It's funny, this might be the most controversial recording Ubu ever made. After years of brilliant chunks of avant-garde garage rock tomfoolery, they release a pop record, one with smooth corners, and production help from Stephen Hague (Pet Shop Boys). It's not as if Ubu is unrecognizable; the familiar idiosyncracies are here and in full effect. It's more that the songs themselves -- love songs -- are very different from their usual dramas from the urban landscape. But David Thomas' pastoral mumblings and utopian visions remain central to the record's lyrical heart. Hardcore fans, a boring group who want everything to sound like Dub Housing, felt betrayed by this record, seeing it as the band's egregious attempt at selling out. But nothing could have been further from the truth. Cloudland is an amazing record that allows room for growth and change without sacrificing panache and attitude.
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