Before diving into Cloud Nothing’s Turning On, I’d heard the odds and ends Cleveland’s Dylan Baldi posted: The immediately hooked “Hey Cool Kid” with its half-asleep sarcasm, the more caffeinated “Can’t Stay Awake,” which reminded me of a more twee/less punk Lync, and the whistling toe-tap of “Whaddya Wanna Know.” Listening to Turning On from start to finish, it’s interesting locating and teasing out the various angles and details Baldi stuffs into that seemingly straightforward fuzz-pop framework. Each hook hits differently. You’ll immediately recognize the three aforementioned tracks on it. Wisely, “Can’t Stay Awake” opens the collection. Track two, the equally infectious “Old Street,” is a new one.

• Cloud Nothings – “Old Street”Download

To recount: Turning On initially came out in an edition of 50 CDs and 100 cassettes via Bridgetown. For those who missed it, the album’s seeing a vinyl-only release in February via Speakertree. The LP comes with a bonus track, the mellowed out old-fashioned loved song “Strummin” (“The last time I saw her / she was wearing only tears,” etc.).

The Turning On LP is out 2/23 Speakertree. Baldi and his live band’s hitting the road/playing Ohio often.

01/31 – Cleveland, OH @ Cool Ranch #
02/02 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern $
02/13 – Cleveland, OH @ Believeland %
02/19 – Columbus, OH @ Cafe Bourbon Street
03/05 – Toronto, ON @ TBA !!
03/06 – Brookyn, NY @ TBA ^^
03/07 – Boston, MA @ TBA *
03/08 – Providence, RI @ TBA *
03/09 – Baltimore, MD @ TBA *
03/11 – Philadelphia, PA @ The OX
03/12 – Columbus, OH @ TBA *
03/13 – Lafayette, IN @ Black Sparrow Pub
03/14 – Bloomington, IN @ TBA
03/15 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
03/16 – Lawrence, KS @ TBA
03/17 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW
03/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW &
03/20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW

# w/ Daniel Higgs and Stellar Om Source
$ w/ The Entrance Band and Lights
% Turning On vinyl release show
!! w/ Free Kisses and Mathemagic
^^ w/ Free Kisses, Shark?, and Byrds Of Paradise
* w/ Free Kisses
& Weekly Tapedeck and Transparent Blog Showcase

[Photo by Leia Jospe via BV]