In a little less than a year, Dylan Baldi–as well known for his precociousness as the thrashy, fun music he’s been producing for the past few years–has turned into a brooding, broken-hearted misanthrope. Not to say that I minded this: Attack on Memory, Cloud Nothings‘ third full-length release (out now on Carpark Records), is a fun listen from start to finish. But I did miss the old days a little by the end of opener “No Future/No Past,” a song that sounds ever-so-subtly like a Nirvana/Microphones mashup. The album’s emotions come in waves, ranging from the poppy “Fall In” to the guitar-driven “Our Plans.” In fact, that’s what I loved most about this album: how purely Baldi lets his guitar be the star. Whether channeling the Pixies, Hole (I swear I heard a riff or two reminiscent of Hole!), the Wedding Present, or a handful of other beloved acts from the ’80s and ’90s (this could also be an inevitable result of having your album produced by Steve Albini), Baldi is in love with this music, and as with his previous releases, he isn’t faking.
-Melynda Fuller
