Cloud Cult Reissue Two Albums, Record New One (MP3)
Cloud Cult have been riding high lately. Their two most recent albums, The Meaning of 8 and Owl&Bear favorite Feel Good Ghosts (Tea Partying Through Tornadoes), have marked a creative peak for the band, the hard-won result of ten years of touring, seemingly insurmountable hardships, and a recorded output far too large to shake a stick at. The Minnesota band even took a victory lap with last year’s No One Said It Would Be Easy, a documentary that chronicled the ebbs and flows of the group’s career.
It seems that Cloud Cult haven’t quite finished turning their collective eye toward the past, because they’re re-envisioning, remixing, remastering, rearranging, and finally rereleasing two of their older albums. On December 8th, the previously out-of-print They Live On The Sun (2003) and Aurora Borealis (2004) will be reborn, Siamese twin-style, as a double disc reissue with bonus tracks. The home-recorded albums have been given a welcome shot in the arm thanks to the remixing and remastering process, and fans of the band’s more recent output will be well served to find out how the band got to be so darn good. Here’s some info: (more…)
Review: Cloud Cult; May 14, 2009 at The Casbah; San Diego
Cloud Cult have worked hard to get where they are. Their early albums contained moments of brilliance, but were weighed down by a lack of focus, frustrating silence, and cacophonous filler. After releasing six promising but inconsistent albums, the band finally struck gold with 2007’s The Meaning of 8, which balanced quirkiness and catharsis without succumbing to the ADD-addled wanderings of previous efforts.
They further refined this aesthetic on 2008′s Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes), and in doing so crafted one of the year’s finest albums. With the one-two punch of those records, Cloud Cult had ascended to a new creative peak; naturally, the prospect of seeing them live during this renaissance promised to be thrilling and memorable. Why, then, did their May 14th performance at the Casbah prove disappointing? (more…)
Cloud Cult Playing Casbah May 14th
In case you haven’t noticed yet, we at Owl&Bear really love Cloud Cult. Their most recent effort, Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) earned a much-deserved spot on our Best of 2008 list, and still hasn’t lost any of its resonance, despite the endless rotations we’ve subjected it to. So, it is with no small amount of giddiness that I remind you that the Minnesota septet are bringing their quirky and cathartic sounds to San Diego’s world-famous Casbah on Thursday, May 14th.
Cloud Cult are currently on tour in support of their new DVD No One Said It Would Be Easy, which documents the eco-friendly band’s storied career from its humble beginnings to its auspicious present. Their San Diego show is one of but a handful of dates remaining on the tour and, since rumor has it the band may unfortunately be calling it quits soon, you should make it a point to check them out while you can. Say Hi and Ice Palace will be joining them for what is sure to be a memorable night.
We’ve got a video of the band performing their song “Pretty Voice” after the jump. I know we’ve posted it before, but it’s just so good it would be a crime not to watch it again. Plus, I’m pretty sure the violinist has a crush on me.* (more…)
Cloud Cult Coming to San Diego, Releasing DVD
If you read our Best of 2008 list, you may have noticed a little band called Cloud Cult on there. The prolific Minnesota collective has already released eight wildly creative albums—including the highly recommended The Meaning Of 8—so you have no excuse for not knowing/loving them yet. The band will soon be heading out on a tour which will take them to Coachella and, more importantly, to San Diego’s beloved Casbah on May 14th.
In conjunction with the upcoming tour, the band will also be releasing a career spanning-documentary on April 21st, entitled No One Said It Would Be Easy. According to our friend Gary:
No One Said It Would Be Easy is an intimate, inside look into the origin and development of the ethereal and epic Cloud Cult. The film envelops viewers into the story and people behind Cloud Cult. Serving as both an introduction and introspection meant for newcomers to the music and fans of the band alike, the film explores the emotional and philosophical underpinnings on which Cloud Cult was founded and continues to operate, namely those of love and hope.
Cloud Cult truly are a special band, and you should be sure to check them out, whether it be in concert or on new-fangled digital video disc. To help seal the deal, we’ve got a live video and tour dates for you after the jump.
Download: Owl and Bear’s Top 20 Albums of 2008
Owl and Bear writers’ favorite albums of 2008. (more…)
