Cloud Nothings – Hey Cool Kid
Cloud Nothings – Can't Stay Awake
I think what we need here is a little ass-kicking. I've been on a slow music kick lately and I need a little spice right about now. I'm giving the duty to Cloud Nothings in honor of their recent signing to Carpark Records and their new LP that drops in January.
Cloud Nothings is the baby of Cleveland-born Dylan Baldi and they come with a good backstory. Apparently the 18 year old Baldi recorded some songs in his parents' basement and was soon booked to open a Brooklyn show for Woods and Real Estate. This happened to coincide with his college finals so naturally he dropped out, played the show, and kept touring.
Baldi's music is a nicely fuzzed out, intimate form of bedroom punk. Cloud Nothings' sound reminds me a lot of the early, lo-fi Built To Spill recordings that focused on pure energy and playful vocals. Baldi's definitely got the whole shredding guitar god thing down with some great, prominent licks. This is catchy as hell, youthful fun.
The Cloud Nothings are touring with Les Savy Fav in Europe at the moment but will be back stateside next month. I'll be checking them out in Cleveland come December 18th.