CD review - Cloud Control, Bliss Release (2010/2011)

Rich retro harmonies fill out psychedelic folk sound

Australia's Cloud Control have built a big reputation back home and started making waves in Europe. Now their debut, Bliss Release, is due for release here in the US.

Cloud Control cover some of the same terrain as other indie folkish artists like Fleet Foxes or Arcade Fire: guitar jangle, a mix of acoustic and electric instruments, and a retro haze permeating their music. Cloud Control stakes their own claim by leaning more towards a psych folk vibe and building rich harmony arrangements. These harmonies are where the band truly shines.

The opening track, Meditation Song #2 (Why, Oh Why) is the perfect representative for the band's sound. The simple folky start with sweet harmonies sounds like the Mamas and the Papas. The easy acoustic sway is pretty, but then a low level guitar distortion adds a fill of notes. A moment later, that distortion moves in with acid rock intensity and drives the rest of the song. The psychedelic feel reorients the harmonies to classic psych folkers, The Association.

But the full musical sound never buries the harmonies. The male and female vocals meld, then exchange lines. The voices maintain a kind of sunshine openness that contrasts with the intensity of the music.

On the other hand, songs like Death Cloud prove that Cloud Control can play solid indie rock, too. The driving beat and staccato bassline are more modern. But once again, the harmonies add complexity and depth to the song. Despite the threatening title and lyrics, the sound is open and joyous.

Cloud Control breaks up the love-fest with songs like Ghost Story or My Fear #1. The moody chanting and repetitive drone on Ghost Story build a delightful tension, even as the chorus offers a quirky diversion:

We are the sole protectors
We are the soul collectors
We follow solar vectors

The music is full of rhythmic details. Despite these darker moments, Bliss Release is ultimately an affirming listen. The retro sunshine resonance lingers like a sip of Barenjager honey liqueur.

CD review - Local Natives, Gorilla Manor (2009)

The opening notes of Wide Eyes, the first cut from Gorilla Manor, told me that I was home. Beautiful shimmery guitars, a deep meandering keyboard line, New Order style bass...everything fit together comfortably. When the vocals came in, the voices melded so seamlessly smooth, it was like honey. In that moment, Local Natives claimed a strong place in my musical rotation. Gorilla Manor is planned for release in February 2010, but their music is already making the rounds online at YouTube, LastFm, and Pitchfork.

Local Natives have a rich complex sound. They start with prog rock elements, tied to Massive Attack style bottom end and tight vocal harmonies. They sound like a grown up Trip Shakespeare crossed with a bit of Ryan Adams. The album is full of great songs, but the first single, Sun Hands, is the best. It starts out with a blues influenced guitar riff, but the layers build. The song rolls through several sections, building a tribal complexity that culminates in a psychedelic guitarfest before reprising the main groove again.

These two songs are not just lucky shots -- the rest of the material is strong, too: Airplanes, Camera Talk, and their cover of the Talking Heads' Warning Sign. This is a band to follow. After their success this year at SXSW, they're planning a spring tour to back the release of Gorilla Manor. Give them a listen, they're cognac smooth (a little Remy Martin Extra would be in order).