The indie rock band, Cloud Nothings, latest studio album, Final Summer, was released on April 19th. The band, originally from Cleveland, was formed in 2009 with Dylan Baldi as a founding member. Cloud Nothings currently consists of three members; Baldi on lead vocals and guitar, Jayson Gerycz on drums, and Chris Brown on bass. The group has found international success and in the process worked with esteemed collaborators that have given each of their previous albums a distinct feel. Final Summer is the first album for the band to be released under their new record label, and this release signifies a fresh start. The band experiments with their signature sound in their ninth studio album, building upon an already solid discography.
This album consists of 10 tracks and lasts about 30 minutes, which is similar to Cloud Nothings’s previous albums. The title track, which was also released as a single, sets the album off to an ambient start. It starts with just instrumentals with notably strong guitar riffs. Just when one thinks that this track consists of only instrumentals, about halfway through the lyrics come into the track. It sets a clear tone for the lyrical theme of the album, “Oh, I have some thoughts / Oh, I have some dreams / But I need to be happy / With what I got for me / Coming into final summer? / What’s the use of trying to be undercover?”
Another stand out of the album is “I’d Get Along,” sitting at track three. This one feels more angsty with the more classic punk influences, and it taps into the sound that Cloud Nothings has continued to refine throughout the years. Although lyrically this is one of the simpler tracks, with the phrases “If something would happen (with me)” and “I’d get along” being repeated throughout the song, but it stays engaging through the differing tones and mixing.
About halfway through the tracklist, “Running Through The Campus” provides a fresh track both melodically and lyrically. This song feels hopeful and uplifting with the lyrics following in a similar vein, “While I’m alive I’m staying in sun / I see the campus empty at night / I wanna like what everyone likes / Can you believe how far I have come.” This track really feels like it exemplifies the maturity of the band by capturing the sonic and personal growth since their inception.
The album closes out with “Common Mistake.” It touches on the lifelong struggle of listening to other people’s opinions, and finding your authentic self through the noise. The track opens with, “Choose your life / They float around beside you / And in your ear they guide you / You don’t believe you know you / It’s hard to find your own truth.” This track feels like a fitting way to close the album as Cloud Nothings continues to evolve and bring new variations of themselves and their music to the forefront. Despite the “noise” of the entertainment industry, Cloud Nothings have released an unfailing true-to-form ninth studio album that highlights their classic sound with new implementations that will leave listeners wanting more.
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