Cloud Nothings

Cloud Nothings by Daniel Topete

The Cloud Nothings Share New Song “The Spirit Of” Off their Upcoming New Album, The Shadow I Remember Due Out February 26 Via Carpark Records

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Cloud Nothings share a new song from their forthcoming record The The band is also announcing a Shadow I Remember, due February 26th Bandcamp album release livestream on via Carpark Records. Released alongside February 17th which will find the band a vibrant animated visualizer, “The Spirit performing live from The Grog Shop in Of” is a driving, power-pop gem that Cleveland. The livestream schedule can hurdles toward a noisy climax. Follow- be found below and tickets are available ing “Am I Something,” “The Spirit Of” for $10 here. is the second song released from The Shadow I Remember, which finds the 8:00 AM Sun, February 28, 2021 band reunited with producer Steve AEDT Melbourne Albini, who helmed the production for 9:00 PM Sat, February 27, 2021 their breakout 2012 album Attack On GMT London Memory and finds Baldi exploring his 4:00 PM Sat, February 27, 2021 place in the world as both a human and EST New York band a decade into its career. 56 Rock and Blues International • December 2020 1:00 PM Sat, February 27, 2021 PST Los Angeles

Recently, the band announced the re-release of their debut album Turning On. Recorded by Baldi on a computer in his parents’ basement, Turning On is an essential album to fully understand the world of Cloud Nothings. Including live staples like “Hey Cool Kid” and “Can’t Stay Awake,” Turning On will be reissued with its original tracklist on January 29th by Carpark Records in celebration of its 10 year anniversary.

Of” above, see The Shadow I Remember album details and tracklisting below, and stay tuned for more from Cloud Nothings by following the band on social media.

For a band that resists repeating itself, picking up lessons from a decade prior is the strange route Cloud Nothings took to create their most fully-realized album. Their new record, The Shadow I Remember, marks eleven years of touring, a return to early songwriting practices, and revisiting the studio where they first recorded together. In a way not previously captured, this album expertly combines the group’s pummeling, aggressive approach with singersongwriter Dylan Baldi’s extraordinary talent for perfect pop. To document this newly realized maturity, the group returned to producer Steve Albini and his Electrical Audio studios in Chicago, where the band famously destroyed its initial reputation as a bedroom solo project with the release of 2012 album Attack on Memory.

Another throwback was Baldi’s return to constant songwriting à la the early solo days, which led to the nearly 30 demos that became the 11 songs on The Shadow I Remember. Instead of sticking to a tried-but-true formula, his songwriting stretched out while digging deeper into his melodic talents. “I felt like I was locked in a character,” Baldi says of becoming a reliable supplier of heavy, hook-filled rock songs. “I felt like I was playing a role and not myself. I really didn’t like that role.” More frequent writing led to the freedom in form heard on The Shadow I Remember. What he can’t do alone is get loud and play noisily, which is exactly what happened when the entire band— bassist TJ Duke, guitarist Chris Brown, and drummer Jayson Gerycz—convened.

The band had more fun in the studio than they’ve had in years, playing in their signature, pulverizing way, while also trying new things. The absurdly catchy “Nothing Without You” includes a first for the band: Macie Stewart of Ohmme contributes guest vocals. Elsewhere, celebrated electronic composer Brett Naucke adds subtle synthesizer parts.

The songs are kept trim, mostly around the three-minute mark, while being gleefully overstuffed. Almost every musical part turns into at least two parts, with guitar and drums opening up and the bass switching gears. “That’s the goal—I want the three-minute song to be an epic,” Baldi says. “That’s the short version of the long-ass jam.”

Lyrically, Baldi delivers an aching exploration of tortured existence, punishing selfdoubt, and the familiar pangs of oppressive mystery. Paste “Am I something?” Baldi screams on the song of the same name. “Does anybody “The kind of cathartic uncertainty living out there really need me?” It’s a that’s best sung with hordes of other heartbreaking admission of existential people” confusion, delivered hoarsely, with an Rolling Stone instantly relatable melody. “Is this the end/ of the life I’ve The Shadow I Remember known?” he asks on album opener Carpark Records “Oslo.” “Am I older now/ or am I just February 26, 2021 another age?” Despite the questioning https://found.ee/CN_TheShadow What The Press Is Saying About Brooklyn Vegan The FADER lines” Cloud Nothings lyrics, the band plays with more assur- 1. Oslo ance and joy than ever before. The 2. Nothing Without You Shadow I Remember announces Cloud 3. The Spirit Of Nothings’ second decade and it sounds 4. Only Light like a new beginning. 5. Nara 6. Open Rain LISTEN/WATCH: “The Spirit Of” 7. Sound Of Alarm https://found.ee/CN_SpiritOf 8. Am I Something PRE-ORDER: The Shadow I 10. A Longer Moon Remember 11. The Room It Was “Am I Something”: Instagram | “Classic Cloud Nothings” cloudnothings/ “a jagged and melodic return to https://www.facebook.com/ form” cloudnothings “existentialism with killer guitar http://www.cloudnothings.com 9. It’s Love Connect with Cloud Nothings: https://www.instagram.com/ Facebook | Website December 2020 • Rock and Blues International 57