Cloud Nothings – Final Summer - Blue Vinyl (/250)

Pure Noise (2024)

Would you believe that this is the seventh Cloud Nothings full length album I've written about for this website in the last ten years?  That seems kind of crazy and it made me think about this band for a while before writing this.  When I really put my mind to it and try to recall the prior six records, I can't.  And I realize that while every single one of them is a good record, inevitably I listen to each record for a month or two when it first comes out and then it gets filed away on the shelf and not listened to again.  The only one that I go back to repeatedly is Here and Nowhere Else.  I love that record and still play it a few times a year guaranteed.  The rest?  I'm not sure I've listened to any of them other than the year I first got them.

And that sort of sums up my feelings about the new Cloud Nothings album Final Summer.  It's a good record, with good songs - sure to please anyone that likes Cloud Nothings prior records.  And I like it, genuinely.  At the same time, it's kind of unremarkable.  I wouldn't say it's boring, necessarily, but there isn't any song on here that makes me sit up, take notice and say "this is great."  It's kind of the definition of a solid record.  It does what it's supposed to, but nothing more.  It fades into the background very easily and isn't the sort of thing that makes you want to keep going back to it.

The main reason I've listened to this album as many times as I have, is just so I could write about it.  Without that to do, I don't know that I would have been motivated to spin it more than a time or two.  Again, it's a good record.  If you like the other Cloud Nothings albums, you'll like this one.  But if you have other Cloud Nothings records, I'm not really sure you need this one.  The others get the same job done and none of them can really hold up to Here and Nowhere Else for me.

Cloud Nothings – Final Summer
https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/track/final-summer

Cloud Nothings - The Shadow I Remember - Silver w/ White Splatter Vinyl

Car Park (2021)

This is the new Cloud Nothings album.  From what I gather, it was meant to be their next full length and was recorded before the pandemic hit.  But, they then ended up recording and releasing The Black Hole Understands in quarantine.  I did like The Black Hole Understands and particularly dug the fact that it was pretty heavy on pop songs.   It was a nice change of pace, but it was missing some of the loudness which is what I typically enjoy the most from Cloud Nothings.  

The Black Hole Understands was another in a line of Cloud Nothings records that I listened to chasing  the sound of Here and Nowhere Else.  While I couldn't say that I've heard a bad Cloud Nothings record, I feel like I keep going back to that album when I'm in the mood to listen to Cloud Nothings. It's unlikely that the band will ever release a carbon copy of Here and Nowhere Else (why would they?), but I think that when I listen to The Shadow I Remember it's the record that has come closest to instilling those same feelings in me.

I definitely think it's the second best Cloud Nothings record I've heard and it does an incredible job of mixing the perfect pop hooks that Dylan Baldi is capable of writing with an aggressive, loud and punishing guitar attack.  This record doesn't sound like Sugar at all, but the way Cloud Nothings have combined melody and LOUD on this record reminds me of the sorcery that Bob Mould was able to conjure in the mid 90s.

I own a lot of Cloud Nothings records.  I like every single one of them.  But now I can add another record that can hang with Here and Nowhere Else.  This is the first great record of 2021 for me.

Cloud Nothings - The Shadow I Remember:
https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/the-shadow-i-remember

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands LP - Black & White Galaxy Vinyl

2020 (Self Released)

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the black vinyl version of this record here, I had mentioned that I ordered the colored vinyl, but for some reason received the black vinyl instead.  I ended up reaching out to Cloud Nothings via their Bandcamp page about it.  They alerted me that some of the colored and black vinyl had been mixed up and they would send me a new copy.  Plus they paid the postage to return the black vinyl copy.  Good folks over there.

So, you probably can't really tell the difference in the picture.  It's definitely more of a black galaxy than a white galaxy, I suppose.  But even though it's not really a showstopper as far as colored vinyl goes, it is a good record and I'm happy to have the more limited version now.

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands

https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-hole-understands

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands LP

Self Released (2020)

I didn't get a chance to do a proper review of this album before I ran out of time last year, but you may have noticed that the record did rank quite high on my list of the Absolute Best Records of 2020.  I figured that it would make sense to start the year off getting this one written about.

The Black Hole Understands is an album that the members of Cloud Nothings wrote and recorded under quarantine earlier in 2020.  In some ways it's a pretty dramatic departure from their last few records, but in others it's exactly the sort of thing you would expect from cloud nothings.

First off, the differences.  This record is in no way as loud and noisy as usual.  The distortion is dialed way back giving way to cleaner and at times jangly guitar sounds.  As far as the vocals go, there isn't much of the harsh howling that comes up from time to time.  These vocals are more restrained, almost delicate in the way they interact with the music.

But despite these sonic differences, the songs have the classic Cloud Nothings mastery of putting just the right hook in just the right place.  While they certainly have a weariness to them, they nevertheless have an unshakeable optimism.  Just like everyone else, the band is pushing along to get through these times, because surely they'll get better eventually, right?  

The one other comment I have is that when I ordered this record from the Cloud Nothings Bandcamp page, I had ordered the clear with black smoke colored vinyl variant.  When I got this in the mail, it was a straight black vinyl version.  I actually didn't notice this right away as I forgot there was a colored vinyl version and I've contacted the band/label through their Bandcamp page.  Hopefully I'll be able to get my hands on the colored vinyl version.

Cloud Nothings - The Black Hole Understands:
https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/the-black-hole-understands

Cloud Nothings - Last Burning Building LP - Clear Vinyl

Carpark (2018)

I spent  a great deal of 2018 counting down the days until the new Cloud Nothings album was released.  Everything I read about it made it seem like it would be right up my alley.  While their last album, Life Without Sound, took things in a slightly quieter direction for the band, Last Burning Building was advertised as a return to the loud, heavy guitar sound that the band had employed on earlier albums.  I think they went too far in the other direction.

Here And Nowhere Else is the album that got me into Cloud Nothings and I still that record is essentially perfect.  A wild blend of crunchy and loud guitars, mixed with big hooks and impassioned melodies.  Everything else I've listened to from Cloud Nothings has been me chasing that perfect mix.  Last Burning Building falls short.  In general it's just too dour and is lacking the melodies that are the reason I fell for the band to begin with.

Whether it's the non-stop screaming in album opener "On An Edge" or the plodding guitar riff of "So Right So Clean" or the super unnecessary, never-ending feedback mess of the ten plus minute long "Dissolution," Life Without Sound is directionless and lacks cohesion as an album.  That said, when the band does stick to the upbeat and noisy pop songs that they are best at, the results are incredible. Both "Leave Him Now" and "Another Way Of Life" are outstanding songs, as great as anything else the band has ever churned out.  What I wouldn't give for an album full of songs like these.

Cloud Nothings - Last Burning Building:
https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/last-building-burning

Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound LP - Green Vinyl

Carpark (2017)

I have been eagerly anticipating this new Cloud Nothings record for quite some time.  Their last, 2015's Here and Nowhere Else, completely took me by surprise and ended up my most played album of that year by a pretty significant margin.  It was without hesitation that I preordered Life Without Sound the day it came out.  Though I apparently hesitated long enough to have missed the green vinyl version for sale on its own.  I ended up having to buy a bundle with a T-shirt.  Unfortunately, the T-shirt was white. I hate white band shirts.  Then to add insult to injury, the label restocked the colored vinyl version on its own the next day.  At least the album is great.

Life Without Sound is definitely a change for Cloud Nothings.  As a whole it's a little bit mellower, lacking some of the really passionate shouting moments of Here and Nowhere Else.  But the songwriting and hooks are every bit as strong.  As soon as you hit the second track, "Things Are Right With You" you're drawn in to the vocal melody and the always building guitar riffs.  It's one of the best songs on the album and can hold its own against anything Cloud Nothings have released.

The entirety of the album is just packed with great songs.  There are moments that remind me a bit of Idlewild, but we're talking about a thousand times better than the very best Idlewild song that was ever written.  Still as a touchstone for a comparison, you could do worst.  The thing I'll say most about this album is that for me it was a grower.  It didn't blast me out of my chair like Here and Nowhere Else. Life Without Sound gradually took hold of me with each listen and once it clicked, I was all in.

Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound:

https://cloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/life-without-sound

Wavves x Cloud Nothings - S/T LP - Red Vinyl

Ghost Ramp (2016)

For starters, I ordered this months and months ago.  I'm the sort of person who does enough pre-orders that I understand the delays that can happen, but I ordered and paid for this record in June and didn't get it until about a week ago.  That's a little ridiculous and the label now has a monthly vinyl club subscription up for sale.  Don't be surprised that I don't have a ton of faith in that one...

So as far as I'm concerned, this record came out in 2016, not 2015.  When first reading about this collaboration between Wavves and Cloud Nothings, I was pretty intrigued.  I like Wavves and I really loved the last Cloud Nothings record, so this was sure to be good right?  Well, it is good, but that's all it is.  In pooling their talents, for some reason Wavves and Cloud Nothings sort of cancel each other out and this collaboration isn't nearly as good as either band on their own.

In general they mostly sound like lesser Cloud Nothings throwaways.  They don't have the oomph or the strong production that Cloud Nothings has and end up sounding a little murky. It's a short nine song record as is, plus two of the songs are just minute and a half instrumental noodling, so you really only get seven full songs.  This record isn't bad and a couple of the songs are actually pretty good, but it ended up being a bit of a let down compared to what I know both bands are capable of.

Wavves x Cloud Nothings - S/T:

https://wavvesxcloudnothings.bandcamp.com/album/wavves-x-cloud-nothings

Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory LP

Carpark (2012)

In 2014 the record I listened to more than any other was Cloud Nothing's Here And Nowhere Else.  When a record hits me like that, my immediate thought is to snatch up as many of the band's other records as possible.  Even though I I had only listened to one of Cloud Nothings records previously, I felt it was important to try out some of the band's other works.

I didn't really like their self titled album back when it had originally come out and because of that I never even listened to Attack On Memory.  Listening to it with fresh ears, it's not as good as Here And Nowhere Else, but it is a lot stronger and certainly more interesting that their self titled record.  Had I given is a shot when the album originally came out, I bet I would have liked it.  It is a good album and one I've been listening to, but now I compare it to Here And Nowhere Else.  That's a bit of an unfair comparison as most records will fall short based on that standard.

Attack On Memory doesn't do itself any favors by starting out with the worst song on the album "No Future/No Past."  It's a bit of a chore with a repetitious verse and chorus.  Slow, a little whiny.  Not a great first impression, but as soon as the 2nd track "Wasted Days" hits, things are looking up.  Sure it has a really long outro that drags things down a little, but it's still a great song that showcases how much the band has grown since their prior record.

The rest of the album is just as good.  It's never quite as great as Here And Nowhere Else, though judged on its own merits, Attack On Memory is a worthy album to have in your collection.  Here And Nowhere Else, however, is essential.

Cloud Nothings - "Stay Useless":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtkePLlTUcY

Cloud Nothings - "Cut You":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stezAZruaAA

The Absolute Best Records Of 2014

2014 was another year where I bought way too many records.  Luckily there was no shortage of fantastic albums released this year.  Everything on my list is a great record and worthy of a listen, but in particular the top 5 records on this list are all essential purchases.

Cloud Nothings and The No Marks dominated my turntable in 2014 as I couldn't even tell you how many times I listened to each.  I'm always extra excited to add bands to my year end list that have never been on before.  Sonic Avenues and Steve Adamyk Band are both longtime stalwarts of my end of the year lists and once again they each delivered a truly fantastic album. So Cow and Stay Clean Jolene couldn't be more different, but they both jumped way up on my list despite the fact that they came out later in the year and I haven't spent nearly the amount of time with them as some of the others.

I also wanted to make sure I specifically point out Minutes, Bear Trade and Freak Wave as I think they are bands that likely didn't get as much attention as some of the bigger name bands in 2014, but all three put out amazing records that really shouldn't be missed.

01 - Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else - Carpark  (Listen)
02 - The No Marks - Light Of One - Brassneck  (Listen)
03 - Sonic Avenues - Mistakes - Dirtnap  (Listen)
04 - Steve Adamyk Band - Dial Tone - Dirtnap  (Listen)
05 - So Cow - The Long Con - Goner  (Listen)
06 - Survival Knife - Loose Power - Glacial Pace  (Listen)
07 - Minutes - Roland - Self Released  (Listen)
08 - Gold-Bears - Dalliance - Slumberland  (Listen)
09 - Unwelcome Guests - Wavering - Dirtcult / One Percent Press  (Listen)
10 - Stay Clean Jolene - Stay Clean Jolene - Dead Broke / Rad Girlfriend / Drunken Sailor / Eager Beaver  (Listen)

11 - Murmurs - Bound - Dead Broke
12 - Blank Pages - Blank Pages - Dirtcult
13 - The Blind Shake - Breakfast Of Failures - Goner
14 - Herzog - Boys - Exit Stencil
15 - Bear Trade - Blood And Sand - Dead Broke / Everything Sucks
16 - Freak Wave - Don't Let Me Down - Poison City
17 - Dan Sartain - Dudesblood - One Little Indian
18 - Bob Mould - Beauty & Ruin - Merge
19 - Your Pest Band - Time To Go - Snuffy Smiles
20 - Needles//Pins - Shamebirds - Dirtcult

21 - Weezer - Everything Will Be Alright In The End - Republic
22 - The Capitalist Kids - At A Loss - It's Alive / Toxic Pop / Rad Girlfriend
23 - Wringer - Bullfighter - Smellhound
24 - Songs For Snakes - Year Of The Snake - Self Released
25 - The Creeps - Eulogies - It's Alive
26 - Nude Beach - 77 - Don Giovanni
27 - Average Times - Average Times - Hosehead
28 - Mother's Children - Lemon - Taken By Surprise
29 - The Estranged - The Estranged - Dirtnap
30 - Matthew Melton - Outside Of Paradise - Southpaw

Other Records I Bought & Enjoyed This Year:
Against Me! - Transgender Dysphoria Blues - Total Treble
Banner Pilot - Souvenir - Fat Wreck
Beck - Morning Phase - Capitol
The Both - The Both - SuperEgo
Brick Mower - Teenage Graceland - Don Giovanni
The Cry! - Dangerous Game - Taken By Surprise
Failures' Union - Tethering - Dead Broke
Hospital Job - The Believer - It's Alive / Insubordination
Hurry - Everything/Nothing - Hot Green
Jet Black - In Paradox - Self Released
Mapmaker - Critical Path - Salinas / One Percent Press
Masked Intruder - M.I. - Fat Wreck
Martha - Courting Strong - Salinas
The Men - Tomorrow's Hits - Sacred Bones
Missing Monuments - Missing Monuments - Dirtnap
Napalmpom - The Unconditional Love Of - Teenage Rampage
The Pixies - Indie Cindy - Pixies Music
The Raging Nathans - Losing It - Dead Broke / Rad Girlfriend / Recess
The Yolks - Kings Of Awesome - Randy
The Young Leaves - Alive And Well - Baldy Longhair
Warm Soda - Young Reckless Hearts - Castle Face
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Mandatory Fun - RCA

Previously:
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009

Cloud Nothings / Relaxer - Split 7"

My Mind's Eye (2013)

You'll have to wait only a few more days to see where the Cloud Nothings LP finished up on my best of the year list, but know that it was high enough to make me start digging around their older records.  I saw this 2013 Record Store Day 7" pop up in one of my favorite distros (Green Noise), so I added it to my order.  I really like this band, but this 7" is nothing special.

The Cloud Nothings side is a cover of Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town."  I can't say I really like the original version of that song too much on the best of days. Cloud Nothing doesn't offer a fresh version of it either.  I can't say it's a note for note take on it, but it doesn't sound too far off to me.  It's a Record Store Day novelty and isn't much more than a collection filler.

On the flip side we have Relaxer who, for the lack of a better description, are kind of funky.  I'm not sure that funky is the best adjective in the world, but whatever you want to call it, it's not good.  The vocals are pretty much just someone moaning the lyrics.  There's no real chorus to speak of.  When the singer lets up, they just throw some more instruments on top of the never ending drum and bass riff.  There's a little bit of a change up in the middle bit, but it's really kind of weird.  This plays like a bad Doors song (I know, like there's a good Doors song).

I couldn't find either of these songs online, so buy at your own risk.  Or just go buy the Cloud Nothings album Here And Nowhere Else.  That is money much better spent.

Cloud Nothings - Now I'm Blind 7" - Clear Vinyl

Polyvinyl (2014)

As most are aware, I love a good singles club.  I sign up for them all the time and I'm reasonably sure I still have a subscription to the Art Of The Underground series that just stopped putting out records for some reason.  Anyway, Polyvinyl's 4-Track Singles Series isn't one I subscribed to, but it's a pretty neat idea.  They have a 4-Track recorder.  They then take that same 4-Track recorder and mail it around to a bunch of bands who then record some new songs on it.  A neat concept, buy they didn't really sign up enough bands I like to make me want to subscribe.

There were two bands that contributed that I did want to track down though, Mikal Cronin and Cloud Nothings.  I managed to score the Cloud Nothings 7" for $16.  A bit pricey for a 7", but worlds cheaper than subscribing to a series I really had little interest in.  The two songs contributed are interesting listens, but cannot hold a candle to the greatness that is their last album.

The A-Side "Now I'm Blind" is a loud and explosive song. Cloud Nothings didn't cop out and contribute a few acoustic songs.  They went full band and really tested the limits of this little 4-Track.  It's blown out, fast and you can barely make out the echoey vocals floating in the background.  I would actually be interested in hearing a version of this song that wasn't quite so lo-fi.  There's just something about it that I'd like to hear more of.

B-side "Living World" isn't really my thing.  It's more of a slower, noisy offering.  I wouldn't exactly call it a noise collage or anything, but it's certainly not a pop song.  It's dark and somewhat meandering.  Again, interesting, but not the sort of thing I'm going to be rushing back to the turntable to play again and again.  

I am glad I was able to get this record without having to commit to eleven other 7"s.  As Cloud Nothings' album Here and Nowhere Else is battling for my number one album of the year, I absolutely want to grab everything that they're currently releasing.  And as I had mentioned earlier, if anyone has a lead on the Mikal Cronin 7" from this set at a good price, please let me know.

Cloud Nothings - Here And Nowhere Else LP - Blue Vinyl

Carpark / Mom + Pop (2014)

A few years ago I caught wind of Cloud Nothings.  I checked out their self titled album (though I do not believe it was their debut) and thought it was OK.  Some good songs on it, but honestly nothing that special.  They released a follow up that I never even listened to.  Then this year I heard they had yet another record out, "Here And Nowhere Else."  I kept hearing really good things about it, so many that it became impossible to ignore.  I decided to give the band another shot.

I am so glad I did.  This record is out of control great.  Along with Sonic Avenues it is easily one of the 2 best records to come out this year so far.  Not only am I listening to this record all the time, I've actually checked the band's website to see if they're coming to town so I could go see them play (and I hardly ever go out to shows anymore). Currently the east coast isn't on their agenda, but I'll be keeping an eye on that.

On this record Cloud Nothings are playing bombastic, huge pop songs.  The kind that have choruses that will be crammed in your head for months.  They've captured an energy on this record that just makes you want to smack people in the face and make them sing along too.  The production is kind of scratchy, and that gives the band a real edge to them that others playing this sort of thing wouldn't have.  Plus the drumming on this record is some of the best I've heard in a while.  They've perfected the art of making a song great, then making it even catchier and louder in the chorus and then somehow one upping that again and going even louder.  It's an incredible feat and one that keeps me coming back over and over.

I cannot say enough great things about this record.  I didn't think much of the band going into it, but coming out I'm totally converted.  I'm going to have to give their other records a try and even if I'm not as into them, you can be guaranteed I'll be buying everything these guys put out going forward.

Cloud Nothings - "I'm Not Part Of Me":

https://soundcloud.com/cloudnothings/im-not-part-of-me

Cloud Nothings "Psychic Trauma":

https://soundcloud.com/cloudnothings/psychic-trauma