Rainmaker from the High Desert

AM Clouds is an indie rock outfit born in the scenic beauty of Bend, Oregon. With their hometown in mind, they call their eclectic blend of classic and alternative sounds “high desert rock”. Their latest release, Rainmaker showcases the range, both in sound and emotion, that AM Clouds can cover.

Now, I’m not an indie rock scholar or anything so when I read “high desert rock” I immediately thought of bands like Queens of the Stone Age or Clutch. Ya know, bands that do songs that would make for a good soundtrack to being high in the desert. That was pretty far from what I got from Rainmaker. While I do love me some good old fashioned stoner rock, this high desert stuff was a pleasant surprise.

It’s All About the Vibe

This definitely wouldn’t be the soundtrack to any journeys to time-forgotten saloons on the edge of the desert. The bulk of this album would be a great soundtrack for long scenic springtime drives, though. Even in the tunes that go to a more solemn place lyrically, the general vibe remains the same. What vibe is that, you might ask? It’s a jangly upbeat yet mellow vibe. The tracks on Rainmaker would feel equally at home in a vinyl collection of a 70s rumpus room or on your local rock station today.

AM Clouds draw from a wide array of influences including Tom Petty, Meat Puppets, and Uncle Tupelo. At its core, their sound is straightforward American rock n roll from a simpler time. Mixed into that is the introspective and thought provoking lyrical styling of modern indie rock. Injected into that great marriage of sound is the spirit of psychedelic jam bands which keeps everything fresh and less predictable.

Standout Tracks

I spent an afternoon on my deck, social distancing, sterilizing my innards with whiskey, and listening to Rainmaker in the southern sunshine. It was a beautiful spring day and this album was the perfect accompaniment. While I could really dig the whole album, there were some tracks that stood out to me.

Rainmaker

The title track of this album Is a really good look at the tone of the album as a whole. It’s a pretty straightforward rock song then about halfway through it’s almost ten minute length it transforms into a bright psychedelic jam that climaxes and finds a calm, soothing, and airy groove. That calm holds until, almost without warning, everything becomes a discordant, sharp-edged, psychedelic experience. The song’s lyrics focus on a woman who is mesmerizing and volatile and the latter half of the song is kind of like a road map of a relationship with a woman like that. Love this track from beginning to end.

Weird to Be

This driving rock tune is a celebration anthem. It’s upbeat in both sound and lyrical content. I assume it’s talking about the freedom that one discovers after the end of a relationship where you feel trapped and tied down. The great thing about this tune is that is fairly open to interpretation. I think this track will feel really relevant in a month or two when we’re all able to get out and move freely again. It will indeed feel weird to be free. Bookmark this song and add it to your post-apocalyptic party playlist.

Milk and Honey Blues

This groove-heavy track is probably my favorite on the entire album. It reminds me a lot of American Beauty era Grateful Dead meeting modern rock n roll. Harmonizing vocals and tambourines give way to palm-muted guitar riffs and a stripped down rhythm section. This is the kind of tune that you sounds best with a cold drink in your hand and a good woman under your arm.

All In All

All in all, would I recommend Rainmaker? I definitely would. Let’s face it folks, we’re living in weird times and music soothes the savage beast. We could all use some mellow tunes to take our minds off of life right now. Rainmaker is the kind of album that will deliver all the mellow vibes you could ask for. You can stream the album on Spotify, Soundcloud, or you can buy a copy of it here.