Joshua Stephenson - 1/23/2012

Cloud Nothings are an Indie Rock band from Ohio, whose last album 'Cloud Nothings' was a Lo-Fi number that was solid, but pretty forgettable. With their new LP 'Attack On Memory' being produced by Steve Albini, it's no surprise to see the Lo-Fi sound ditched in favour of a rawer, aggressive style and it's one that suits the band down to the ground.

The album kicks off with 'No Future/No Past', a classic Albini track that wouldn't have sounded out of place on 'In Utero'. Built off basic guitar, drum and vocal lines that repeat and gradually get louder, more aggressive and scuzzed before lead singer Dylan Baldi erupts into this growling vocal. Certainly Baldi's voice will be a source of contention for some, he can sound like he's doing a bad 90's grunge impression, but considering the style they are aiming for I don't mind it. They suffer their only major misstep with 'Wasted Days' that for the first 3 minutes is an exciting, riff-y, number with Baldi screaming 'I thought I would be more than this', but then it transitions it an all-out jam that, although musically tight with good progression, severely outstays its welcome at an extra 6 minutes length to the track. Considering how short the album is I don't think it would be cynical to say that the band was looking to add some minutes to the run time.

The best two tracks come in the form of 'Stay Useless' and 'No Sentiment', the former been a short, punk-rock song with a simple riff, and this fantastic anthem-like chorus of 'I need time to stop worrying/I need time to stay useless/I need time to start moving/I need time to stay useless'. Baldi's slacker-esque vocal also works really well with this track, and all combine to make the tightest track on the album. 'No Sentiment' though is classic Albini loose, raw, distorted guitars dialed up to 11, with pounding drums and a fantastically lazy vocal delivery from Baldi, which erupts at a moments notice. Discussing the disposability of modern music in this really bitter, sarcastic way 'No nostalgia/And no sentiment/We're over it now/And we were over it then', it has a classic 90's feel to it and is probably my favourite track on the album.

Tracks like 'Fall In' show off their emo-rock aspirations with its aggressive verses, but sugary sweet chorus and 'Our Plans' is a love-letter to the 90's with traditional rock song progression and some huge solos. Certainly by the last track Cloud Nothings are running out of momentum and 'Cut You' can feel a bit disposable, but at just 33 minutes long 'Attack On Memory' doesn't outstay its welcome, in fact it's the perfect length for this kind of 90's revivalist style.

In 'Attack On Memory' I would say Cloud Nothings have created the first essential album of 2012, an album that certainly wouldn't have felt out of place in the 90's and thus for those of you who are tiring of this revivalist style, you may want to look elsewhere. Yet, for those of you who are in the mood for a bit of classic Albini produced balls to the wall, rock music then you need look no further for your next fix.