Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Some Loud Thunder
Self-Released
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah are the quintessential internet success story. The Brooklyn/Philly-based band have yet to sign to label –thanks to the web and word-of-mouth buzz– have managed to not only sell a lot of records but to end up on everyone’s “hot new artist” list, including Rolling Stone’s. Their debut album was self-produced, self-released, self-promoted and self-distributed. Of course none of this would mean anything if the band sucked. Lucky for the music-listening masses, they far from suck.
For the follow-up to their attention grabbing first disc, they brought in a co-producer (former Mercury Rev bassist, Dave Fridmann) best known for his work with The Flaming Lips. The result is a treble heavy, fuzzy and raw-sounding record that has got the weird elements of the Lips and the jagged vocals of Violent Femmes. Vocalist Alec Ounsworth has an uneven style of singing that is an asset on some songs and a hindrance on others. The same can be said of the production of this album, which at times sounds intentionally amateur.
Opening song, and title track, “Some Loud Thunder” is so tinny and warbled that it sounds like something a kid would record in his bedroom. The song is one of the best on the album, it’s just too bad that it’s almost unlistenable. Because of the song’s strength the quality can almost be forgiven, unlike “Yankee Go Home” which is a weaker tune with even shittier sound quality. Skip to the next track, “Underwater (You and Me)” which will remind you as to why you fell in love with CYHSY in the first place.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: http://www.clapyourhandssayyeah.com
