REVIEW: Cloud Nothings By Cloud Nothings

Heaven knows the 90s is back. From the sadistically-legitimate, Wu Tang-inspired gangsta rap of Odd Future, to the most recent incarnation of Madonna (i.e., Madam Gaga), we are seeing a resurgence of what was near and dear to us during our formative years. As part of this trend cycle, the general umbrella of garage/surf/lo-fi/punk is staging a comeback, with a plethora of bands (Best Coast, Ariel Pink, Japandroids, Smith Westerns, Girls – to name a few) reinterpreting their high school memories through hazy fuzz and jangle. New-kids-on-the-block, Cloud Nothings, comfortably append this list; and their self-titled debut record is a good example of where this retroactive genre is heading.

The record defines its sound immediately, exploding into leader track “Understand At All”.  The no-mucking-around garage-goodness reveals the band’s simple (and highly effective) approach to composition, as well as their honest storytelling through the unique voice of singer, Dylan Baldi.  The song deals with the haunting nature of breaking up (“my hands, my hands are reaching for you/
they found, found nothing, but who knows if it’s true?”), confessing that he doesn’t comprehend any of it (which, ironically, is highly understandable). The use of repeated mantra in the song (i.e., “I don’t understand at all”) is littered throughout the record, opening up Cloud Nothings’ songs to be interpreted in as many ways as there are listeners; and this never-annoying repetition succeeds where more verbose song writers tend to fall away.
The above technique is used to describe the act of standing-back-and-watching-it-all-fall-apart in “Nothing’s Wrong” (“I feel bad when nothing’s wrong” – you should; if nothing’s wrong then nothing is happening), the feeling of growing old, lucking out, and ending up lonely in “Been Through” (“I am understanding, but I can’t believe what you’ve been through”), and that distinct feeling of not actually feeling anything anymore in “Heartbeat” (“I don’t have a heartbeat/why don’t you?”). Yep, feelings, they change every two minutes (as evidenced in this record). It’s great that love itself is a wee bit bigger than that, and I have a feeling (argh!) that this is what Cloud Nothings are trying to catch in this record.

The standout track on the record is the first single, “Should Have”, summing up in two verses and a chorus the unnerving yet necessary process of chasing a girl and winning her heart. The whirlwind is split into two parts. The first verse speaks of the regret of not following one’s heart (“never told myself the truth/that I should have held your hand/that I should have told you when/you were sitting in your room”). The second verse describes the ghostly aftermath (“looking at you in my room/where we spent so many nights”). Laced throughout this inspired tragedy is the ever-hopeful line “I always knew I’d follow you, and now I know that it’s much better”. The hook will be stuck in your head for the rest of the week – embrace its goodness.

Like the primary-colour approach of pop-punk before it, Cloud Nothings’ emotive pop songs swing from melting-in-love to vindictive clarity, thrusting the listener through the entire gamut of emotions in a high energy, yet never rushed 28 minutes of pure honesty. The record’s simple production – whether by design or default – is a breath of fresh air, allowing plenty of room for the cryptic, yet easy-to-crack poetry caught within the songs. The debut record is my easy favourite of 2011 thus far. Have a spin.

Written by Theo Sangster.