The alt-rock underground heavyweights Cloud Nothings are back with Final Summer, the Band’s Ninth studio album. It is a strong album filled with Earwormy melodies and huge guitar sounds. The band continues their no-miss reputation with a set of huge-sounding tracks that significantly represent the current era of the band. While most bands take a lengthy break from record to record, Cloud Nothings has the opposite approach: they just keep the ball rolling and have fun.

The first song and self-titled track, Final Summer, opens up with some tension-building synth arpeggios and pads right before the band transitions into the driving song that takes up the bulk of the track. Sees the band playing with different instruments such as saxophones and luscious 80s synths. The second track, “Daggers of Light,” is a slightly slower tune with some cool dynamics and guitar playing. “I’d Get Along” is probably my favorite track off the album. It has a crazy sick guitar tone that sounds like King Tuff played through Steve Albini’s pedalboard in big black. The song evolves nicely and has some of the most excellent vocal melodies on the whole album. The track to follow is “Mouse Policy,” a ripper song reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr and Hot Snakes. The track has a fast tempo and is sure to get a crowd moving, but it still can catch you by surprise with its groovy and emotive outro that carries the song to an end. The next track, “Silence,” has some of the shreddiest guitar playing on the whole album, but it is played with taste and finesse.

If there is anything to complain about with this album, it’s definitely the mixes. I find that the songs feel quite bare as if they weren’t really touched on after the bed tracks were recorded. Although it has a very raw and live feel, I do wish the mixes had slightly more variety from song to song.
Next up is the youthful and nostalgic feeling track “Running Through The Campus, ” a fun track portraying an optimistic reflection on the past. Although it feels like a somewhat on-the-nose metaphor for being young, it’s a fun and wholesome song. Towards the latter half of this record, it really seems like the band was having fun writing cheerful songs that radiate energy and make people feel good, And that is definitely well showcased on “The Golden Halo,” Which has absolutely batshit drumming at the end of the song. We get a similar cut to “The Golden Halo” with “Thank Me For Playing,” an energy track with ripping drumming and soaring vocal melodies. “On The Chain” has the dynamics that the latter half of the album was missing. It has a perfect mix of emotion and raw rock n roll craziness, which is one of the reasons why Cloud Nothings stands out in the world of Alt Rock and Garage Rock. The Lyrics “Choose Your Life” Are repeated at the beginning of the final track,” Common Mistake,” which closes with hopeful and optimistic lyrical themes.

Pre-order Final Summer by Cloud Nothings HERE