Cloud Nothings are essentially an outlet for 18-year-old Dylan Baldi. Cloud Nothings are also one of Cleveland's best bands. All of the songs on the new collection Turning On were previously available on hard-to-find EPs, singles, and cassettes. Most of them are rough, low-fi mixes, and that's a big part of their charm. The album opens with "Can't Stay Awake," which quivers with Baldi's falsetto voice. Most of the tracks have the same half-finished aesthetic found in Guided by Voices' best work, but there's plenty of variety on Turning On. "Water Turns Back" is a brittle ballad that sounds like a lost Velvet Underground outtake. "Real Thing" is an infectious rocker with scuzzy guitars. And "My Little Raybun" plays like an unfinished Killers track. Can't wait to see what Baldi comes up with in a real studio. — Niesel
