I probably should’ve ingested a mind-altering substance prior to Cloud Cult’s gig - it was such a surreal, awe-inspiring event.
To preface things, here’s a brief (albeit necessary) introduction to the world of Cloud Cult. In 1995, Cloud Cult was formed as a not-for-profit music-centered environmental and philosophical movement. In 2000, Cloud Cult lead singer Craig Minowa and his wife (a high school sweetheart) welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Kaidin. Two years later, a great tragedy occurred - Minowa’s two year old son unexpectedly passed away in the middle of the night. In the year following, Minowa became a recluse, writing countless songs to ease the pain. Their most recent LP, The Meaning of 8, hit stores April 10, and it’s their most fully realized work yet. With their rich orchestration and electronic beats, Cloud Cult’s brand of eccentric folk-rock conjures comparisons to indie stalwarts The Decemberists and The Flaming Lips. Mired in tragedy, Cloud Cult has channeled these powerful emotions into their music, crafting moody, melancholic ballads that will break the hearts of even the most callous of listeners.
Alright, now back to Saturday night’s gig. It was truly a feast for the senses: there were two artists on either side of the stage painting on easels to the music (one of which is Minowa’s wife, Connie), a projection screen behind the band displaying various trippy images, a pregnant woman playing the cello, a stunning blonde on violin, and the requisite drums and bass, with frontman Minowa on guitar and providing his trademark James Mercer-esque airy, ethereal vocals. Cloud Cult’s sound is very diverse, effortlessly shifting from guitar-driven indie rock to electronic ditties with strings to folk-rock. They mostly played a selection of songs off recent LP The Meaning of 8, as well as previous first-rate LP The Happy Hippopotamus. They commenced with the spiraling violins and escalating percussions of “Hope,” finally erupting in Explosions in the Sky-esque fashion with its optimistic, cheery chorus. The electronic beats and strings of “Chain Reaction” also build to an epic climax, with Minowa’s tormented voice yelling, “Put your face on mine!” Recent single, beauteous love ballad “Chemicals Collide” incited much head-bobbing, while the electro “Happy Hippopotamus” got the hips involved and the shredding guitar of “Please Remain Calm” convinced the arms and legs to go along for the ride. The night’s high point was clearly their bravura performance of “Take Your Medicine,” which had much of the sold-out, 250-person Mercury Lounge crowd singing along; creating a brilliant air of musical catharsis.
At the conclusion of their 16-song set, Cloud Cult decided to reward the crowd for selling out the show days in advance by playing three more songs, closing with a heartbreaking requiem to Minowa’s dead son, “My Son is Watching,” spliced with “You Are My Sunshine,” that moved the crowd to silence. You must go out and experience Cloud Cult live, for theirs is music that possesses the rarest of abilities - the power to heal.
~Marlow Stern
Photo: Marlow Stern
