This band is really fantastic. I downloaded their first nationally released album, They Live on the Sun, from emusic about a week ago and haven’t been able to stop listening to it since. Craig and Connie Minowa, the husband and wife founding members, lost their two year old son in 2002 and They Live on the Sun represents Craig’s profound struggle with and response to this traumatic event. However, the album is not what you might expect, an Elliot Smithesque hour of quiet, desperate existential angst. Existential angst is in view to be sure, but Craig captures the full range of emotion that occur in those weeks and months after the unexpected death of a loved one, from confusion and questions, to rage, to withdrawal to wondering if one’s sanity will remain intact through this dark night to profound desires to escape and beautiful and precious memories that remain and at times comfort.
Further, the stylistic creativity of the album is stunning. Cloud Cult moves seamlessly from post-folk to techno and electronica, to space pop and beyond. Listening to the album I am reminded at various times of The Flaming Lips, The Books, The Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens. But the real genius of They Live on the Sun and Cloud Cult more generally is their ability to make profound, honest, alternately beautiful and compelling depending on the emotions being conveyed and never pretentious, music. I can’t say enough good about this album or this band. Buy it. Listen to it. Enjoy.
BTW- The image comes from their most recent release, Feel Good Ghosts - Tea-Partying through Tornadoes. I look forward to it.