The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Stoking the fire
Nationally known Cleveland band Cloud Nothings tries to keep things interesting with ‘Last Building Burning’
“That’s sort of the music that I actually personally listen to. I’m not sitting around listening to three-minute songs, usually.” — TJ Duke, Cloud Nothings Bassist, on his fondness for more-complex music
A different album, a different story. ¶ That’s the message of Cleveland-based, nationally renowned indie rock act Cloud Nothings, which recently released their fifth studio effort, “Last Building Burning.” ¶ Whereas the group’s excellent 2017 release, “Life Without Sound,” explored a more-accessible alternative-rock motif, the new album boasts a frenetic and noisy approach sans easy hooks and sing-along vocals. ¶ “It’s just to keep ourselves kind of sane,” said bassist TJ Duke, a 2000 Medina High School graduate. “Nobody wants to do the same thing every single day. This band is a large part of our life. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t be keeping it interesting and that it shouldn’t be malleable for us, you know?”
The ever-changing sound of Cloud Nothings began earlier in the decade with the group’s self-titled debut earning them national exposure. That was followed by its 2012 effort, “Attack on Memory,” which received critical acclaim from Rolling Stone magazine and Pitchfork. Over the years, Cloud Nothings’ music has also appeared on TV (“The Originals” and “13 Reasons Why”).
As for “Last Building Burning,” the song that epitomizes the album’s adventurous spirit is the nearly 11-minute “Dissolution,” which Duke said was created purposely as a concert centerpiece. Fans can hear the tune at the group’s show Nov. 17 at the Grog Shop in Cleveland Heights.
“This is the sort of song we were all really excited to make because we all get to sort of step outside,” Duke said. “Anytime that we have a song that’s sort of built to be able to be changed and essentially to never be played the same twice, those are my favorites because we go on really long tours and we want to have music that’s interesting and dynamic for us to play.
“That’s sort of the music that I actually personally listen to. I’m not sitting around listening to threeminute songs, usually.”
Even in high school, Duke said he wasn’t a three-minute-song kind of guy, deciding after two years to quit the marching band after realizing he wanted more out of his Friday nights.
Nowadays, Duke’s entire life is seemingly nothing but the freedom and excitement. Not only is Cloud Nothings in the middle of a stateside jaunt, but early next year the band once again heads to Europe and maybe even will return to China.
Considering his journey from a Medina County kid unsure of his future to international touring artist, Duke said his message to today’s youth who find themselves in similar shoes is simple:
“If it’s something you love and are interested in, do it all of the time and don’t let anyone tell you that there’s no reason to do it,” Duke said. “Even if there’s no financial gain for that, that should have no bearing on whether or not it will benefit you in life. If you love something, embrace it and do it.
“Eventually, either someone will find you or you’ll find a way to turn that into something that someone wants, that someone maybe will pay you for. Or, at the very least, you’ll be happy because you’re doing something you love. But don’t ever tell yourself you have to do something else because you’re not making money or something like that. That’s foolish.”