Judging by appearances, one might have expected a juvenile showing from Cloud Nothings when they hit Great Scott in June. As they set up, the band tossed around a stuffed cat named Santa Paws, and 18 year-old lead singer Dylan Baldi fiddled with it in his x-marked hands. Sure, jejune implications were abound — but only until they launched into an expertly executed set, abuzz with a youthful energy sans callowness.
Without cue, every song began and ended in a unified flash. Drummer Jayson Gerycz was soaked in sweat and gasping for breath as he attacked his set with heated fervor, ramming songs like “Morgan” and “Even If It Worked Out” into precipitating thrills. The rest of the band, never caught off guard by Gerycz’s aggressive drive, responded with mounting intensity. Baldi’s vocals strained and the bass obsessively snarled back, and through sweat-slicked glasses that kept disobediently slipping, they proved able to predict and expound upon each other’s next move.
Cloud Nothings is back in their hometown of Cleveland after finishing a tour alongside Wavves, but be sure to check out their newly released single “Didn’t You”. You can also listen to and download a great live set they performed on Daytrotter, which was released last week: http://www.daytrotter.com/dt/cloud-nothings-concert/20031249-37382222.html