Punk Rock Alive and Well in Cloud Nothings’ ‘Life Without Sound’

While the era of garage punk rock may seem over to many, Cloud Nothings would disagree. The Cleveland-based indie rock group has been an exponent of the rock subgenre for the last seven years. In this short time span, the band has come a long way from founder singer-songwriter Dylan Baldi’s lo-fi pop punk musical experiment. Their latest album, “Life without Sound,” features the idiosyncratic loud vocals and fast-paced guitar riffs that fans have come to expect and love. “Life Without Sound” builds upon their last album, a joint project with the pop punk group Wavves on “No Life for Me,” to further refine their distinctive grunge sound, resulting in an enjoyable, albeit sometimes monotonous, experience for those seeking a punk rock group that has stayed true to its roots.

“Life Without Sound” begins with “Up To The Surface,” almost a marching tune, with a slow piano melody preceding a crescendo. Its lyrics present heartache, self-discovery, and solitude as themes central to the album. The use of somber lyrics is not new to the musical group, which has never been afraid of discussing dark emotions in past albums—“How It’s Gonna Go,” a track on “No Life for Me,” features the line “I’m such a fucking mess / Don’t know at all how it’s gonna go”—without turning to self-pity. “Life Without Sound,” however, suggests a coming-of-age recognition of how one’s expectations of oneself do not always align perfectly with reality: “I thought I knew a way to be / But I’m not right there,” Dylan Baldi sings on the track “Enter Entirely.”

Layered between angry vocals and the thumping of drums is an optimism not found in the band’s previous works. The album ends with the reverbing guitar riffs and screaming vocals of “Realize My Fate,” in which the band rages against the fears exposed throughout the album, claiming to “believe in something bigger.” The album generally follows a theme of an arc from initial self-awareness to a realized purpose—while reminding the audience that this is all easier said than done. This lyrical diversity provides the album with enough momentum to make it through songs that may at times sound repetitive, and the lyrics themselves remain brief yet powerful.

From a technical point of view, Cloud Nothings have managed to further hone their distinctive grunge sound while still conserving some elements from Dylan Bandi’s lo-fi style. Guitar reverbs are periodically ring throughout the album. At 37 minutes with nine tracks, six out of the nine songs have a running time of almost four minutes or more, but those 37 minutes are gone in a flash. The best song on the album, “Enter Entirely,” brings together all of the band’s strengths, serving as a midpoint anchor that brings cohesion to the album. The incorporation of the touring guitarist Chris Brown in 2016—replacing previous guitarist Joe Boyer who left in 2013—is a welcome addition.

All in all, “Life Without Sound” can be either listened to as a head-banging anthem or as a reflexive meditation on the 25-year-old lead singer songwriter Dylan Baldi’s foray into young adulthood. The beauty of “Life Without Sound” is the versatility of tracks that get better and better after each listen. Though it may seem initially difficult to enjoy for some, “Life Without Sound” promises 37 minutes of fierce music. It may not bring anything new to the genre, but it is certainly a welcome addition. If anything, the album proves that the time-tested punk rock genre is alive and well—and intends to stick around.