Ranking Cloud Nothings’ 9 Albums
Cloud Nothings began as the solo project of Dylan Baldi in 2009, concocted in his parents’ basement in Cleveland, Ohio. Armed with a laptop and a torrent of creative energy, Baldi crafted catchy and raucous lo-fi pop tunes that quickly captured the attention of the indie music scene.
His early tracks, uploaded to a fake MySpace page meant to look like a full band, snagged a gig in New York that convinced Baldi to turn his project into a real band. Thus, Cloud Nothings transformed from a one-man show into a dynamic group, fleshing out Baldi’s vision with the addition of TJ Duke on bass, Joe Boyer on guitar, and Jayson Gerycz on drums.
The band’s early work was marked by infectious, energetic punk tunes, culminating in their self-titled debut album in 2011. Cloud Nothings’ journey wasn’t without its turbulence. The departure of Joe Boyer in 2014 led to a reshuffle, with Baldi taking over the lead guitar duties, which infused the band’s sound with a fresh, albeit slightly rougher, edge. Each album release seemed to follow the band’s tradition of evolving their sound, often reflecting their internal changes and growth.
They’ve been known to engage in light-hearted banter with fans online and have an amusing tendency to joke about their own lo-fi beginnings and unexpected rise to fame. Despite the shifts in lineup and sound, Cloud Nothings maintain a core essence that continues to captivate.
9. Cloud Nothings (2011)
Despite being a debut, this is a surprisingly cohesive and well-put-together album that contains many of the elements that have made Cloud Nothings so endearing throughout the years.
Considering that the entire album was both written and performed solely by a teenage Dylan, it has no right to be as catchy and structured as it is. His ability to blend indie rock and punk styles with pop sensibilities is mind-blowing. I don’t say this often, but Dylan is undeniably a songwriting genius (and a prolific one at that).
Partially due to Dylan’s yet-inexperienced nature at the time, the record has a very light feel to it. The song topics aren’t nearly as profound as he would later write, and there’s a general light poppiness. It makes the album possibly the most breezy and lighthearted of their releases — something you can simply put on and enjoy.
As great as this is, it still suffers from some debut woes, especially from such a young artist. The production is very home studio-esque, better than the lo-fi recordings he put out prior to this, but clearly lacking the more dynamic punch of his later albums. Luckily, Dylan’s songwriting doesn’t require pristine production to come through great.
Undeniably, the weakest part of the record is Dylan’s vocals. They’re not bad by any means, but they’re also clearly not mature enough at this point so he isn’t able to apply that little ‘umph’ needed to give the songs some strength. The lyrics here and there are also a little amateurish (like on “Not Important”), but not enough to really stand out.
Lastly, while he’s an okay drummer, Dylan’s talent behind the kit is nowhere near the level that Jayson Gerycz would later bring.
In general, this is a really fun album and a great look at Cloud Nothings’ origins, but it’s just not up to par with their later output.
Recommended Tracks: Should Have / Nothing’s Wrong / All The Time
8. Last Building Burning (2018)
On other releases, Dylan has often dialed back the rage in lieu of a more melodic and easygoing approach, but on Last Building Burning, he finally lets out his full fury and anger.
I could easily see this being a lot of fans’ favorite album from the band, or at least near the top, and conceptually, I should love it too. When Dylan sings with extreme intensity, it’s a thing of beauty, but unfortunately, this album just doesn’t seem to hit right.
“On An Edge” starts the whole thing off fast and heavy with Dylan screaming indiscernible lyrics throughout the runtime. It’s a good track with some solid moments, but it also kind of overwears its welcome.
The second track, “Leave Him Now,” aptly describes a situation where a person needs to get out now or they never will. It is by far the best track on the album and a great example of exactly why I love this band so much — unchecked raw emotion.
From there you’ve got some other highlights, like the closer “Another Way of Life” which finds Jayson really attacking the drums and “In Shame” which features another dose of heavy vitriol from Dylan.
Other songs, like “Offer an End”, don’t offer much of anything memorable, but the album’s weakest point and what gives it a lower ranking, is the self-indulgent “Dissolution”. This track is around 2 minutes of an actual song, and 9 minutes of seemingly unrehearsed jamming. I don’t mind this type of improvisation at the end of the album, but near the middle, it’s just annoying.
If you want something that will really hit hard, this is your album, but too many meh moments keep it from being ranked higher.
Recommended Tracks: Leave Him Now / Another Way of Life / In Shame
7. Life Is Only One Event (2020)
Life Is Only One Event is not only a testament to how brilliant Baldi is as a songwriter but also proof that you can be prolific without sacrificing quality. I can only think of a couple of other songwriters who can write so much material so quickly and still have it all be excellent.
When 2020 stopped bands from touring and forced many to hole up in their homes, Dylan and Jayson used the opportunity to go on a writing spree. The result was three full-length albums and a plethora of EPs.
Released at the end of 2020, this album is more or less considered to be the extras from The Black Hole Understands, which was released six months prior. Whenever I think about the fact that these songs are considered extras, I gain even more respect for Bandi and co.
The songs here are a bit subdued overall, perfectly matching the bedroom environment they were created in. This may not do it for those who prefer it when Cloud Nothings are going harder, but I personally love the quiet way Dylan can embed a hook into almost every moment of a song.
My only problem with the record is that it doesn’t quite have the same flow as their other albums. The lack of a proper sequencing is pretty much the only aspect in which this album comes across as an ‘extras’ release. “An Older Road” begins the album quite immediately, and the songs kind of continue to come and go without moving in a solid direction.
Safe to say, this album is far too good to be just a Bandcamp exclusive release. More people really need to hear it.
Recommended Tracks: Saw This Light / An Older Road / Alive In The World
6. Final Summer (2024)
Final Summer is in many ways, an album of change for Cloud Nothings. It’s their first record without bassist TJ Duke (since the self-titled). It’s the first album as a 3-piece since Here and Nowhere Else, and it’s the first album they’ve released on a label that isn’t Carpark (besides self-released material).
So, with all this change, does Final Summer still sound like the Cloud Nothings we know and love? Well, despite the synthy beginning to the title-track opener that might throw you off, this is still undoubtedly Cloud Nothings.
This is a record best appreciated through repeat listens, as the slightly higher production brings out a lot of little elements that are easy to miss the first few times around.
Overall, it’s a pretty breezy record with some slow-burning tracks like “Daggers of Light” and “Silence”. The classic Baldi-roar only peaks its head out slightly on “I’d Get Along”, but it still sounds in tune with the album’s general vibe.
“Thank Me For Playing” and “Mouse Policy” provide the record’s more upbeat indie rock jams, and I found the hooks immediately catchy and memorable, while other songs like “On The Chain” just don’t really seem to go anywhere, but aren’t annoying either. They even manage to add that trademark lyrical repetition in “The Golden Halo” which Cloud Nothings always manages to pull off.
Final Summer is a great addition to an already stellar catalog and while it may not be much of a bold new direction, it’s still packed with the undeniable likeability that Dylan and co. are so good at providing.
Recommended Tracks: Thank Me For Playing / Mouse Policy / Final Summer
5. The Black Hole Understands (2020)
An album written, recorded, mixed, mastered, and then released in as short of a time as The Black Hole Understands shouldn’t sound as good as it does. It’s truly remarkable what Baldi and Co can achieve given such little time.
We all know the stories from various artists who were holed up during COVID and the songwriting that came out of it, but I feel like Cloud Nothings was able to capture the feelings of the situation better than most. Even if the songs don’t directly relate to the global impact, they somehow still connect you to it.
For those who prefer the more fast and passionate version of the band, this may not quite be your cup of tea, but for those who love the sneaky, infectious melodies that this band is excellent at pulling off, you’ll love it.
The first half of the album has such a calming effect that dives deep into musical subtleties. “The Sound of Everyone” and “An Average World” for instance, never pound you over the head, yet they’re still able to creep into your subconscious through their carefully constructed melodies.
The second half seems to pick things up a little more and features what I would argue are the album’s best tracks. The title track (and closer) finds Dylan stringing together these very quick and catchy verses that flow into a soothing chorus. It’s a thing of pure beauty and amounts to one of the best tracks the band has put together.
Both “The Mess Is Permanent” and “Right On The Edge” feature that kind of light uplifting style that the band pulls off so well. When the chorus to “The Mess Is Permanent” hits, it perfectly nails the lyricism’s emotional nature.
As a Bandcamp album, this album didn’t get nearly the exposure it deserved (as it’s not found on most streaming services), so do yourself a favor and search it out and give it a listen, because it’s a beautiful musical journey that shouldn’t be missed.
Recommended Tracks: The Black Hole Understands / The Mess Is Permanent / Right On The Edge
4. Attack On Memory (2012)
I think we can all agree that this, Cloud Nothings’ sophomore album, was the real game-changer for the band. It’s the first record from the band to be done as a group instead of a Dylan solo project — Jayson Gerycz on drums, TJ Duke on bass, and Joe Boyer on lead guitar.
Bringing famed sound engineer Steve Albini (RIP) to produce the record allowed the band to deliver the kind of sound they wanted — a loose, almost improvisational style that could be easily replicated live.
Shifting from the band’s original poppier sound, Attack On Memory is a dark and introspective record that largely works as well as it does because of Dylan’s unfiltered (and still maturing) vocals. You can tell the band didn’t bother with recording several takes and I think it really benefits the record. Had they attempted to overthink the tracks, that raw passion wouldn’t have been able to come through.
The album’s first 2 songs take up almost half the record’s runtime and while they’re both great, albeit non-overly calculated tracks, the 9-minute runtime of “Wasted Days” does start to get long. Had this been placed at the end of the album, the lengthy jam session wouldn’t be bothersome, but at the beginning it sounds off. Then again, maybe that’s the point?
Both “Fall In” and “Stay Useless” feature that type of jangly indie rock that this band has absolutely perfected — it’s catchy, groove-heavy jams, yet it never comes across as formulaic.
There’s a reason this is a lot of fans’ favorite Cloud Nothings release. It’s raw, passionate, and 100% authentic. Even the instrumental track “Separation” works really well despite not needing to rely on soloing or heavy riffing like most instrumental tracks would.
Recommended Tracks: Stay Useless / Fall In / Our Plans
3. The Shadow I Remember (2021)
Never wanting to retread on the past, Cloud Nothings have always chosen to work with a new producer for each record. That is, until The Shadow I Remember, when they returned to work with famed sound engineer, Steve Albini (RIP).
Now, I’m sure fans who were expecting a return to the untethered, raw passion of Attack On Memory were disappointed that this wasn’t in the same vein, but for those of us who have enjoyed the band’s growth and maturity throughout the years, The Shadow I Remember is exactly the type of record you want from the band.
This album, more than any other, sums up the band’s indefinable catchiness and hookiness. Every single track on this album is an earworm, yet it’s never blatant.
After releasing so much excellent music in 2020, you wouldn’t have thought the band had saved the best of the batch for this album, but here we are — an album with 11 perfect gems.
“Oslo” starts the whole thing off on a slow, somber note, where Dylan muses about the nature of aging, before moving on to “Nothing With You” which features Macie Stewart providing vocals on the chorus. This track then morphs into the heavier “The Spirit Of” which ends with Dylan bellowing out “what do you love?!”.
The album is pretty mid-tempo overall, save for a few quicker, angrier tracks such as the rapid-fire “It’s Love” or “Only Light,” which help diversify the album’s sound.
I could give an in-depth review of every song on this record because they all perfectly hit the emotional lever, but “Am I Something” manages to particularly stand out from the other excellent tunes. Dylan’s pained screams during the chorus, questioning his value in the world, is exactly what I love about this band and just music overall. It’s the tie to the human experience, and I can immediately relate to Baldi through his honest expressionism.
Recommended Tracks: Am I Something / Nothing With You / The Room It Was
2. Here and Nowhere Else (2014)
As great as Attack On Memory is, Here and Nowhere Else managed to gather what worked on that album and take the band toward the next logical step. The deliberate looseness of their sophomore release is replaced here with songs that are more fleshed out without ever sacrificing the early material’s passion.
With Baldi returning to sole guitar duties, it makes sense that they didn’t want this to have as much of a live sound because it clearly required guitar layering to fill in some gaps. Luckily, Baldi is a stellar guitarist in addition to being a superb songwriter.
Have no doubt, this is a hard-hitting album through and through with rarely a break in its musical or lyrical intensity. Its brilliance is that it comes across so intensely while always maintaining a strong hook.
The gritty guitar tone works cohesively with the equally crunchy bass — both riffing off each other yet never really placing the musicality in center stage. Of course, it’s all ultimately tied together through Jayson’s impeccable drumming.
Dylan has proved through his early solo releases that he’s the genius behind the band, but Jayson is decidedly the secret element that takes them to another level. His jumpstart tempos, which manage to smooth over what could be otherwise jarring transitions, are a thing of beauty.
Here and Nowhere Else is nothing short of a work of genius, both musically and lyrically — maintaining that level of passionate honesty that keeps it genuine and makes it all work.
It’s got everything you want, such as the longer “Pattern Walks,” which is consistently engaging, or the heavy rager “Just See Fear.” However, it really reaches its pinnacle on the closing track “I’m Not Part of Me,” which is arguably the best song the band has ever written.
Recommended Tracks: I’m Not Part of Me / Now Here In / Psychic Trauma
1. Life Without Sound (2017)
Cloud Nothings’ fourth album finds the band continuing to evolve their sound, without sacrificing the core of what makes the group such an unstoppable juggernaut of songwriting.
With a sole piano opening the album on “Up to the Surface”, you could’ve possibly thought that Cloud Nothings had lost their edge on Life Without Sound, but in reality, their visceral nature is still in full force, it’s just utilizing new methods of distribution.
With some slightly spruced-up production, the group’s innate ability to craft hooks is even more present than ever. Not only do the songs sound more immense than ever, but through some intentionally excellent vocal harmonizing, the melodies are able to evoke a type of carnal emotional relatability that they couldn’t quite grasp before.
“Modern Act”, “Internal World”, and “Sight Unseen” may just be the catchiest tunes the band has ever written, yet they never sacrifice that painful connection that Dylan so expertly crafts into his lyricism. The way he’s able to sweep you up emotionally throughout these massive choruses is nothing less than a thing of beauty. It makes these songs a joy to listen to on repeat.
If you still want the type of raw anger evident on their previous two records, songs like “Darkened Rings” or “Strange Year” have you covered. Dylan sounds completely and utterly unleashed on these tracks, leaving behind any doubt that his heart is completely in these songs.
For longer, more majestic, and boundless tracks, there’s “Enter Entirely,” which starts on a simple melody and continues to grow until the end of its 5-minute runtime. There’s also the closer “Realize My Fate,” which finds Dylan falling deeper and deeper into a slow chaos before the album finally fades out.
To my ears, this is a perfect album — easily one of the best records I’ve ever heard. The lyrics, the passion, the production, the musicality… it’s got everything. It’s the kind of record that hits on a deeply emotional level and stays there for years.
Recommended Tracks: Things Are Right With You / Internal World / Modern Act
