Cloud Nothings are here to tell their story

On their self-titled debut album and the early singles collection Turning On, Dylan Baldi’s Cloud Nothings established themselves as a lo-fi power-pop outfit.

But with 2012’s Attack On Memory the one-time one-man operation embraced a full four-piece band with Steve Albini at the controls, and Baldi discovered his inner scream.

Now Baldi is back with his third album proper Here And Nowhere Else, produced by John Congleton and featuring a power trio set-up following the departure of guitarist Joe Boyer.

“I didn’t really feel any pressure,” says Baldi of recording the new album.

“When I was making Attack On Memory I wasn’t thinking about how different it was – recording with a band rather than on my own apparently made a big difference!”

He is now sold on the live recording sound – admitting it’s more fun working with other people in the studio.

“I have made things far better than I could if I had made them on my own,” he says.

The new album is even darker than its predecessor – with the lighter poppier moments of Attack On Memory, such as single Fall In, a distant memory when listening to the epic jam on Pattern Walks.

The grungier, more menacing atmosphere only lets up on the more melodic final song and album highlight I’m Not Part Of Me.

The piano which occasionally found its way into Attack On Memory is absent, with Baldi taking on both lead and rhythm guitar parts – something which was already happening before the departure of Boyer.

“Joe got in trouble and couldn’t leave the state of Ohio for a long time,” admits Baldi. “I had been writing songs already where I was playing the way I am on the new record. I wasn’t even sure what Joe was going to do – it kind of just worked out I guess.

“I’ve learned how to play guitar a little differently – I had to get better to make this album. Songs sound more dangerous as a three-piece than they did as a four-piece on record.

“The thing about a three-piece is you can either be extremely tight or all go off doing solos. All our songs sound off the cuff and improvised, even though they are tightly structured. It makes the music feel more exciting.”

Like Attack On Memory the new album features only eight songs in little more than half-an-hour, despite Baldi admitting he is constantly writing new material.

“If I don’t have a guitar or something to record on near me I get depressed,” he laughs, adding much of the record was formulated while flying between his Cleveland home and where his now ex-girlfriend lived in Paris.

“I need to be playing or writing stuff all the time right now, while I have the luxury of free time.

“When I know I’m making a record I have to give myself a deadline – book some studio time or something. I have lots of ideas, I’m writing stuff all the time, but the majority of stuff is not amazing - I would never release it. If I hit on something I keep on coming back to it and flesh it out into a real song.”

Last year, as well as touring the new album, he teamed up with Nathan Williams of Wavves to pen an album which should see the light of day in March.

“I went to his house with nothing, and I don’t think he had much to work on either,” says Baldi. “We sat down and played stuff, adding things on top of each other’s parts.

“I like the idea of having people around to write things. I think I have taken writing things by myself to its extent – I don’t really know where to go with the songs I write now. I can learn something from other people.”

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