Just two months ago Cloud Nothings were just a name with their first cassette//cd-r coming out on Bridgetown Records…no shows played, but a few big ones lined up…the first of which was with Real Estate and Woods here in Brooklyn (and I finally caught them in January with Alex Bleeker and the Freaks). Dylan Baldi’s Cloud Nothings were suddenly getting written up all over the internet (including several times by me), and their fuzzy upbeat punk pop was blasting out of stereos…I even had friends across the country ask me to send the digital files of Turning On because their tapes weren’t portable enough (yo dudes…get a walkman).

Now here we are at the end of February, and Cloud Nothings have two more releases out, and a reissue of that first tape but this time it’s on LP.

First up is their split tape with Campfires out on Bathetic Records. I know at this point more and more people are realizing that bands are doing tapes, and while the format might seem to be out of date even Pitchfork just reached out to the format in a big way (see Marc Hogan’s wonderful feature on cassette culture titled “This is Not A Mixtape“…as well as tape releases often making it on to the 4kst).

This tape features four new songs by Cloud Nothings, and as I expected it is full of the same fuzzy pop as the first full length. Campfires are very much of the same mind set, and offer five songs…making the split well worth the $6 post paid.  A great introduction to Campfires…I can’t wait to her more.

The Fader posted one track from the split, and I’m happy to repost it here for you.  ”Little Raygun” sets the tone for the tape, and is the third song on side A:

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Little Raygun”

• Buy the Cloud Nothings//Campfires split from Bathetic Records here.
  • pick it up fast…this tape is limited to 100 copies.

In addition to this split Group Tightener Records has released a extremely limited 7″ single by Cloud Nothings which includes “Morgan” a single from the upcoming 12″ on Group Tightener, and an exclusive b-side: “Another Man.” This is the second release by Group Tightener, and it is limited to 250 copies, and is hand stamped and numbered.

While these are both unreleased tracks You might be familiar with “Morgan” if you saw my videos from Cloud Nothings show at Monster Island back in January. Can’t wait to hear this record, and the recorded version of this tracks…here is a re-post of that video:

Buy the Cloud Nothings’ Morgan/Another Man 7″ from Group Tightener Records here.

Last but certainly not least is that SpeakerTree Records has just started mailing out the LP repress of Cloud Nothings fabulous debut full length Turning On.

Turning On was originally released back in December by Bridgetown Records. I featured this release on my column This Week In Mail Order, and you can read the full write up here. The LP version of Turning On will feature one additional track, “Strummin” as the closer to the album.  This LP press is limited to 500 copies, and to remind you how good this release is check out “Can’t Stay Awake”:

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Can’t Stay Awake”

A also captured the exclusive LP track live when Cloud Nothings were in town so you can preview that here:

Buy the LP from SpeakerTree Records here.

• If you don’t have a record player….Bridgetown Records has repressed Turning On on CD…buy that here.
  • and for a limited time you can order the LP release from Bridgetown as well…I highly recommend contacting Kevin at Bridgetown because he is offering some cool combo packages.

—————————————

• More on Cloud Nothings (photos, video, mp3s, and reviews) can be found here.
• The photo at the top of the post is from the White Lodge.
• More this week in mail order can be found here.
• CLOUD NOTHINGs are on TOUR and are playing everywhere…go see them!  The dates can be found here.

There is still something to be said about releasing a great single, and I’m not just talking about the A side…

The Great Pumpkin favorite 7″s of 2009

10.) Slumberland’s Searching for the Now Vol. 5 (Liechtenstein split 7″ w/ The Faintest Ideas)

Liechtenstein might be the show that I’m most disappointed that I missed this year, and this 7″ would have made my top ten for “This Must Be Heaven” alone.

[mp3] Liechtenstein- “This Must Be Heaven”

• Buy Searching for the Now Vol. 5 here.
• gprecs posts on Liechtenstein can be found here.

9.) The Mayfair Set- “Already Warm//Desert Fun”

One of many great 7″s released by Captured Tracks in 2009, and the combination of Dum Dum Girls and Blank Dogs. I can’t say that I liked the 12″ as much as the 7″, but I’m hoping this wasn’t their peak…a great 45.

[mp3] The Mayfair Set- “Already Warm”

• Buy it here.
• Mayfair Set’s website.

8.) Kurt Vile- Fall Demons

Released by Skulltones in an extremely limited quantity (375 copies, and 25 test presses).  Almost a proper EP at five songs.  One of many releases by KV that I loved this year.  Thanks to Permanent for saving me a copy.

[mp3] Kurt Vile- “Summer Demons”

• out of print.
• gprecs posts on Kurt Vile can be found here.

7.) Ganglians- “Blood on the Sand// Make it Up”

The second Captured Tracks release to make this list.  I couldn’t have asked for a better follow up to Monster Head Room.

[mp3] Ganglians- “Blood On the Sand”

• Buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Ganglians can be found here.

6.) Best Coast- Make You Mine

The first official release of Group Tightener Records, and a great one at that.  I was able to grab a copy right before it sold out.

[mp3] Best Coast- “Make You Mine”

• out of print.
• gprecs posts on Best Coast can be found here.

5.) Magic Kids- “Hey Boy//Good To Be”

These kids make pop from another time, and Goner Records is very lucky to have them.  Expect big things in 2010.

[mp3] Magic Kids- “Hey Boy”

• buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Magic Kids can be found here.

4.) Real Estate- Suburban Beverage

The record that started it all for both Real Estate and Underwater Peoples Records.  Nice people and good music.

[mp3] Real Estate- “Suburban Beverage”

• out of print.
• buy Real Estate’s self titled LP here (includes almost all of these songs).

3.) Young Governor- “Virginia Creeper// I’m A Mess”

Plastic Idol Records put out this great 45 of punk pop by Ben Cook of Fucked Up.  I don’t know why, but I seem to like everything Cook is involved with except for Fucked Up…at least he has enough projects to keep me busy.

[mp3] Young Governor- “Virginia Creeper [edit]“

• buy it here (this has to be almost sold out).
• gprecs post on Young Governor can be found here.

2.) Julian Lynch // Ducktails split 7″

Julian Lynch and Ducktails are two of my favorite discoveries of 2009, and I can thank Underwater Peoples for this.  Oh yeah, and Julian has to be one of the nicest dudes ever.

[mp3] Ducktails- “Parasailing”

• out of print.
• gprecs posts on Ducktails can be found here.
• gprecs posts on Julian can be found here.

1.) Sic Alps- “L Mansion// Super Lungs My Supergirl”

Another beautiful 7″ put out by Slumberland.  I have to say that I’ve seen Sic Alps, and when I did they were not a band I cared for, but after reading about this 7″ I picked it up and was totally blown away.  I can’t wait to hear what comes out of this band in the future…this is one fucking great 45.

[mp3] Sic Alps- “L Mansions”

• buy it here.
• gprecs posts on Sic Alps can be found here.
  • 2/10/10- sorry I just fixed the link to this song. it was another sic alps track until now.

Thanks for reading…I’m getting behind on these best of posts, and they are a little intimidating to do, but I’m going to keep with it…two more…EPs and LPs.  Bare with me while I deal with this last graduate application and the crazy awfulness that is my job…but more is to come.  thanks again.

Links:

• more Best Of posts can be found here.

Even though I just got the Cloud Nothings CD in the mail last month it felt like I had been waiting forever to see this band live, and this past Saturday I finally got the chance.

Another wonderful show put on by Chocolate Bobka (if you didn’t know Chocolate Bobka is the little sister to Underwater Peoples, big brother of Ray Conception, and the girl scout troop leader of Pitchfork’s Forkast) and this time he teamed up with the budding record label Group Tightener (maybe that means they are now cousins with Bobka?  If you didn’t check it out already…Jamie from Group Tightener contributed his best of 2009 list to the Great Pumpkin).

Both Chocolate Bobka and Group Tightener throw really fun shows whether it’s at a church or at Monster Island…and this time it was at Monster Island.  I got to the show right as Nude Beach ended, and Cloud Nothings took the stage.

Dylan Baldi and company put on an impressive live show for such a young band.  They played an extremely tight set, and seemed to complement each other very well.  In this bands short time playing live (the first time being about a month ago here in New York) they have already had one line up change, but that has not slowed them down.   I was particularly impressed by the fact that the guitar solos on songs like “Can’t Stay Awake” sounded as good, if not better, live.  It seems like there are only good things to come from Cloud Nothings, and I’m very happy I got to experience them this early stage.

My video camera is back in action, and I was able to capture a handful of what I’m already considering Cloud Nothings classics as well as two new songs.  I actually took a whole lot more video than I thought….here they are:

Cloud Nothings- “Can’t Stay Awake”

Cloud Nothings- “Hey Cool Kid”

Cloud Nothings- “Turning On”

Cloud Nothings- “”whaddya wanna know”

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Whaddya Wanna Know”

These four songs are off of Cloud Nothings album Turning On. Buy it here on tape or cd.  Keep and eye out for the vinyl here.

Cloud Nothings- “Morgan”

Cloud Nothings- “strummin”

On a slightly less exciting note I was not able to get close enough to Alex Bleeker and the Freaks to actually see them play.  They sounded amazing, and I can’t wait to get another opportunity to see Bleeker with a full band.  It was a little disappointing that most of the crowd found their conversations more important than Bleeker’s music because I would hav really like to be fully emersed.  Mr. Bleeker…I look forward to seeing you again.

Links:

• Buy Cloud Nothings’ Turning On from Bridgetown Records here.
• more on Cloud Nothings here.
• more on Alex Bleeker and the Freaks here.
• Buy the Alex Bleeker & The Freaks LP from Underwater Peoples here.
• more on Group Tightener Records here.
• the photo above  was taken by klk and I on a holga in the Calvary Cemetery in Queens.

Cloud Nothings are coming back to New York shortly after the release of Turning On, and this time it is to play with Alex Bleeker and the Freaks (and Beach Fossiles).  I’ve listen to Turning On more times than I can count on my headphones since I got it at the beginning of December (see my post on Turning On here), and I’m ready to see what it sounds like live.  Cloud Nothings’ Turning On is almost sold out at Bridgetown records, and Speaker Tree Records, out of Lynchberg, Virginia is planning to release it on LP toward the end of February (with an extra track).

Breakfast of Champs have posted a newish mp3 from Cloud Nothings that will be on their forthcoming compilation:

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Crying Underwater”
(eventually it will be available here)

On top of Cloud Nothings….Alex Bleeker is playing too…

When I got to see Alex Bleeker play with Mountain Man back in December (actually the same weekend I got the Cloud Nothings CD) it was a truly surreal event. Alex Bleeker played a beautiful set, and his only backing musicians were the women from Mountain Man. The crowd was the most respectful I’ve ever seen in New York, and let the quietness and intimacy of the Lutheran Church of the Messiah, as well as the music itself, shine. As wonderful of an experience as that was I’m looking forward to seeing him backed by the Freaks.  But we do have this mp3 to remember that event by, thanks to Chocolate Bobka:

[mp3] Alex Bleeker w/ Molly Sarle of Mountain Man- “Oh, Boy (Girls cover)”
recorded live at the Lutheran Church of the Messiah. via Chocolate Bobka.

Saturday should be fun…you should be there:

Presented by Chocolate Bobka & Group Tightener:
This Saturday, January 16th
Beach Fossils.
Alex Bleeker & the Freaks.
Cloud Nothings.
Nude Beach.
at Monster Island Basement.
Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Links:

• Buy Cloud Nothings’ Turning On from Bridgetown Records here.
• more on Cloud Nothings here.
• more on Alex Bleeker and the Freaks here.
• Buy the Alex Bleeker & The Freaks LP from Underwater Peoples here.
• more on Group Tightener Records here.

Jamie from Group Tightener Records and Men & Women is next in my best of series.  Group Tightener is a label that I gained notice of earlier this year, and I had the pleasure of attending their un-official CMJ party at Monster Island (see videos of Best Coast at that show here).

Group Tightener Records has already released the Men & Women  LP (technically on War & Moon), and Best Coast’s Make You Mine 7″…and appears to have a big year in 2010 lined up. Upcoming releases include: Alex Bleeker & the Freaks, Fluffy Lumbers, Twin Lion, Fungi Girls, Cloud Nothings, Coasting, and a Forest Swords/High Wolf split.

Jamie from Group Tightener/ Men & Women’s Best of 2009:

real estate (band site/ album info)
- super great to see this band develop over the course of the year and release their awesome full length to cap it off.

rusko essential mix/joker purple wow sound mix (check it out here)
- in a year where i became pretty bored with dance music both of these artists pushed the envelope in different ways. joker laid down the buttery g-funk synths while rusko just went ape shit raving the fuck out – i picture this mix sound tracking some sort of intergalactic rodeo from the future…

salem (band site/ 7″ info)
- i think i subconsciously figured out why this band resonates with me so much the other night when i was talking to somebody about listening to music when i was younger. i was basically obsessed with 90s rap and grunge-y guitar music and this group meets 11 year old me in the middle. they only released three 7″s (and one of them had one song and was only in japan or something) this year and played like 2 live shows where they basically just smoked ciggs and looked at the ground while sketchy vhs tapes of drunk drivers played behind them, but for some reason all of that made sense.

brilliant colors (band site/ album info)
- even though i grew up in the northwest and went to college in olympia i was never all that into all the riot grrl bands to be honest. and truth be told out i wasn’t much into the first couple 7″s these ladies put out but that’s what made their full length that much more enjoyable to me.

wavves (band site / album info)
- my favorite shit all year was when i’d read people say stuff like ‘well it COULD be good but it just sounds like shit’ sorry that’s the point people – yeah, he may have had a limited range of recording options but it was definitely an aesthetic decision and i personally thought it ruled.

girls (band site / album info)
- this has been a pretty rough year for me personally and for some reason this album came around at the right time and made perfect sense to me. when i hear these songs later on in life i’m sure that, along with real estate, i’ll associate them with this time period. nostalgia in the making.

tim & eric awesome show great job (website)
- still the funniest and most forward thinking comedy around. this show has changed the way i think about all media. sort of like psychedelics -  i’ll never be the same.

fresh and onlys (band website / record info)
- they released two full lengths this year, and while i definitely think they would have gotten a stronger response if they edited both of them down to just one LP i’m never mad at listening to more music. some GREAT songs.

high wolf (band site / album info)
- along with ducktails, the high wolf tapes i was able to get my hands on were the best of the experimental/psychedelic stuff i heard this year. it encompasses everything i liked about early animal collective way before avey tare started yelling in my face. but beyond all those comparisons you can tell that he isn’t just fucking around and seeing what sticks – he is truly in the zone. excited to be putting out some of his first stuff on vinyl next year…

woods (band site / album info)
- this band really came into their own this year also. full length was awesome, 7″ was awesome, live radio record was surprisingly sophisticated and the live show just keeps getting better and better.

other stuff: ganglians – blood on the sand 7″, moon duo, memory tapes – bicycle, gary war, fever ray, blank dogs/dum dum girls/mayfair set, atlas sound, kurt vile, animal collective lp

7″ that should have happened: cold cave ‘life magazine/heaven was full’

Links:

• Group Tightener blog / twitter / myspace
• more on Group Tightener Records here.
• more on Best Coast here.
• more on Cloud Nothings here.
• more best of 2009 guest contributions can be found here.

thanks again to Jamie for contributing a best of list.  I look forward to the Group Tightener Releases to come, and ya’ll know I’m loving Cloud Nothings (I can’t wait for that 12″)!

This past weekend was a period of music discovery for me, and not necessarily things I hadn’t heard before.  Studying for the GRE gave me time to give somethings quality playtime, and Saturday morning the mail man brought me a small package from Bridgetown Records.

I was previously unfamiliar with Bridgetown Records, but I have had my eye on Cloud Nothings for a while.  Get Off the Coast and Weekly Tape Deck have both been posting about them…and “Hey Cool Kid” has made it on my iPod at least two different times (and now with this CD three times)…and “Can’t Stay Awake” got stuck on repeat once I heard it week.

Cloud Nothings is the recording project of Dylan Baldi who hails from Cleveland, OH.  Dylan is 18 and has been recoding under the name Cat Killer, but recently shed that name in exchange for Cloud Nothings.  No matter what name he goes under this is one talented young man.   Cloud Nothings played their first show a week or so ago in Brooklyn at Market Hotel opening for Real Estate and Woods, and their second with Coasting.  They also have a couple shows coming up in Ohio:

• 1/12/10- Cleveland, OH @ Believeland w/ Truman Peyote and Many Mansions
• 1/16/10- Columbus, OH @ Skylab w/ Truman Peyote and Many Mansions

Turning On is his first full length as Cloud Nothings…8 songs, and roughly 30 minutes.  While I’ve been one to rant about lo-fi in recent months, but Cloud Nothings are proof that it can feel new and fresh.  While the vocals are muffled, they aren’t fuzzy, and rather than making garage rock he turns out extremely catchy pop that fringes pop punk.

Turning On was pressed in a limited run of 50 CDs and 100 tapes.  When I saw that these were selling for only $5 I couldn’t pass it up, especially with how many times I had listed to “Hey Cool Kid” (which happens to be playing right now as I type this).  I expected this album to be good, but I had no idea that it would be awesome from beginning to end.  Overall Turning On is an extremely impressive debut from this pop mastermind.  “Can’t Stay Awake” very well might be one of my favorite songs of the year.

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Can’t Stay Awake”

[mp3] Cloud Nothings- “Old Street”

Both tracks are from Turning On (pictured to the right).  This is a very limited release so get them while you can:

Order Cloud Nothings’ Turning On from Bridgetown Records here.

Cloud Nothings also have three more upcoming releases: an LP on Group Tightener, a cassette on Breakfast of Champs, and a cassette on Bathetic.

I would love to see Turning On get released on vinyl… I would surely buy it again.

Best Coast made one of their very few East Coast appearances last night at the Group Tightener Party in the Monster Island Basement.  Bethany Consentino noted that the shows in New York were Best Coast’s first appearances outside of Southern California.  It was a late night, and by time Alex Bleeker, Fluffy Lumbers, Coasting, and Highlife finished it was already midnight….and the show still had Best Coast, Ducktails, and surprise guest Small Black to go (for links check and mp3s by most of the bands check out the post from yesterday).

When Best Coast took the stage Bethany was very personable and welcoming to the New York crowd, both talking about enjoying being back in the city as well as talking about why she left. Her cohort Bobb Bruno quietly set up his equipment, a large set of pedals and a couple of guitars.  Bethany mentioned that Best Coast now has a drummer…but on this jaunt out to the East Coast they had to bring the mini-discs.

In all honestly I have started going into lo-fi garage pop and/or psych/shit-gaze shows with low expectations. Bands like Eat Skull, Sic Alps, and occasionally Vivian Girls have all been less than exciting live (all of whom records I enjoy).

But when Best Coast started playing I was instantly intrigued.  It was a combination of Bethany’s personality, Bruno’s reserved manner, and the fact not only did the songs sound as they should…they transferred extremely well to the live setting.  I personally find something extremely comforting about the drum machine/mini-disc player, and felt like it suited the night.  Their set was about 35 minutes long, and the heat in Monster Island provided the atmosphere that Best Coast’s music goes best with…hot and sweaty.  The only thing that could have made it better was if the sun was shining down on us generating the heat rather than the lighting and massive amount of bodies in the basement of the island.   Best Coast played to a packed crowded, and seem to be very well received.  When they joked about an encore the crowd even seemed disappointed.  They were charming as a two piece, and were able to stand out among the fuzzy and reverb… I look forward to seeing them as a full band.  The night was well documented as well, you can tell from these videos that there were plenty of cameras present.

Best Coast- “Sun Was High (So Was I)” live at the Group Tightener Party

[mp3] Best Coast- “Sun Was High (So Was I)”

Best Coast- ” So Gone” live at the Group Tightener Party

Best Coast is on a role right now…with two appearances during CMJ (I say during, because the party last night was not an official CMJ event), and a New York Times write up.

Their first 7″ and tape are sold out, but Group Tightener will be releasing the Make You Mine 7″ this month…the packaging was designed by the always wonderful Drew Heffron.  Rumor has it these are going pretty darn fast…and there might even be a repress already in the works.  Get yours before it’s too late.

Pre-Order the Make You Mine 7″ here.

Links:

• more on Best Coast here.
• more on Group Tightener here.
• Group Tightener’s Website, myspace, twitter
• Best Coasts’ myspace, blog, twitter
• more gprecs video here.

This week is CMJ, and while most people are going to things every hour of the day I’m being very selective (shows aren’t conducive to studying)… but one of those things that I will be attending is happening tonight!

Group Tightener Records is having their showcase at Monster Island!

If you don’t know Group Tightener yet…you probably soon will…they are about to release the first Best Coast 7″. Best Coast is the lo-fi pop act of Bethany Cosentino, and has been drawing a lot of attention lately.  Cosentino was formerly a member of Pocahaunted, and has now moved on to make music that is a little more condusive for the laying in the sun.  While I personally have been moving away from the fuzziness something about Best Coast draws me back.

On top of  Best Coast playing I have heard a lot about Highlife (and the one single that has been released is pretty awesome….see below…features Sleepy Doug Shaw of White Magic) as well… and if these two weren’t enough… Alex Bleeker, Fluffy Lumbers and Ducktails will also be performing… and if you have been following the Great Pumpkin this year you know how big of a fan of Ducktails I am.  Group Tightener and Todd P have put together a line up that can’t be beat.

If you are still on the fence about the show hopefully this will help convince you:

[mp3] Best Coast- “Something in the Way”

“Something in the Way” isn’t on the Group Tightener 7″, but you can order that here.

[mp3] Highlife- “F Kenya Rip” (via Transparent)

[mp3] Ducktails- “Pizza Time”

“Pizza Time” is on the out of print Beach Point Pleasant 7″,  but you should really just pick up all the Ducktails stuff here.

[mp3] Fluffy Lumbers- “Cruisers”

“Cruisers” is not on the Weird Hug 7″, but you can buy that here.

[mp3] Alex Bleeker and the Freaks- “Never Goin’ Back” (via Chocolate Bobka)

If you are looking for something to do before the Group Tightener showcase…you should check out Alphabar NYC…it’s a drinking club that meets every other Wednesday.  Tomorrow is Alphabar’s first time in Brooklyn, and I is for Iona.  Drink specials start at 8pm.  Click on the links for more info, and join the facebook group.

Hope to see you there…this should be a great Wednesday!

Links:

• more on Ducktails here.
• more on Alphabar NYC here.
• Buy Ducktails releases here.
• Buy the Best Coast 7″ here.
• Buy Fluffy Lumbers releases here.
• Group Tightener’s website.

UPDATE 10/22/09: Check out videos of Best Coast live from Monster Island here.