The Shadow I Remember - Cloud Nothings: Review
Cloud Nothings
are a Cleveland based punk and indie rock group who became one of the definitive punk acts of the 2010's across a prolific series of albums. After establishing themselves with raw harsh songwriting and intense performances the band spent the decade honing their songwriting down to its catchiest points and embodied much more of an indie and even pop punk affair. After releasing two Bandcamp exclusive albums last year that took a much sunnier approach to bedroom indie music the band is returning to their punk roots on The Shadow I Remember.
Review By Lav:
Man I love Cloud Nothings. Attack On Memory and Here And Nowhere Else are two of my favorite rock albums of the last decade but don't underestimate Life Without Sound or Last Burning Building either. After the trilogy of singles released in the lead-up to the record signaled a return to older sounds, specifically that of Life Without Sound I was exciting for what the band would be delivering. While this record sounds a lot like prior projects from the band I can't deny the enjoyment I still get out of its best tracks.
Lets talk about that trio of singles first since I still like them all quite a bit. Am I Something made my Singles of the Year list last year and is still one of my favorite songs on the album. It has both soaring punk vocals and catchy refrains littered all over the song and the instrumental brings flashy drumming and a great pop punk style riff. The Spirit Of came next and it's a short up-beat single. While it doesn't have the best hook I've ever heard from the band the bouncy guitar work is incredibly infectious and in the second half there's a major breakdown that raises the intensity of nearly every performance simultaneously. Nothing Without You was the final single and it feels straight out of Life Without Sound. It's mostly punk with a dash of pop in the catchy hook and simple structure with great female vocals that work their way into the tracks hook for some simple, straightforward fun.
Only Light kicks off in a very 2000's way with a wiry electric guitar riff that flies through the song over and over again. It has flashes of classic punk's edge working in between some of the more accessible moments making for a short but consistently energetic track. Sound Of Alarm is straight up Here And Nowhere Else with pinpoint drumming and very personal lyricism. The instrumental takes an extra step that not every song on the album does and the sound adds a lot to the emotional detail of the track. It's a memorable favorite as a result of all this.
Even though there is nothing conceptual about the record that makes its conclusion feel definitive there are a trio of songs guiding the record out that I quite enjoy. It's Love is the records shortest track barely cracking a minute and a half but it uses that time wisely bringing non stop explosive punk energy in a small package. A Longer Moon is a track that's grown on me quite a bit given just how versatile the instrumental is. From the nearly heartland rock riffs it opens up on to the dizzying instrumental jam that it finishes with the song never settles for long and it keeps me on my toes in a way that I really enjoy each time. Finally the closing track The Room It Was is a pretty emotional closing cut featuring some harrowing vocals and another memorable instrumental. It's versatile and upbeat enough to keep the song from ever dragging given the extended notes being sung and the dramatic subject matter. The only complaint I have about the track is that it feels like it, and as a result the entire record, ends out of nowhere.
Oslo is the opening track and its alright. It gets off to a slow start with some gentle keys and softer refrains before the punk instrumentation soars into the mix and it all really gets going. While the vocals here are on the sweeter side they do also have a snark to them that fits the instrumental. The explosive bridge and rising guitar lines sort of steal the show since there aren't too many refrains here I find exceptionally catchy. Nara is probably the albums most reserved song and it doesn't really make up for it with any catchy or memorable refrains. Both the vocals and instrumental are playing it really straight and there is nothing all that tangible to really latch onto. Open Ram features more light vocal harmonizing but the songwriting ultimately doesn't do much for me. The only thing on the track that really stands out is the guitar solo on the bridge that really does make the track worthwhile for me as in has an infectious attitude all on its own.
The Shadow I Remember is nothing new for Cloud Nothings, in fact they make it a point to repeatedly revisit old sounds in their discography throughout the tracklist. This doesn't discourage me from liking the album as much as one would think, nothing here is blatantly ripping off old sounds or ideas and there are plenty of moments on this record that excite me, particularly on the instrumental front. While this may not be a definitive return to form or a new classic entry into the bands discography it does prove that they are at least capable of sustaining the level of quality expected from them, and occasionally making an indie tinged punk rager just like they used to. 7/10
