After releasing three singles that left us anxious to hear more, Cloudbelly, the Montague-based band led by singer-songwriter Corey Laitman, released its sophomore album, “i know i know i know” (Strange Library Records), last week. Laitman is joined by guitarist and ambient sound sculptor Sam Perry, and drummer, producer and sound mangler Nate Mondschein (who often works under the moniker “Best Mann”). Frequent collaborator bassist/keyboardist Reed Sutherland is also on board, as is Cynthia Tolson, who plays strings.

Since “i know i know i know” is a full band record, it finds Cloudbelly fleshing out its sound and taking some sonic leaps which fortunately always land in the right spot, be it alt-rock, soft ballads, or experimental pop.

We know that Cloudbelly has moved away from the more traditional folk sound of its earlier work when the new disc opens with “Bird in Your Throat,” a pop noise experiment that clocks in at less than a minute and is vaguely reminiscent of parts of the Beatle’s “Revolution 9.”

That track is followed by “Fascinated,” which starts with some soaring electric guitar courtesy of Perry that drives the song while Mondschein’s pounding drums further add to the alt-rock vibe that brings to mind boygenius. In a voice full of frustration, Laitman delivers lines like “Well, I failed you twice, I failed too many times/And our bell’s been cracked.” The theme of ending relationships and the myriad of complex emotions accompanying the experience dominate the 11 tracks here.

In a press release, Laitman said they wrote the album in the aftermath of the consecutive, tightly-timed implosion of two formative relationships. “The album is — among other things — a document of their sincere effort to grieve; to remember; to take stock; to get angry; to forgive; and to reconcile the painful necessity of those relationships coming to an end.”

Laitman is a gifted lyricist who can create a mood with a turn of a phrase or capture a feeling with their expressive voice. From “Garbage,” a stripped-down meditation on loneliness inspired by an old couch abandoned on the side of the road, to the richly layered sound of “November,” listeners are treated to a sonic journey full of surprises.

“Restless Things” is the magnificent centerpiece here, an experimental pop song that explores the phases of a relationship: the love, the loss, and everything in between. A lovely solo by Tolson launches the song, but then it swells into larger cacophonies of sound, perfectly representing the messiness of a relationship coming undone.

Another standout track is the gorgeous “Handfuls,” a brittle song that sounds like it could break. The album’s title came from the line “And your mind’s made up/I know, I know, I know/ Still I’ll be gathering handfuls of you/Against the cold.”

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

Longtime Orange public servant Richard Sheridan dies at 78

As I See It: Between Israel and Palestine: Which side should we be on, and why?

Retired police officer, veteran opens firearms training academy in Millers Falls

Deerfield’s Tilton Library expansion ‘takes a village’

Big turnout expected Sunday for 14th annual WMass Mother’s Day Half Marathon in Whately

High Schools: Big sixth inning propels Franklin Tech past Smith Vocational (PHOTOS)

I urge you to view the accompanying video for “Handfuls” on YouTube as it is an extraordinary work that will further add to your appreciation of the song.

Directed and produced by filmmaker Robert D. Krzykowski, the music video was realized in association with “A Happening,” an immersive theater project originated by Cloudbelly guitarist Sam Perry, in partnership with Eggtooth Productions, Cloudgaze and The Shea Theater. The music video was produced by Jackie Krzykowski, Adam Quiros and Makeshift Pictures.

“When Corey and Sam approached me to direct a music video for their new album, I was asked to select a track and see what sparked. Their track ‘Handfuls’ triggered this immersive audio-visual headspace, and the words moved me on a human level,” Krzykowski said.

“For me, this video is the culmination of years of fostering community in the arts here in Franklin County. It represents the work of our amazing friends from the worlds of theater, music and film coming together to create an astounding piece of art that would have been impossible to make alone,” said Perry. “Watching the video for the first time was a very emotional experience for me on multiple levels.”

Cloudbelly is currently on a U.S. tour supporting the album.

Stunning in its beauty and powerful in its emotional truth, “i know i know i know” is an album that you will want to listen to from start to finish and return to again and again, experiencing something new each time.

You can hear “i know i know i know” on all streaming services or you can purchase it on vinyl at cloudbellytheband.com.

Cloudbelly will hold record release shows at the Parlor Room in Northampton on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. Tickets are on sale now at parlorroom.org. You can also see Cloudbelly at the Green River Festival on Sunday, June 23. Tickets are available at Greenriverfestival.com

There are still a handful of tickets left for Puddles Pity Party at the Shea Theater Arts Center in Turners falls on Friday, March 1, at 8 p.m. Puddles is a 7-foot-tall sad clown who sings popular tunes and has a devoted cult following.

Also at the Shea this weekend is Harvest & Rust: The Neal Young Experience on Saturday, March 2, at 8 p.m. Tickets for both shows available at sheatheater.org.

Ramble Passes for the Back Porch Festival that will be held the weekend of March 15-17 in Northampton will go up in price on Friday, March 1, so get them now at Backporchfest.com. The Ramble Pass will allow you admission to over 60 acts that will be playing in over 10 venues throughout the weekend. Signature Sounds Presents announced that they will post the schedule of who is playing where and when this week. We do know that the Ramble Pass will get you into to see acts like Bridget Kearney, Charlie Parr and Jax Hollow, and a host of local favorites such as Love Crumbs, Sun Parade, Mamma’s Marmalade, Soul Magnets, Dennis Crommett, Jeffrey Foucault, and so many more.

Sheryl Hunter is a freelance writer who resides in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national publications. She can be reached at Soundslocal@yahoo.com.