– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER –
Cloud Nothings seem to have been rather busy bees lately, supporting the likes of Real Estate and Woods and even the ever popular Best Coast; they seem to be enjoying some good shows but I admit that I hadn’t heard of them till tonight.
They perform a tight show, some catchy songs, some choruses which seem to lack lyrics, but it doesn’t matter as they have a melody and some rather impressive Buddy Holly type hiccups (I really don’t know how to describe the noises, but entertaining all the same!). There is a scuzziness occurring on the vocals, you can’t really decipher what Dylan Baldi’s singing, but it seems to add to the nature of the songs.
What is really engaging is their energy; the drummer, positioned profile to the audience snaps away on a rather sparse drum kit, playing rhythms that create a full sound, loud but clear – the guitars jar away at their chords in very rhythmic fashions. Pretty good Power Pop.
There is something undoubtedly British about Veronica Falls, on record and on stage. They seem to have placed nostalgia in a box only to have kept it for a while in a little darkness, to then slowly open it, letting out a familiar yet warped sound.
Two girls, two boys, they play to a crowd that seem a little absent, which is a shame as it’s a damper for any band. Not that it affects their performance greatly, but I feel that it shows at the beginning of their set as it takes a while for them to feel comfortable.
‘Found Love in a Graveyard’ shows their ability to create an aura, the lightly laced vocals of Roxanne Clifford mask over the sounds of the dark folk driving guitars which allows space within the song to spin their full web of sound. I’m impressed by the reserved nature of the vocals, Patrick Doyle and James Hoare creating lovely harmonies; warm and content, with Clifford unafraid to just sit on top of it all. It adds charm and a smoky nature; the distinct layers adding to the character of the song.
They have a set full of charismatic songs, the vocals of Clifford in ‘Stephen’; seem to be delivered with a bit more energy than previous songs in the set. The immediate start to the song falls into a mirage of guitar lines with the simplicity of the repeated, “Stephen” treated to different voices creates a hypnotic effect. As with ‘Starry Eyes’ the songs just seem to fall nicely. The padding bass lines of Marion Herbain are playing with lightness and the echoing guitars scatter their harmonised chords. It’s all very pretty but with an added grain.
They end the set and I’m a little surprised at its shortness. They certainly have the effect of wanting more. I go home with a smile on my face.
