Low Level Clouds
Self-Released, 2021
8/10
The recording moniker of the Hawaii based musician Christopher Coats, as Low Level Clouds the ultra-creative artist knows his way around a nostalgic pop tune that’s easy to enjoy and difficult to forget.
“No Stone” starts the listen with some retro-rock ideas, as thicker moments flow alongside jangly, even spacey ideas, and “It’s Not The Chemicals” follows with playful fuzz and crisp drumming that complements the gritty melodies.
The middle tracks are some of the best, and include the more restrained crunch of the raw and scrappy “Wild Things”, while “Replaced By A DJ” gets a bit dreamy and pretty amid the rugged stabs that even welcomes rapping. “Speaking Of Sudden Changes Of Subject”, the best tune, then makes great use of keys and a soaring power-pop influence that’s got a lot of power behind it.
Deeper into the listen, “Real Cause” flirts with some ‘60s friendly harmonies and folk nods, and “DJ Reprise” exits the listen vocally strong, musically brief and highly memorable in a nostalgic sort of way.
Coats does take a bit of help from friends on a couple instruments, but the bulk of this debut is all his doing, and let’s hope it’s just the start of much more to come, cause Low Level Clouds represents all that we love about the past and fuses it with modern indie-rock.
Travels well with: Willard Overstreet And The Highborn Kinsmen- All We Are; The Kinks- Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround Part One