8/10
For their third record, Cloud Nothings have struck excellence: eight grueling songs laced with beauty and memorable, sing-along choruses. But it would be a disservice to sum up the album this quickly. Having grown up in Westlake, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, I am a little biased towards the group from my hometown; nevertheless Here and Nowhere Else has been on repeat on my Ipod for the last week (yes I still own and use an Ipod Classic).
“Now Here In” begins the album with a disenchanting yet somewhat accepting theme possibly dealing with a recent breakup, with lead singer/guitarist Dylan Baldi repeating the line “I can feel your pain and I feel alright ‘bout it.” The album is laced with repetition lyrically, partly due to the fact that 22 year old Baldi writes lyrics as somewhat of a last thought, and partly because Baldi wants to hammer his point across. Comparisons can undoubtedly be drawn to the style of Kurt Cobain (if I may be so bold) in two ways. Firstly, Kurt always believed that music was the most important part of a song, not lyrics. Secondly, Baldi’s delivery is as unrelenting as Kurt’s at times; his melodies turn into yells, and even screams, at the climax of the songs. Nevertheless, the delivery compliments the lyrical content nicely, with lines like “You don’t even seem to care and I don’t even talk about it now” (“No Thoughts”) describing disillusionment, heartbreak, and carelessness all at the same time. For the album’s finale, “I’m not Part of Me,” Baldi finally seems to come to grips with the present: “I’m learning how to be here and nowhere else, I focus on what I can think myself.” At last, the main Cloud Nothing has put the demons of Attack on Memory behind him and has learned to cope with his past.
Musically, Here and Nowhere Else is fast-paced and never lets up. Bassist TJ Duke provides a more-than solid foundation over which Baldi layers multiple, crunchy guitars. The real wonder here, however, is the incredible drum playing by Jayson Gerycz. He unleashes energy that many could only dream of harnessing in a live setting. He is the driving force on the album, keeping insane tempos and also changing them on the dot. The drum mix on this album is definitely louder than it was on Attack on Memory; this could be due to the change in producer from Steve Albini to John Congleton. It could also be due to the fact that backup guitarist Joe Boyer did not play on the album due to legal trouble. Whatever the reason, Gerycz adds a live element to the songs that has not been seen on a Cloud Nothings record before.
When all instruments are put together, the result is driving melodies that mainly stay at one tempo (fast) and only slow down during the beginning section of “Psychic Trauma.” The penultimate gem “Pattern Walks” starts off like the rest of the songs, but about halfway through its 7 minutes and 23 seconds, a change occurs. After some built up feedback, a lofted, beautiful melody is reached while Baldi’s lyric “I thought” is repeated and distorted. It is an excellent way to lead into the albums closer and arguably the band’s greatest song “I’m Not Part of Me.”
The once small project by Dylan Baldi has turned into a noteworthy band, gaining national and international recognition for honest indie-rock music. Whether you consider their style punk, rock, indie, garage, lo-fi, or a combination of these genres, I believe Cloud Nothings are a great up-and-coming band worthy of praise.
Mavdey's Music 