If there was ever a time to become a fan of Cloud Cult, it would be now. Frontman and songwriter Craig Minowa and the rest of the group’s hard work is all coming to fruition. I say “group” instead of “band” because Cloud Cult defines itself through more than simply musical means. If you’ve ever been to one of their concerts you know what I mean, as it is impossible to experience one of their live shows without noticing the two painters onstage, channeling inspiration from that night onto canvas.
Thus, the group’s newest album, Light Chasers, was officially released in stores on September 14th and they have been touring ever since. If you have been unable to attend a live show, there is still the possibility of viewing some of these vibrant paintings. Scott West, one of the onstage painters, is currently exhibiting his work at the Tarnish & Gold gallery in Northeast Minneapolis under the title STILL. In true Cloud Cult fashion, West is unable to fit into the mold of a typical gallery show, saying that it will also be part performance art. He will be present during open hours at the gallery, painting even more work and rearranging the pieces that are already in place. If two artistic mediums weren’t enough, a special screening of the Cloud Cult documentary, created by West and John Paul Burgess, was held at Tarnish & Gold on Thursday, November 11th with both artists present.
West’s work within STILL is neither disappointing nor revolutionary, but it is very accessible and interesting. When speaking about his work, he has said that he takes characters and themes imagined while onstage during Cloud Cult sets and brings them into his studio to evolve. The natural world, a common theme within Minowa’s songs, is taken to another level through West’s seamless combination of noticeable characters with visually engaging abstraction. Two portraits that hang side-by-side are the obvious standouts. One titled, “I feel like the rain,” is of a man’s face (a self-portrait?), depicted in colors conveying a dark warmth and concern, everything below the nose melted, dissolved. Its partner, “And if my eyes were on my back,” is cold and melancholy, presented to the audience through the cool tones and tortured expression of a woman’s face, but it melts upwards instead. As this is an evolving show, by now there could be even more compelling pieces such as these.
Since I decided to peruse these works of art on the same night the Cloud Cult documentary, No One Said It Would Be Easy, was being screened, I had the chance to see West and John Paul Burgess, the directors, give an introduction. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a more appropriate introduction to anything in my entire life. John spoke of his first tour documenting the group and how it ended up being nothing like he expected. In particular, he acknowledged his association of rock tours with late-nights, non-stop partying, and heroin, but admitted, “It wasn’t like that at all…everyone went to bed at nine.” Then, in his conclusion, he shared an oddity about the production, “There was a strangely emotional push to finish at the end. I’m curious to see how it will hold up.” In a moment of unimaginably perfect timing, half of the tape holding the makeshift screen to the ceiling immediately peeled off, sending it crashing down behind the director. It was quickly repaired and stayed intact throughout the film, but it seemed like an ominous sign at the time.
Now, I’ve been a fan of Cloud Cult ever since my brother burned me a copy of The Meaning of 8, but, to put it nicely, their music videos have always been sub-par, especially for one of their most popular songs, “Chemicals Collide.” That video is a mix between a screensaver and Video Production 101 effects. Needless to say, I didn’t have high expectations for this film. I nonchalantly ate a bag of free popcorn, provided by the gallery owners, as I watched a typical testimonial of people talk about how they were affected by their music. This may have been a good opening had it not been used by every band who has ever made a promotional video.
I’ve heard you always get hit when you’re at your most vulnerable, and this proved that theory. The depth at which Burgess got into Minowa’s soul was as inspiring as it was heart-wrenching, exposing him both at his most proud and his most tortured. That’s what it was about mostly, Minowa and how he began and developed everything that is Cloud Cult, building this family around him. The format was an amalgamation, taking traditional elements of documentary (interviews, tour footage, narrated pictures) and mixing them with music video, science class lesson, and animation elements. This allowed for the odd, typical Cloud Cult flavor to make a unique appearance without contaminating the raw emotion.
As for Light Chasers, it is a concept album in which every song deliberately flows from one to another, creating a story line from “The Mission: Unexplainable Stories (Journey to the Light, Pt. 1)” all the way to “Arrival: There’s So Much Energy in Us.” Some may find this format intriguing, but many people will undoubtedly think something along the lines of, “So this means it’s some experimental music I have to listen to all together every time?” No, despite the many critics who have taken this stance, most of the songs on the album can stand alone. I would even say that some of them are the best that Cloud Cult has ever created, such as “Today We Give Ourselves to the Fire,” “Running with the Wolves,” and “There’s So Much Energy in Us.” I urge you, whether you first heard of Cloud Cult long ago or this is your first time, to at least look into some of these artistic endeavors: this album, documentary, or art show. I dare you to not feel a connection.