Cloud Control - BlissRelease

Thu 13th May, 2010 in Music Reviews

Cloud Control have been quite the hyped band of the last few years. Given their breakthrough with tracks such as Buffalo Country back in 2007, when they were listed in triple j’s ‘next crop artists’, it may seem that these Blue Mountaineers have been taking their time with their debut record.

In a sense, they have; however, they certainly haven’t been lazy. national tours with Josh Pyke, Leader Cheetah and, most recently, Yves Klein Blue, praise from the BBC and other influential British sources and band relocations (only to return to their hometown, which might explain the warm, homey feel on some tracks) have all marked the time between then and now.

The album opens quite psychedelically with Meditation Song #2 (Why, Oh Why), which sounds like it would easily fit into an early album by The Dandy Warhols. There’s Nothing In The Water We Can’t Fight sees Alister Wright’s vocals take on more on a more distinctive, unique sound, as does the song.

There’s Nothing In The Water… was the last track to be recorded for the album, and was written by Wright as he travelled through India, with the band crafting the music back in Australia. Thumping drums open Ghost Story, the album’s longest track, making it more of a rock song than any other on the album.

The much-hyped first single, Gold Canary, shows yet another side to the band. While all songs are distinctively Cloud Control, each has a slightly different spin on it – be it guitars, synth, lyrical content or they way the lyrics are delivered. This song is one of the more straightforward songs on the album, but is nonetheless given it’s own unique twist with a weird sounding synth solo jammed into the middle.

This Is What I Said includes hand claps and before Wright’s voice turns Ian Curtis and is interrupted by a high-pitched choir. Just as the song builds up and looks to start up again, it finishes and the acoustic Just For Now begins. The song’s simplicity allows vocals and lyrics to be put under the microscope. This song isn’t the best example of these two important aspects, and is probably the weakest track on the album. But this says something of the strength of the album, as Just For Now is certainly not a bad song.

The Rolling Stone sounds nothing like said band and more like an Australian version of pop heroes MGMT. Hollow Drums focuses on the duel vocals of Wright and Heidi Lenffer, who are backed only by an acoustic guitar. Their voices don’t really hit any astonishing melodies in the song, but this works for them, giving them a rough edge. This is the real beauty of the album, and the band. Cloud Control aren’t perfect, but they’re not trying to be.

The bass line of My Fear #2 drives some of the album’s best lyrics. The track also sees a bizarre, abrupt mid-song guitar freak out, which only adds to the aforementioned roughness and careless imperfects that are shown throughout the debut. Beast of Love closes as album that, in some ways, is exactly that- a beast of love. Lenffer excels in lead vocals, with the soft, distant drumming that features in the song being another interesting experimentation by the band. A choir of voices proclaims that “you are all I need” to close the song, and fittingly, the album.

Funnily enough, this album might be all that Australia’s über-cool ‘indie’ crowd needs to keep them warm through winter and it might be all that the four piece need to boost them to the success they truly deserve.