You might’ve noticed, if you read any of the barely coherent things I write for SCENE IN THE DARK, that I’ve got a soft spot for the Nineties. Maybe write some of it off as a natural pendulum swing back against my prior stance of “No good music was made from 1990-1999”, but for the most part it stems from the heart-sundering personal expression, lo-fi production, and dissonant guitars that makes up most of the stuff I listen to. Luckily for me, I don’t have to rely solely on old bands reforming to get my fix; plenty of new comers are starting to tap into the sounds of rebellion and angst that bubbled to the surface during that decadent era.
The latest group to catch my eye by cribbing from the decade is Cleveland band Cloud Nothings. They’ve released a new album of equally catchy and crushing guitar riffs. Taking mid-’90s emo and speeding up things to standard punk tempo, their new, Steve Albini produced album, Attack on Memory, is the first record of 2012 to really grab my attention.
Showing ample skill with hooks and brawn, the eight tracks blow by quickly (even the second track, the sprawling Wasted Days, which accounts for almost a third of the album). But damn, do those songs make an impression. An impressive, cleaner sounding than expected full length from a band I am going to watch like freaking hawk. I suggest you do the same.
Words by: Andrew Tape
