The second part that stood out was Knight’s take on the bridge. His melodies are of a slightly different style than the verses and chorus, and even the instrumental switches up. During Knight’s bridge, the synths take on a light and airy tone, similar to those found in Waterparks’ debut album, Double Dare. Speaking of Double Dare, Knight’s first line, “I always said you won’t like what you see so keep your eyes off of me” is a direct callback to the 4th Double Dare track, Royal. The last bit of the bridge where Knight screams “I just want this nightmare to end” will also take listeners by surprise. A second bridge mixes a bit of Clifford and Knight singing and bantering, and give me a break! ends on an energetic chorus with both vocalists shouting the lyrics.

But give me a break! isn’t just a fun and danceable song; the music video is an experience in itself. It’s equal parts chaotic and creative. The video is like a callback to the MTV hits of the early 2000s with a modern twist. It follows a girl writing fan fiction of Clifford and Knight, but the fanfiction goes off the rails, as each scenario they’re put in results in Knight pretending to be sweet and then “killing” Clifford by the end of each sequence. Sprinkled in between are performance clips and other chaotic scenes with Knight, Clifford, Wigington and Wood. The ending of the music video is an unexpected one, but if you’re on Waterparks Twitter enough, you probably already know what it is.

All in all, give me a break! is an upbeat and unique track perfect for the upcoming summer months. Be sure to keep and eye out for Michael Clifford’s new album, Sidequest, releasing via Hopeless Records in July. And keep an eye on Waterparks; they might be coming back from their hiatus with something new in the works.