cLOUDDEAD
cLOUDDEAD
2001, Mush Records
In the beginning there was Deep Puddle Dynamics; a (to quote a recent thread) I-can't-believe-they-only-released-one-album collective of like-minded dudes from different parts of the US map that included not only the trio (DoseOne, Odd Nosdam, Why?) that would become cLOUDDEAD, but also fellow Antion-er extroidinaire, Sole and the always reliable Slug of Atmosphere. Deep Puddle's LP, the Kerouac quoting THE TASTE OF RAIN... WHY KNEEL got the ball rolling on the train of thought lyricism and soul searching objective that much of the Anticon would eventually be known for. But it wasn't until the 5-piece turned into a 3-piece and recorded a slew of limited pressed singles that they would pretty much create a genre of their own and then implode the whole motherfucker.
cLOUDDEAD, the album is actually a compilation of the first 6 stray singles the group recorded. The "songs" aren't even titled, but just referenced in a "side a 1" sort of way. Very unassuming. But what's inside is almost ineffable. Yes, this is hip hop. I guess. But it's fucking way more like Eno than it is Biggie.
In a way, I feel like there's nothing I could possibly say to do this record justice. There's no way to fairly explain it. You just have to hear it and get it, because there's not much else like it. For sure, it's the only hip hop album I've ever fallen asleep to, but yet I could never consider it boring. It's a rap album crammed full of ideas/thoughts/emotions that gently wash over you hypnotically.
It's possible that the trio themselves understand the impossible feat of recreating something so special. Their followup (and techinically, sole "studio album") TEN has been called their last record by Why? (though the remaining 2/3rds of the group have not agreed.) And although TEN is definitely a far more focused affair, it does not have the same Experience that cLOUDDEAD does.
It all comes down to beats, rhymes & life.... the beats are wholey unique and incredible. The rhymes are as duely simple and amazing as "do you know how many times I've thought about writing about the paper I'm writing on?" And well, midway through the record you can't help but think that what makes it so great is that a group of young men are honestly (for better or worse) putting their Lives (fears, hopes, et al) on tape.