Clouds - We Are Above You

 

Label: Hydra Head

Year: 2008

Here's the second full length rock-n-roll record from the Boston based collective, Clouds. This time around they have switched bass duties from Jay Cannava over to Johnny Northrup, who has spent time in The Cancer Conspiracy, Pet Genius, and Stephen Brodsky's Octave Museum (among others), but otherwise it's Adam McGrath (Cave In, 27, Kid Kilowatt, Zozobra), Jim Carroll (American Nightmare, Hope Conspiracy, Suicide File), and Michael "Q" Quartulli (The A-Team, Doomriders). 

Altogether, they produce a riff-forward rawk (and I don't use that term lightly, because I hate intentional misspellings [mostly on account of the fact that I cannot spell, and I feel I am being mocked]) record that relishes in the joys of big, loud, fun music. There are moments that could have been pulled out of the gutter of the Sunset Strip circa 1985, moments that belong to be on tour with Rush, moments that pound with a Motorhead-esque punk ferocity, and moments that just let a meaty riff do the talking. 

Best listened to loudly and without prejudice.

DL