Cloud Nothings. Here and Nowhere Else.
Yay! I get to review an album that came out over a year ago! Thanks, Mr. Editor (Editor’s Note: You were my third choice). They just released a new album, sharing it with Wavves, but I get this one. Anyway, all the accolades have been written, it got a great review from Pitchfork, another from Consequence of Sound, and things seem to be going pretty well for the band. They performed at Coachella this year, and it looks like they’re touring out west right now, so maybe they won’t read this. The band seems to be lucking out with producers. Their last album, Attack on Memory, was produced by Steve Albini, and this one by John Congleton. I guess it goes to show what moving out of town can get you.
The band sounds even better this time out than on some of their earlier albums. Moving from a quartet to a trio has changed the sound a bit. Punk and grunge predominate, but I think there’s some other stuff there too. There’s a lot of melody and some nice hooks, but some screaming. They’ve knocked out some of the low-fi/power pop sound they started with, and Here and Nowhere Else seems to continue that trend. Now they’re all pretty much all high energy, which suits me just fine. Fewer highs and lows than the last album. It’s focused and consistent (unlike me), and I don’t hear any loser tracks. Every song is good, but I especially like “Pattern Walks,” partly because it rocks out for seven minutes. Nice guitar work from Dylan Baldi, and some seriously cool drumming from Jayson Gerycz. “I’m Not Part of Me,” is great too. I guess I like the longer tracks. The lyrics are cool, with a lot of angst mixed with a few glimmers of humor and hope. Try http://genius.com/Cloud-nothings-now-hear-in-lyrics, which has some commentary from Dylan Baldi about the songs. He says that he likes to write stuff that’s hard to play, which makes him practice and get better. Good strategy, and it seems to be working.
What else is there to say? Great band, great music. If you don’t know them, check them out.
Personnel: Dylan Baldi (guitar, vocals), Jayson Gerycz (drums), T. J. Duke (bass).
Tracks: Now Hear In, Quieter Today, Psychic Trauma, Just See Fear, Giving into Seeing, No Thoughts, Pattern Walks, I’m Not Part of Me.
Ron Yoyek
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