by Tim McMahan,  Lazy-i.com

Cleveland’s Cloud Nothings, who headlines tonight at Reverb Lounge, is the product of singer/songwriter Dylan Baldi, who started the band as a solo project in 2009 while at Case Western Reserve University. What began as a lark became a career, as he was quickly signed to DC-based Carpark Records, who released the band’s self-titled debut in 2011. 

Since then, Cloud Nothings has recorded seven albums, the last, Final Summer, was released this past April by Pure Noise Records. Pop Matters called it a “master class in Indie Rock,” and Pitchfork gave it a respectable 7.5 rating. It has all the trappings of classic indie, from the jangle-riff guitars to the chugging rhythm section, very reminiscent of acts like Superchunk, who no doubt, was an influence.

Dylan took part in a Ten Questions interview back in 2018 when they first visited Omaha. Asked if he was able to make a living off his music, he said, “Yeah we’ve been strictly musicians for about six years now. It’s the biggest luxury. Gives me lots of time to make sure I’m making the best music I can. It took us three years of touring and working together for basically zero dollars. But luckily it resulted in an album that people liked in 2012, so since then we’ve been doing okay.“ Check out the rest of the answers right here. 

Playing tonight with Cloud Nothings are Michigan rockers Idle Ray and Tender Grease. The show starts at 8:30; tickets are $26.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.