(Credit: Earthology)
What the hell does that mean? Imagine the sweeping arrangements of Arcade Fire and the Flaming Lips crossed with the exotic instrumentation of Beirut, with a hint of Death Cab For Cutie’s pop-rock muscle. Cloud Cult's latest full-length, “Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes)” succinctly captures the band’s wide-reaching sound. Songs such as “Hurricane and Fire Survival Guide” even find common ground between Radiohead and Of Montreal.
Is their game tight? Though countless acts are jumping on the environmental bandwagon, CC leader Craig Minowa has long been a pioneer in taking a green approach to the music industry. From his own eco-friendly label, Earthology, to setting up a CD jewel case recycling center on his Minnesota farm to touring in a biodiesel van, Minowa is nothing less than a hero in his continuing efforts to make every aspect of his business as green as possible. Working with organizations like Reverb, NativeEnergy and American Forests, Cloud Cult even counter their carbon footprint by planting trees on the road. All bands would do well to take a look at their example.
X-factor: Cloud Cult includes two visual artists (Minowa's wife, Connie, and Scott West), who paint large pieces live during shows. The pieces are auctioned off at the end of the night.
Experience the natural energy of Cloud Cult at the Knitting Factory on May 14.
Scott T. Sterling is Music editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
