Cloud Cult - The Seeker (2015-2016) [Album+Film] 1st Single 10/23/15

2/12/16 10:19AM
I just wanted to bump this as the album is released finally today.
Here's Amazon's link

And I saw the film actually the other night at The Riverview Theater, which was beautiful yet incredibly heart-wrenching.

Per time of course, I should try and film a video or 2 about Cloud Cult, 1 about The Seeker album and especially the film.

The other, hopefully about their history/my history, which is somewhat well documented in this blog, but obviously not on YouTube.

This new album and the film has gotten me back thinking about them the last few days. I'd say maybe what I just wrote on their Facebook Wall has something to do with that.

here

hey, I just wanted to congratulate you guys on Album release day today. And seeing the film the other night. I honestly cannot get many parts of it out of my head. Namely "You Never Were Alone," totally gets me every-time I hear it now. That scene in the film where Grace is running and seeing her dad is breathtaking. I was in tears at the theater the other night, and still find myself in the same way when listening to it. You guys may have written and filmed one of the saddest/most melancholy things I've ever come across.

12/4/15 6:21AM
Stream "Through the Ages"

Really good tune. I haven't been able to even see every update via the Pledgemusic campaign that I should have due to time and discipilne, but I mean, namely during the week I have off coming up in a little over a week. But I'm pretty excited for this record and film, more than I was before.

10/23/15 6:10AM
Story with Stream to "No Hell"

It also says Josh Radnor of How I Met Your Mother, will be in the film, which has no dialogue. I imagine it'll be a bit like the Marillion Brave film, with the music on with the actors going through the story. That story has some quotes from Craig Minowa and the story or concept behind The Seeker being about the life of a girl.

Josh Radnor of course, is a noted big fan of Cloud Cult, so that doesn't come as a huge surprise.

"No Hell" of course, also is download-able with a preorder/pledge.

10/22/15 2:07PM


The Seeker, Looks and sounds intriguing, I doubt it has any reference to the song by The Who though. The Seeker is coming out in multiple formats, including for the 1st time ever, VINYL (recycled..CC have been noted as to against Vinyl per the environmental issues that the manufacturing can create, but maybe Recycled is more friendly?..I'd love to see/purchase a lot of their more recent albums, on recycled vinyl at least..Light Chasers namely).

A New song is coming tomorrow 10/23, so I'll have to bump/edit this entry when that happens tomorrow.

February 2016 is when this sucker drops though. I did *love* a number of tracks on their last record Love from 2013...Pretty excited.

http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/cloudcult


Preorder “The Seeker” and you'll get weekly downloads from our forthcoming album and film starting now! http://www.cloudcult.com/seeker

Cloud Cult presents “The Seeker”, a new studio album and feature length fiction film coming February 2016. But those who participate in our Preorder Campaign will get an “All Access Pass”, where every Friday, starting now until the release date, you will get one song from the album and/or get to watch one “chapter” of the movie in chronological order and gradually watch the story unfold. Also see behind the scenes footage, and buy exclusive Preorder merch not available anywhere else: Signed props from the film, one on one time with the band, autographed recycled vinyl records, handwritten lyric sheets and more… Profits of the preorder are donated to environmental charities.
Preorder “The Seeker” and get your All Access Pass now! 
www.cloudcult.com/seeker

Happythankyoumoreplease (2011)

Finally got to see this movie, How I Met Your Mother star Josh Radnor, as that trailer says, wrote, directed and starred in. And I can say it was at least as good, maybe better than I expected.

On the surface, it almost sounded a bit like HIMYM

imdb says:

Captures a generational moment - young people on the cusp of truly growing up, tiring of their reflexive cynicism, each in their own ways struggling to connect and define what it means to love and be loved.

but Radnor and the story isn't incredibly similar to his character and the situation he's in, in the tv show he's known for.

Radnor's character Sam Wexler (which by the way, is a name movies/tv seem to like to use more often than I'd expect. See The TV Set for example), one day on the subway sees a boy abandoned by his (Foster) mother. So he feels compelled to help the boy out by looking for his mother. The problem is, the boy doesn't want to go back to his mother or Foster family.

So, the boy hangs with Sam for a long portion of the movie. Sam's friends and daily activities end up encountering him with this boy, who we eventually learn is named Rasheen.

The women in Sam's life included. The weird thing is, the way Sam is watching over the boy is not seen by the women in his life as admirable really. The women being 2 friends who are women (Malin Akerman and Zoe Kazan), and a woman he meets with Rasheen and eventually proposes not a 1-night stand, but a 3-night contract.

Maybe it's trying to avoid being predictable or cliche, but the women see Sam's companionship with Rasheen as irresponsible almost. Although the girl he's having the 3-night stand into 1-week "playing house," whose name is Mississippi actually (Kate Mara), is told originally by Sam, that he is the "Big Brother" to the boy he's with. So she had extra motivation to find the situation irresponsible given Sam lied to her about what the boy really was doing with him.

But in a lot of ways, what Sam is doing is actually admirable. I mean c'mon, a boy needs help, Sam helps him. The boy isn't his responsibility, but he decides to help the boy out anyway. But he never says to these women, namely Mississippi, "what was I supposed to do?" It's sort of a self-conscience thing. Anyone with a heart and reasonable, rational, considerate personality would want to help a boy abandoned by his mother out, right?

But the actual depiction of events and dialog never really asks that question fully. Maybe Radnor didn't want to, I'm not sure. But watching it and seeing the situation, I couldn't help but do so myself. The Sam character really does nothing wrong with Rasheen, but it isn't quite portrayed that way. Especially when he goes to the Foster care office, and then ultimately is arrested.

However, it is well transitioned in the end. Maybe it's a little bit of a Hollywood happy ending feel, but I follow why the arrest and what transpires afterward happens in the end.

The other characters stories are interesting enough. Relationships basically. Malin Ackmerman's character Annie has Alopecia (she has no hair, at least on her head), and has her issues with the men in her life. Radnor it appears is her best friend who she goes to for advice about them. This guy at her work also named Sam (Sam #2, played by Tony Hale from Chuck) likes her, but it's understandable why she isn't too into him.

But eventually she does go out with him, a little bit on a rebound from trying to forget about her Ex. And while Sam #2 isn't always charming, there are some points where he appears a lot more appealing than you'd expect.

Zoe Kazan's character Mary Catherine is in a situation with her boyfriend Charlie (Pablo Schreiber) who wants to move to LA to go into business with a friend. But Mary Catherine doesn't want to leave New York City, and also finds out something she is hesitant to tell him about.

Both their relationship and Annie's status are supporting, but not incredibly different than a lot of plots you see in Romantic Comedies/Dramedies. But for what they are, they add enough to the story.

I guess my take is with Radnor, I've always enjoyed him on How I Met Your Mother, and been curious what he may be able to do, even just in other comedic work, and this movie does support his ability. He's one of those actors whose interesting to watch and hear speak. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Is it a man-crush? I don't think so :p, but I definitely enjoy watching him work and would certainly be interested to see him in more things (whether that be new movies or tv shows, or stuff from his past I've never seen).

As well with the kid, played by Michael Algieri, who I could not get past how much he reminds me of the kid who plays the Jabbar character on NBC's Parenhood (Tyree Brown).

I also might add the soundtrack is nice, including a couple of tunes from Cloud Cult. Being a CC fan, I can always be on board with that.

Plus in the credits, I noticed among the actors who helped read (auditioned?) for this, Ari Graynor, Sarah Chalke (on the set of HIMYM perhaps?), Jordana Spiro, Jenna Fischer, Jennifer Morrison and Eddie Kay Thomas, which was interesting.

Movie of the Year? no. But certainly one of the better movies I've seen recently with good dialog; but pretty puzzling as to why Lagoon Theater pulled it. Likely due to money, but it's sad given I think it's a movie more people would like and should be able to see. Maybe later this year with any luck.

77/100