Tuesday, February 9, 2010

How Indie Goes Green


A Minneapolis-based collective headed by the husband-wife duo Craig and Connie Minowa, Cloud Cult is an indie band for the environmentally conscious age. They travel around the country in a biodiesel-powered van to get from gig to gig. They record their albums at Earthology Records on the Minowas' organic, geothermal-powered farm that's built from reclaimed wood and recycled plastic. Their non-profit label only uses recycled materials and donates all the profits to environmental charities. Obsessed? Maybe.

Regardless, Cloud Cult has been churning out innovative indie since for over a decade and a half, in addition to a unique live show that includes interpretive art created over the course of the gig as Connie Minowa and Scott West transmute the emotions they feel as the music is played into a tangible concoction of paint on canvas. To give you an overview of what Cloud Cult is capable of, I offer you several selections from a number of their LPs, although CC certainly falls in the category of an "album band," their musical compositions not fully appreciated unless experience in the context of the ebb and flow of a full record. Enjoy.

Cloud Cult
Breakfast With My Shadow (Aurora Borealis) [2004]
Washed Your Car (Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus) [2005]
Pretty Voice (The Meaning of 8) [2007]
Everybody Here is a Cloud (Feel Good Ghosts) [2008]

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

glad to see cloud cult fans always. one day, much like modest mouse, spoon, vamp weekend etc. these guys will break out. also a fan of the term "ebb and flow" :)

i JUST posted on them if you're interested:

http://motovreslife.blogspot.com/2010/02/day-25-cloud-cult.html

Post a Comment