Cloud Nothings: Attack On Memory

Cloud Nothings
Attack On Memory
Rating: Woof Daddy

I will admit that the debut album from Cloud Nothings was unmemorable to me. I actually had to go back and listen to it again in order to try and remember what their sound was like. Cloud Nothings was 11 blasts of short pop-punk that held no personality or interest for me, and was quickly forgotten amid much stronger releases in 2011. Almost a year to the day, they return with their second full length, Attack On Memory, and whether it is owing to a new found maturity or the production work from the legendary Steve Albini, this album is tighter and full of memorable hooks, and is balls out one of the best sounding rock records of the year. Albini gives the tracks more room to breathe, which is a mere 8 tracks, feel more substantial and not as slap dash as their debut. Previously, Cloud Nothings' sound perched precariously on the edge of twee. Muscular, and more strident, these tracks are full of coiled menace, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

Lead track "No Future/No Past" doesn't even sound like the same band at first. From a mournful beginning of pianos and ringing guitars, Dylan Baldi's voice calm and regretful builds in intensity with the rest of the band, as the song erupts later into furious swell of raging guitars and screaming vocals. It is certainly one of the most striking album openers of the year.



In the past, most of Cloud Nothings' tracks barely passed the 2:00 minute mark, which is blown out of the water here with the almost 9 minute "Wasted Days." For such a long track, it is surprising that it is not a moody number, full of odd twists and turns. Instead, it is a driving force of nature that only briefly stops at the mid-point for a atmospheric bridge before launching again into a hurricane of guitars.



There really is no shortage of killer hooks to go around on this record, which recalls many of the great alternative guitars albums of the late 80s from Pixies, Sonic Youth, and Dinosaur Jr. From the tightly wound guitars and sneering vocals of "Our Plans,"



the brisk pop-punk of "Stay Useless,"



to the angular fury of "Separation,"



there is a focus and purpose that was lacking previously. There is relatively little to criticize about Attack On Memory except that there doesn't seem to be a lyrical connectivity to these tracks, and it feels more like a compilation of great singles and not a true thematic concept. It is a minor detraction from an otherwise great record. Perhaps more "tweeish" bands should have their records roughed up and spit out at the hands of Mr. Albini, he seems to have the pulse, at least with Cloud Nothings, to take raw clay and make it into something brilliant.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.