Cloud Control EP Review

Indie shoegaze bands abound in this country, as the 70s Renaissance reaches a head with the success of international acts like psych-tinged MGMT and pop-driven The Shins. So is there any place for a cute little group like Cloud Control in this already over-cluttered playing field?

By Jonno Seidler

Well, for a start, they’re not from Sydney. Growing up in The Blue Mountains is bound to influence your sound in a more genuine way than listening to a few mp3s on Myspace ever will. There sound is pure: there is no bullshit, no pretension no posing. The harmonies on this EP are gorgeous, but then so is the instrumentation. It sounds really authentic, like it was recorded on vintage amps in a studio in the woods, which is probably the case, anyway.

If the O.C. had been set in Australia, these songs would have featured heavily on the soundtrack. It has the same breezy disposition as many of the indie bands featured on those compilations, with enough darkness around the edges (care of those loping bass lines) to provide the perfect backdrop for Mischa Barton on a massive bender.

I don’t know how this kind of stuff would fare in a live situation. I mean, granted it’s very pretty and has enough musicianship to sink a ship, but I’m not sure it would keep my eyes open in a dingy bar at 11:30pm. The more upbeat Kinks-meets-Beatles stuff is a welcome injection of energy, but there’s not enough of it on this record. Cloud Control need to decide if they’re going to be a chill-out band or a quiet rock band. But when they’re both at the same time, my brain explodes. Maybe I’m just an idiot though. Nonetheless, this is a very enjoyable debut that shows loads of potential.