As if broadcast on those ever-fickle school PA systems, Cloud Nothings’ songs sound coated in a raucous film of grit. Vocals pixelate into grainy textures while guitar and percussion abrasively urge the melody on; the static scratches out all presumptions that Dylan Baldi, the mastermind of Cloud Nothings, is your average boy-who-wants-to-be-a-rockstar. Even so, his sound can’t be narrowly defined as gravelly-there’s more to it. Cloud Nothings emanates a nonchalant cool.
Often sarcastic in intonation, the raspy vocals strain as if with defiant motive-“Oh, you’re such a cool kid”-but almost predictable and carefree harmonies reveal an absence of any real objective. Rebellious without principle, revolting out of boredom, Cloud Nothings is the perfect listen for those who’d seize their school’s PA just to have a little fun. Join other blasé cool kids at Great Scott on Tuesday, June 22 to hear Cloud Nothings’ best-that is, if the music feels like it.