CLOUD CULT | Knitting Factory Review

Gothamist's Movable Hype 7.0 went down Monday evening at the Knitting Factory and it was a winner with Cloud Cult, Land of Talk, Stars of Track and Field, and The Slack Republic. This was my first chance to see Land of Talk and I was very impressed, caught in the tractor beam of Elizabeth Powell's awesome voice. Stars of Track and Field did well in their first New York show and The Slack Republic had a lot of energy. Minnesota's Cloud Cult was the main draw though.

Cloud Cult's songs are filled with allusions to life and death with images like the final suspended moments before a car crash or shedding your old skin to start anew. There are speculations on reincarnation as a buffalo or a bumblebee, and a story about a kid communicating via radio with his deceased grandpa. Singer Craig Minowa's focus on human mortality is rooted in his own anguish over the death of his infant son a few years ago but his songs are by no means downers nor does he dwell on that unfortunate event.
Interestingly enough, Cloud Cult's set at the Knitting Factory was amazing if you only consider the beginning and the end. A new song started the show with only Craig's boyish voice floating over his deft plucking on guitar. The band came in on the second song, as did some electronic noise and the crackle of distortion, while Craig pulled out a funky riff to transition into "Living On The Outside Of Your Skin." There were a few instrumental introductions but this one was by far the best. Cloud Cult’s songs seem to have a lifespan of their own as some grow from mild, warm, and innocent tunes to wild, noisy, entanglements close to their breaking point.
The band has the capability to reach this breadth with a wide range of instrumentation. Sarah Young plays the cello and also adds a female voice to the vocals. Mathew Freed provides an essential hum and buzz from his bass. Dan Greenwood and Craig’s percussion span from rock drumming to programmed funk beats. Craig also triggers samples, filters sounds through pedals, and plays the keyboard when he's not on guitar. The only thing really lacking from their live show is more of the sampling, clipping, and layering that works so well on their latest album Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus.
Still, the last time I saw Cloud Cult (BMJ), I was completely floored because they played most of the songs off this album and, if I remember correctly, also had a violin and flute that added even more depth to their live sound. Last time, Craig could not spit out the lyrics to “Transistor Radio” so the song was skipped. But this time at the end of the show, despite a false start due to an out of tune guitar, the curse on “Transistor Radio” was lifted. There was no time for an encore but they finished with “Happy Hippo,” which exemplifies their rare combination of untarnished strings meshed with glitchy but organic synths and drums. The show at the Knitting Factory was great despite some unfocused instrumental segments and some new songs that I hope are still in their rough stages. This band has their quirks but I don’t think they would be making great music without them.

Don't miss your last chance to see Cloud Cult (with the Undisputed Heavyweights) while they’re intown at Arlene's Grocery on Friday!

Obviously, lots of other bloggers were also there. These are the reviews I could find: Gothamist, Daily Refill, BrooklynVegan (and here), Jerry Yeti, and ryspace. More pics after the jump.

Land of Talk

Stars of Track and Field