by Jeremy WInslow (@_pbnjer)
In the ‘90s, two very influential bands erupted onto the alt-rock scene: Seattle’s Nirvana and Stockton’s Pavement. Kurt Cobain may not be here anymore, and Pavement may not be playing anymore, but their influence can be felt across the spectrum of this new wave of indie rock. Connecticut’s Furnsss is one such new wave of indie rock clearly inspired by the droning of Pavement and the loud-quiet-loud of Nirvana. all brought clouds and the deep blue sky, the five-piece’s final project, sees Furnsss experiment with their influences while remaining true to their brand of fuzzy indie rock.
There’s a two-year gap between the music video for “Mouth Breathing” and the same song featured on the 2018 tape. Despite the newer cut of “Mouth Breathing” having a crisper, more distinguished (and more distorted) tone, Furnsss retains the same grungy drone throughout the track. The band’s commitment to refining their homegrown sound is evident, and that dedication radiates through all brought clouds.
There’s no mistake that Furnsss has obvious influences aside from popular 90s alt-rock outfits. Canadian lo-fi rocker Mac DeMarco—best known for the diddly guitar riffs he employs in the background of his tracks, lackadaisically carrying a melody while sometimes slightly off-tempo—is channelled by the lead guitars. Virginia’s Car Seat Headrest can be heard in the vocals, lazy and lethargic on the surface but swelling with emotion underneath. Furnsss’ influences stay locked within the canopy of lo-fi indie rock, but the band doesn’t just crib popular artists within the genre. And the band doesn’t just xerox and call it a day either, instead offering their own flavor on all brought clouds dotted with beautiful imagery that holds the feelings of autumn in its soundscapes.
Tracks like “Eureka,” with its alternating, dreamlike guitar picking reminiscent of falling leaves, evoke a cozy sensation as the chorus wraps with its warm distortion. “I Don’t Know,” the record’s second song, opens with fuzzy guitar caked in reverb and delay while the vocals swing and sway to the gentle whisk of the rhythm. While usually slow to start, Furnsss burst with exuberance about halfway through their tracks, displaying the band’s propensity for crescendos. all brought clouds is filled with momentum of all kinds, making the album both a sleeper and an energizer.