Cumulus Cultus

“Man of Constant Sorrow!” I requested as Cloud Cult and the M Shanghai String Band discussed what they’d improvise for an encore. I didn’t get my Constant Sorrow, but I got the next best thing…

So now, without further ado, and by
way of endorsin' my candidacy, the
Soggy Bottom Boys is gonna lead us
all in a chorus of 'You Are My
Sunshine' - ain't ya, boys?

And so the Soggy Bottom Boys –er, Cloud Cult and M Shanghai- led the disciples in the upstairs room at Pianos into a long version of the classic tune, with solos on mandolin, harmonica, banjo and guitar while we all sung along to the chorus. It wasn’t the best version you’ll ever hear, nor the best song played last night, but it embodied the intimate setting that Cross Pollination set up for the two bands.

Cloud Cult should be huge. Huge like CYHSY, TnT, Vxtrt, ArcdFr, etc etc etc. Their album last year was a little too ambitious to be perfect (22 songs!), but you can’t hate a band in its quest for the epic. It’s not as if one needs to edit out 10 of the worst. It’s more like 4. Even then, with the remainder 18 or so, it’s a lot to digest. Some will disagree, but it’s the only excuse I can think of as to why Craig Minowa and the Minnows aren’t huge.

In concert these past two nights, Cloud Cult has kicked off each set stunningly with five or six of their best songs. The opening tune, a new one, is incredible. I could view it -after the two times I’ve heard it- as a counterpoint to Jimmy Blunt’s shallow crap. It’s not entirely different in its intention, but universes apart in its execution.

I feel the band excels live equally as much as on the album; I don’t sense the roughness that others have mentioned. The other new song on Monday night at the Knitting Factory was the only real drag on the show. “Clip Clop” at Pianos also didn’t impress as much as I had thought it would. It was a little too bare, with the three piece drum kit (miniaturized for the small room) and Craig basically playing on only one or two strings (despite the lyrics “strum strum giddy guitar").

I'm a little surprise Cloud Cult didn't play (and have M Shanghai join in) their old timin' reel "Lucky Today." A missed opportunity for sure.

I wasn’t sure if I would be seeing them at Arlene’s Grocery on Friday, but now my mind is made up. I’ll be there. Cloud Cult should be huge… and anyway, Mama says they’re bona fide.