Cloud Nothings' Alt-Rock Wet Dream

Last year, grunge turned 20 and the music world indulged itself in a little alt-rock nostalgia: Nirvana released an anniversary edition of 1991's landmark Nevermind, Pearl Jam put out a documentary (plus other retrospective releases), and Soundgarden hit the road with a new live album.

Clearly, all of this mope rock revivalism wasn't lost on Cleveland, OH-based songwriter Dylan Baldi, the man behind the highly-buzzed Cloud Nothings. For his second studio LP, Attack on Memory, Baldi (along with his backing band) opted to work with Steve Albini, the alt-rock mega-producer behind such classics as Surfer Rosa by the Pixies, In Utero by Nirvana, and the bulk of the Jesus Lizard's catalogue.

What results is about as far from Cloud Nothings' bubbly 2011 debut as you can possible imagine: unlike that self-titled LP's upbeat pop-punk ditties, Attack on Memory is an angst-ridden foray into unabashed naval gazing with reference points including early emo, hardcore, and, of course, no shortage of grunge. The guitars are jagged, the rhythms are sludgy, and Baldi screams his head off in frequently minor keys.

It plays out like any alt-rock fan's wet dream, with Albini employing that same messy-but-massive style that made him such a favourite among bands that wanted a great-sounding recording without compromising their stripped-down indie rock approach. Opener "No Future/No Past" sets the mood with a morbid, tinkling piano motif that swells to a shit-smeared crescendo, while the melancholic second half highlight "Our Plans" employs a more world-weary approach.

There's just one nagging question: is Baldi really qualified to write a throwback alt-rock record? At just 20 years old, he's far too young to have been a fan of the genre the first time around, and he recently told Pitchfork that he hadn't even heard an Albini record until he listened to Big Black (the producer's '80s post-punk band) at age 16. This isn't to say that young people can't delve into early music styles, but if Baldi is really such an alt-rock enthusiast, why were these influences entirely absent from the album he put out just 12 months ago?

At times, Attack on Memory comes off a bit like an alt-rock pastiche rather than the real deal. During the moments when Baldi finally gives us a cheery pop tune -- "Fall In" and "Stay Useless" -- he snarls with a throat full of gravel, as if trying to consciously undermine his melodic instincts. And the all-instrumental "Separation" squanders its wonderfully punk-y chord progression by veering off into ugly, dissonant jams.

Although the transition from perky pop to sad sack rock isn't entirely smooth, Baldi still deserves credit for not pulling any punches. He wanted to make an angry, noise-soaked behemoth of a rock record, and he hired the world's most qualified producer to help him achieve that. More than anything, Attack on Memory is impressive as an exercise in style.

What's perhaps most exciting is imagining where Baldi will go from here, since he's clearly not afraid to overhaul his sound completely. Who's taking bets? I'll take a stab in the dark and guess that he makes a retro folk record with T-Bone Burnett.