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On the Shelf 179: Cloud Nothings
Mar. 31st, 2017 07:38 amThe Cloud Nothings are one of my favorite bands of recent years, and they are out with album #4 Life Without Sound.
The band has mined what many would call the great 80s American hardcore scene and its immediate 90s successors- Husker Du, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr, Wipers, Sonic Youth, Jawbreaker, and Jawbox to name a few. 2012's Attack on Memory was a strong statement, though the harshest critics could argue that even there, as well as 2014's follow up Here and Nowhere Else, they are still a bit short of some of their idols.
Life Without Sound may not help that. Teaming up with producer John Goodmanson, this is a pretty clean alt-rock radio friendly album in line with his work with Death Cab for Cutie, the Posies and Harvey Danger (I dont know if I have ever seen a more scattered portfolio than Goodmanson- Team Dresch, Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Sepultura, Unwound, Blondie, Hanson, Train, Wu Tang Clan)
That is good and bad. The album is pretty great, and I am going to still put up a fight that this is one of the best bands on the planet right now; still I can't argue that it ever makes a statement that is on par with the best of their best influences. That's hardly a criticism, there are only a few Neverminds,Flip Your Wigs or Daydream Nations a generation.
It doesn't ever sound like a rip-off either, just a nod. The few times that they do venture out of the clean rock singles sound on this record, they are often headed to Mission of Burma territory, which is a good thing. Besides the only reason that we're having those comparisons with the all-time greats is that they are getting closer and closer to reaching that territory.
The band has mined what many would call the great 80s American hardcore scene and its immediate 90s successors- Husker Du, Fugazi, Dinosaur Jr, Wipers, Sonic Youth, Jawbreaker, and Jawbox to name a few. 2012's Attack on Memory was a strong statement, though the harshest critics could argue that even there, as well as 2014's follow up Here and Nowhere Else, they are still a bit short of some of their idols.
Life Without Sound may not help that. Teaming up with producer John Goodmanson, this is a pretty clean alt-rock radio friendly album in line with his work with Death Cab for Cutie, the Posies and Harvey Danger (I dont know if I have ever seen a more scattered portfolio than Goodmanson- Team Dresch, Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Sepultura, Unwound, Blondie, Hanson, Train, Wu Tang Clan)
That is good and bad. The album is pretty great, and I am going to still put up a fight that this is one of the best bands on the planet right now; still I can't argue that it ever makes a statement that is on par with the best of their best influences. That's hardly a criticism, there are only a few Neverminds,Flip Your Wigs or Daydream Nations a generation.
It doesn't ever sound like a rip-off either, just a nod. The few times that they do venture out of the clean rock singles sound on this record, they are often headed to Mission of Burma territory, which is a good thing. Besides the only reason that we're having those comparisons with the all-time greats is that they are getting closer and closer to reaching that territory.
