Cloud Nothings “Attack on Memory”
It has been a while since I’ve listened to an album and upon its conclusion I’ve wanted to press play again so quickly again. I literally could listen to “Attack on Memory” on repeat for an indefinite amount of time. I am that hypnotized by it.
So I guess the real question, rather than an actual review of this album, is why do I feel that way? Why am I so addicted to this album?
First off, this music is not really post-hardcore or post-punk, but it’s somewhere in between there. Sometimes it reminds me of Nada Surf and sometimes it reminds me of The Casket Lottery. There are just these great, drawn out, scratchy vocals with this pounding drum kit and music to accompany it that could quite possibly only be made by those who also make thunder and lightning.
Most of the songs clock in around three or four minutes long, but “Wasted Days” (Which is one of my favorites) tips the toll at nearly nine minutes. It also needs to be noted that “Separation” is instrumental, though I’m not sure why.
Often times, bands have one of the following qualities that make them appealing:
1) A kick ass rock sound that you can’t deny, so you can say “Those are some exceptional musicians”
2) Lyrics that strike a chord in your heart (or mind) and make you want to like the band just because you feel like they are saying something truly profound, even if only because you can relate to it completely.
3) The front man star quality that makes you think “Wow, I want to be that guy”, mainly because of the way he/she sings.
I find it rare that a band can possess all three of these qualities, but Cloud Nothings have them all down to perfection. This music flat out rocks, the lyrics are right on and the vocals make me want to start a band and sound like him.
In perhaps one of the grandiose statements I will ever make in my career as a music journalist (Which is going on thirteen lucky years now) is simply that these eight songs sound like what Kurt Cobain would create if he was still alive in 2012. I’m not saying he would have made this in the ‘90’s, though it does sound like it could easily follow “In Utero” in ways, nor am I saying it would be under the Nirvana name, but it does have that touch and feel that I believe could have potentially come out of Kurt Cobain.
This is especially apparent in lyrics to songs such as “Wasted Days” (“I thought I would be more than this”) and just the entirety of “Stay Useless”.
I love grunge music and maybe if you don’t like it any more you might not like this, but I just find this impossible to not like. I’m listening to it as I type this for the third time in a row so far today and can’t find anything negative to say about it still.
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