“Here and Nowhere Else” is Meticulously Positive

With the release of “Attack on Memory” in 2012, Cloud Nothings shed their old image of power-pop for a darker flair. With the old discarded, the indie rock band is entering an era of experimentation, something the members attempt in “Here and Nowhere Else.” Proclaimed by the group as “noisier” than previous compilations, the new album distinguishes itself from its predecessor. From the moment the first track plays, Cloud Nothings bombards the ears with an upbeat tempo, replete with warm guitar lines and propulsive percussion that carries the beat forward. Unlike in “Attack on Memory,” which contained slower melodies to reflect its melancholic mood, this energetic rhythm extends to every song on the album.

The effect is a more positive album, supported further by the striking lyrics. Repetition perpetuates the lyrics and solidifies the album’s simple mindset, devoid of angst and pain. The simplicity does not make Cloud Nothings’s creation inane, however, and the hidden complexity grants greater power than an obvious display of intricacy. The lyrical progression uses thematic development to reflect this delicate sophistication—while frontman Dylan Baldi laments “Psychic trauma returns with age” and “My mind is always wasted listening to you” on “Psychic Trauma,” he ends the album stating, “I’m learning how to be here and nowhere else / How to focus on what I can do myself” in “I’m Not Part of Me.”

But the tone is not what distinguishes Cloud Nothings’s new album the most from their previous works; it is the well-executed instrumentation. The band’s lo-fi, punk sound remains, but the melodies are more hectic, filled to the brim with discordant beats and a mess of instruments. Done incorrectly, the result could be a barrage of incompatible sounds, but Cloud Nothings manages to blend every instrument together to form coherent strands. The singing acts as an instrument itself, deftly switching from softer harmonies to a guttural boom that overpowers the drums in volume. In “Quieter Today,” Baldi’s raspy voice reigns, except at times of clarity when Baldi admits “Every time I feel okay / My heart moves forward.” The deliberate transition pays off, giving the song a raw emotional weight.

This careful orchestration is prevalent throughout the album, reaching a high point in the penultimate track, “Pattern Walks.” In the transitioning interlude between the first half of the song and the finale, the guitar trills into an electronic buzz. It is reminiscent of “Wasted Days” in their previous album, but the created noise is more controlled, less of a continuous drone. Other sounds—a volcanic booming and a brief sliding whistle—accompany the synthesized hum. The nuances allow for variation from a potentially exhausting tune. A powerful build-up cements the maturity found in the album. As the song reaches its final leg, Baldi repeats “I fall” continuously, his voice and the instruments blurring into one another. The steady drumming, the intermittent strikes from the guitar, the repetition, the gradual crescendo—all add up together for a startling conclusion.

The individual songs carry potential, but the issue with the album is that it lacks cohesion. Cloud Nothings achieves the noisy album they wanted, but this success has a cost: the eclectic mix of sounds varies too greatly, overpowering any chance for an overarching rhythm among the tracks. The promotional single “I’m Not Part of Me” exhibits the greatest disjunction. Lyrically, it represents a final epiphany in the album’s thematic development, but musically, its mixture of pop and alternative rock sounds foreign and improper for the album’s grunge aesthetic. The transitions between earlier songs also lack connection. While “Quieter Today” jumps into guttural singing and loud beats, “Psychic Trauma” begins with more pop than garage fuzz; though the latter song eventually delves into punk, it cannot wash away a sense of detachment between the two tracks. The result is a lasting testimony that quick tempo is not enough to create unity.

In “Here and Nowhere Else,” Cloud Nothings is successful in their approach. The thoughtful musicality and lyricism breeds a happier mood and suggests maturity and growth. Yet while the individual components are noteworthy, the album as a whole lacks any spark, detracting from what could have been a staggering accomplishment for the band.