The Cloud Room New Album.

The first thing I thought when I heard The Cloud Room's self-titled debut album was "man, these guys must be from New York." So I pull out the press sheet and, lo and behold, it's NYC all the way. Man, am I ever wrong? Well, perhaps (I remember a year ago listing a song as being in a minor key only to be later informed it was in C major), but this band is pure, slick, Big Apple style indie rock. Nothing experimental, just a modern, glossy-but-not-too-glossy pop sound. If you can ignore their trendy cover art and the hip but casual band member photos in the liner notes, you should really be able to appreciate what amounts to eleven solid tunes.

The fun starts with the memorable "Hey Now Now," but "Waterfall" is the first truly successful tune - its shifting structure accentuates the melody well. The disc splits the rest of its duration between energetic, slick rock tracks ("Blackout," "Beautiful Mess") and calmer pop songs ("Sunlight Song," "O My Love"). Nuggets like "Devoured in Peace" and "Blue Jean" rank among the albums best songs, coupling dramatic, lifting textures with extremely enjoyable melodies. This is a bit Strokes, a bit Walkmen, and pure NYC. I'm having trouble thinking up points of comparison, but this is definitely a recognizable sound. For all its familiarity, though, there's a lot to like here. (Review By Indeiville)

"Hey Now Now" Video

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