As a resident of the wonderful land of Massachusetts, I am legally obligated to freak out whenever a musician or band mentions the commonwealth’s name in a song. Hence my appreciation of the music of Noah Kahan. Hence my love for the Dropkick Murphys. Aerosmith has never mentioned Massachusetts in their music and therefore I do not care for them.
But Cloudbelly name-drops their home commonwealth in their new song “Oh, Antarctica!”, and it not only rings my bell, it’s a ripping track. The band hails from Western Mass, full of wide-open spaces and highways that stretch into infinity, unlike the Greater Boston Area’s maze of roads and cramped neighborhoods. (I’m looking at you, Quincy.) On the new song, Cloudbelly’s sound soars like the atmosphere of their turf. Frontperson Corey Laitman’s voice is as big as the sky, and Sam Perry (guitar), Nate Mondschein (drums), and Ciarra Fragale (guitar/vox) team up to create a sound on the precipice of shoegaze, art rock, and math rock. The result surrounds you in a lush wall of sound, but instead of smothering you, it’s a great big breath of fresh air.
“Oh, Antarctica!” has a meditative nature to it, in which Leitman sings of the grittiness of the future and grieving the idea of having to live with it. The nature of the world at this moment in time – plus all the little inconveniences that come with it – can weigh on us all. Cloudbelly hints on massive global issues like global warming (“The house is burning, this is it / The tropics come to Massachusetts”) and individual troubles like having to work in tough conditions to support a family (“A challenge makes the world make sense / The effort helps my baby rest”).
The result is the lead single off Cloudbelly’s upcoming LP, an evolution of their sound, and an overall relatable driving groove that bursts with energy. The chorus hits hardest, in which Leitman sings of both the incredible possibilities of the future – “Oh, Antarctica, I’d say you went on forever…” – and the crushing reality of it – “…if I didn’t know better.”
Take a listen to “Oh, Antarctica” below. Shouts out to fellow Massachusettsans. Go Sox.
Written by Will Sisskind
