Wavves: beach-and party-loving L.A. dude Nathan Williams, stoner extraordinaire.
Cloud Nothings: nervy Cleveland nihilist Dylan Baldi, lo-fi noise-rock purveyor.
Together, the odd couple have made an album – dropped by surprise last week on Baldi’s imprint, Ghost Ramp – full of tension and hooks. Who would’ve expected their voices to work so well together, as they do throughout the nine songs recorded at Williams’s home during two sessions in June 2014 and March 2015?
Standout song (and there are many) Come Down has bummed-out lyrics yet chugs along on optimistic waves of melody and distorted guitar, with Baldi on the verses and Williams on the choruses, before both sync up together with knockout results. Soft verses balance out Hard To Find’s grungy anger, while confident choruses tone down Nervous’s worried edges.
There’s much at play here – personalities, loud/soft dynamics, noise vs melody – and Williams and Baldi strike just the right balance.
Top track: Come Down
Wavves play the Opera House September 27.
