Attack On Memory
by Cloud Nothings

I remember hearing Cloud Nothings for the first time on a compilation a couple years ago. I thought they were boring, and wrote them off as blog hype. The only reason that I picked up Attack on Memory was because I had heard that the album made use of post-hardcore influences, which is a personal love of mine.

The post-hardcore influences are definitely present. My question was whether they’d be more akin to the post-hardcore of old or new. The album definitely pays tribute to Youth of America on a few songs. The album’s second track, “Wasted Days”, is an excellent example, calling to mind some of Wipers’ longer tracks with its verse-riffforever-verse structure. The use of a constant rhythm with sparse guitar soloing over the top gives it a classic art punk feel which fans of the genre are sure to appreciate.

Right after that nearly nine-minute jam, we’re treated to what’s essentially a pop song, as Cloud Nothings get back into what they were originally known for. It gives you a sense of what the album is about, a sort of yin and yang style. The album panders between hardcore and pop, between its abrasive vocals and long instrumental sections, between the decade-old influences that it wears on its sleeve and the modern music scene which rarely sees music like this.

Albums like this that are so obvious in what they borrow from other bands are often very polarizing. Sometimes it works out great, like The Black Keys’ albums, firmly grounded in the blues but bringing that extra something to the table that puts them over the top. Most of the time, it doesn’t. Attack on Memory is a difficult album to put into either camp. It very much feels like an inferior Youth of America, and it’s similar enough that the comparison has to be made, which really hurts it. At the same time however, it’s a fun album with solid instrumentation, and the fun that comes with the album makes it feel like more of an ode to those albums than a poor copy. Cloud Nothings have made a good album as they explore more styles of music. They don’t seem to have found a style that’s truly their own just yet, but they’re a band to keep an eye on.

This album is not really anything interesting. This is the same whiny, post punk new wave crud that's been done over and over and.... Which is not my main complaint with this album. My main complaint with it is that I don't feel what Cloud Nothings are trying to achieve with this and when I finished listening to this I felt "nothing." Not jack. The only reason why I gave this a 55/100 is because some songs like "Separation" and "Fall In" have interesting hooks to them.

Overall, this album is just like The Yuck album from last year. I do not mean that they are alike musically but I mean that what happened with Yuck will happen with this. Yuck came out at the beginning of the year and everyone thought that it was the something, but as the year went on bigger and better things came out and it all overshadowed Yuck. That's what will happen with this. Dang, I think I've forgotten about this album already....

From pearljammer13 TOP 100 COMMENTER 07/27/2012 13:33 | #47319 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

I also don't get all the negativity. Certainly has a lot of memorable songs. Wasted Days and Fall In is a great back to back. Definite top 10 album of the year. Powerful vocals.

I don't get all the negative comments about this album. This is some seriously well done garage/noise punk. The best noisy rock album so far in a year that's already been bountiful with great noisy rock music.

From awesomness425 09/21/2017 21:32 | #198473 | TOP COMMENT Vote up your preferred comments and the comments with the most votes will be flagged.

The intensity and anger that comes from these songs pump me up like no other. If you see some kid hanging about with headphones in and shaking his feet and hands at a million miles a minute, it's me listening to this album.