Cloud Nothings : "the Black Hole Understands"

There was once a time when I had to debate if this band was going to be on the punk rock list at the end of the year. That was when their brand of indie rock had the emphasis placed on the rock. This album finds them basking in the sun. The guitars havrea lazy strum. The song's have a pleasing flow to them. They are melodic. I am even picking up more of a Pixies influence than I had on previous releases. The vocals are less apathetic. There is emotion .  They continue to be upbeat, they just are not as driven. I like how the jangle of guitar sits against the more sedate vocal on "the Sound of Everyone". They dod not hook me in as solidly on the dreamy yet exhuberant "An Average World". One thing that can be said about this album is they have expanded the sonic scope of what they do and is not the sound of a band trying to recreate yesterday.

There is a more laid back mood to "A Weird Interaction" that sounds like it could have come from the eearly 90s. The chorus of the song has enough hook to make it work. There is more of a Joy Division vibe to "Tall Gray Structure" , but is is also an instrumental. An odd choice for this band. By the time I got to "A Silent Reaction" the album had begun to fade into the background, requirring multiple listens to bring me back into it. The drummer does continue to beat the hell out of his kit. It is the rest of the band that is not taking out any aggression on their instruments. It almost makes me think of Elliot Smith with a full band. More plugged and not as breathy vocally, but otherwise close to the sound.  When listening to this album on iTunes, it got shuffled around and all the songs began to sound the same. Some choruses just stand out more than others.

They closest they are coming to punk might be "Right On the Edge" . I rocks like Dinosaur Jr lite. There is a more relaxed almost 80's feel to "Memory of Regret". By 80s I am thinking early R.E.M. While it is brisk the title track that ends the album is far too optimistic to be punk, though it's a fairly decent songs. I will give this album a 9. Despite the kinder and gentler shift the songs are pretty solid and it makes for a fun listen.