Abraham Cloud- Freshly Broken Glass review

Abraham Cloud

Freshly Broken Glass

Abraham Cloud is a musician with a new album. That album, Freshly Broken Glass, actually consists of material recorded years ago. Think of the album as a time capsule just unearthed. Listening to the album today in its raw and pure nature makes it sound just like that. The album opens with the simple indie rocker “Nikki, I've Been There Too.” The song sets the tone and overall feel for the album, with its jangly guitar work. Most of the album does sound like it was made in the 1980s, given the use of synthesizers and drum machine. Although the use of electronics in music has always been criticized, the synthesizers and drum machine are used effectively on this album. While these are supposed to be demos, I think they are best that way.  Take “Almost All That I Have” for example: the reverb and production make it more melodic. “Killing Me With Your Kindness” is catchy while “Break Out” sounds like a lost Joy Division track.

            Just from listening to this album, Cloud can certainly write ballads. The piano driven “Ma, Go Out In The Rain” is almost a mini-epic, with Cloud’s Iggy Pop-like vocals and the droning synthesizers might remind someone of Roxy Music’s Avalon album. The title track is also worth listening to, with its Beatle-esque guitar work. Cloud also has a few experiment tracks on here. The bizarre “Floor of the Liquor Store” shows Cloud has a sense of humor as he suggests the listener should make love on the aforementioned floor and utters possible references to the Beatles’ Help movie. The electric and raw sounds of “Jenny Broke Down” are reminiscent of the Velvet Underground a bit.

            If you grew up listening to post punk and new age music in 1980s or even have a taste for retro, you might get a kick out of Freshly Broken Glass.