abraham cloud

Another Successful Breakfast Review

by Alex Henderson

When a singer/songwriter calls one of his songs “Let’s Make Love (On the Floor of the Liquor Store),” you can safely assume that he has a wild sense of humor. Abraham Cloud definitely does, and that goofy yet rockin’ number is one of the high points of Another Successful Breakfast. But on the whole, this isn’t a CD that tries to hold your attention with shock value for the sake of shock value. Nor is it a CD that goes out of its way to be accessible; most of Cloud’s alternative pop/rock is on the moody side, and the obscure artist manages to be moody, introspective, and quirky at the same time on tracks such as “Baby Lemonade,” “The Company of Strangers,” and “Cigarette Bar” (a duet with singer Esther Terry). With influences ranging from R.E.M. and Neil Young to David Bowie and Roxy Music, Cloud shows promise on this intriguing and chance-taking, if uneven, release.

Abraham Cloud is an urban storyteller with a unique perspective and a gift for melody. Addressing predominantly homeless and shiftless themes, Abe’s stories are detailed narratives told from a first hand point of view. Although Abe claims, ‘Observing and not doing is my inspiration for writing,’ ‘Another Successful Breakfast’ is, in fact, based on his life experiences. From the Salinas Valley of Northern California to the streets of Los Angeles – raised on the stories of Steinbeck and the music of John Lennon, Abraham Cloud has a story to tell. In many ways reminiscent of the bar room music of Tom Waits, Abe’s music covers the spectrum of musical styles and is difficult to pigeon-hole into a specific category. Poignant and sincere, Abe conveys with his sense of humor firmly intact. An unconscious but effective marriage of unique stories with his own persona, Abe’s personality and down-and-out humor are an integral part of every story that he tells. ‘When I’m writing my best, desperate characters come out but with my sense of humor,’ Abe explains. Often contemplative, frequently introspective and always insightful, Abe tells a story like no one else. ‘My goal is to tell a complete story, but not a specific one. I try to leave enough space so that anyone can write their own story into it,’ says Abe. The result, intensely personal stories with universal appeal, makes ‘Another Successful Breakfast’ food for thought, not just another collection of pop recordings. BAM Magazine

Just when I thought the cool, aggressive folk-rock on this tape was going to hit a cruise point, the music swung in another powerful direction with ‘The Company of Strangers,’ recalling some of David Bowie’s best, most contemplative moments. Inspired by Neil Young’s ‘Freedom’ (he wrote in a note attached to the recording), Cloud – singing in a mid-range, cigarette-streaked voice – carries on that tradition of ragged but real rock with authority. – Big Shout Magazine

Another successful, well constructed, carefully planned album, designed for every occasion and occurrence life has to offer. ‘Let’s Make Love (On the Floor Of The Liquor Store’ and ‘Cigarette Bar,’ set a swinging tone that will turn the most loafable slacker into a dancing fool. If’ sexual healing’ is the desire, slink down to ‘What’s So Great About Happiness.’ For a good ‘read-a-book-to-song,’ feel, then try,’Monopoly’ or ‘Baby Lemonade.’And finally, the lullaby song award goes to ‘Breathing (By the Light Of The Moon).’ Each track of ‘Another Successful Breakfast’ creates tales of pure pop fantasies, that have no doubt been extracted straight from tear-jerking, real life experiences. Honestly, it sure is a pleasure to hear an artist who places equal attention and focus on the music and lyrics. Thanks. -Jennie Tagle Cake Magazine, #35

Weird story- The publicist from Stonegarden calls us and asks if we have received this CD. So I say yeah we did. I’m being really evil here because I like the CD very much and I was gonna call them but they beat me to it and now I’m sort of pulling this poor publicist’s chain. So the publicist sighs and says hopefully, ‘Did you get a chance to listen to it?’ I say oh yeah, knowing full well I am going to burn in hell for being this coy. There is a brief pause as the publicist gears up for rejection. Being a publicist is a thankless task. ‘So what did you think of it?’ she asks as cheerfully as possible for so late in the day. I tell her I loved it. I tell her I think the guy is a brilliant songwriter and I want to talk to him. She is somewhat stunned for a moment. I believe she thinks I am dicking with her. I am not. A few hours later I get a call from Abraham Cloud and he is also somewhat stunned at my enthusiasm. Sometimes I forget how truly cruel the music business is and how much rejection you face on a daily basis. The upshot of this whole story is that at the end of the conversation with A. Cloud I ask him if he’s a pirate. There is an eerie silence on the phone. Finally he says in an audibly shaken, low tone, ‘Why the hell did you ask me that?’ I explain that the issue is about pirates and spies. Turns out he once went to one of those past life regressions and he revealed under hypnosis that he had been a pirate. We were getting along so well it freaked him out.Thought I could read his mind, I guess. He needn’t have worried about my being able to read his mind. I think he’s got too many layers for me to read them all. His lyrics are witty, warm, sexy,intelligent, and lonely. He whispers, shouts, groans and manages with his elegant voice to make it all seem like singing. Oh, did I mention he writes a hell of a song? ‘Let’s Make Love (On the Floor of the Liquor Store)’ is most certainly the ‘Why Don’t We Do It In The Road ‘of the 90&’;s. ‘Cigarette Bar’ is sort of a more rousing take on ‘Here Comes a Regular’ and as much as I love Cloud’s voice, I’d like to see Paul Westerberg take a crack at ‘Anytime You Walk Into the Room’ (high praise from me).Like David Bowie mixed with Westerberg, Abraham Cloud sounds like a cynical and broken-hearted explosion of experiences, observations and vulnerabilities. He is like salt on polished onyx – he’s got the gift of rock with the luster of style. And he’s a pirate. Cover Magazine, Summer

Who is Abraham Cloud? Judging by the songs on this debut release, he is Ratso Rizzo with an acoustic guitar. Cloud’s seemingly autobiographical songs tell tales of him wandering seedy Los Angeles looking for a cheap breakfast (thus the title), followed by cheap sex and cheap booze; and considering Cloud’s weathered voice, one has to assume he sings what he knows. His ‘losers with heart’ story lines are reminiscent of Tom Waits or Springsteen. ‘Another Successful Breakfast’ is sometimes scary,sometimes funny, but always very real. -Raymond Ecke The Music Paper

A modern day singer/songwriter who is equally at home with broad anthem-like, sweeping guitar statements or soft, introspective ruminations, Cloud has a sleepy, expressive voice with a range somewhere near Lloyd Cole’s. He writes great lyrics and has a taste for crunchy alterna-guitars and subtle, Beatle-esque hooks. The New Review of Records, November 1995 California singer/guitarist Cloud unveils 13 diverse songs which tackle modern day situations with clever wit. His deranged sense of humor steps forward on ‘Let’s Make Love (On The Floor Of The Liquor Store),’ ‘Cigarette Bar,’ and stinging ‘Are You R?’ Some of the acoustic tunes can use a kick-start, but the more determined numbers allow violin, strings, and piano to carry some the of weight. -John Fortunato Slug Magazine, May 1995 Do I really need to listen to another CD from one of these singer/songwriter guys? Has the resurgence of the religious right and the fanatical baggage those Nazi’s carry with them inspired every ‘pinko faggot’ in the country to pick up a guitar and set their poems to music? As usual, I lost the press release. It’s in a pile somewhere with unsent Private Eye reader’s polls, unread copies of the Grid and the Catalyst ‘how to wedding issue.’ You sit around listening to God knows how many stupid CD’s every month and every now and then one of them sifts it’s way through the fog of lost brain cells or excess Pabst to grab your balls and squeeze. Abraham Cloud did just that. The cover depicts a child with a slingshot aiming at a pigeon. That’s dinner, food stamps are a thing of the past, the food banks are without food and Leavitt and Coradinni are too busy wooing the Olympic Committee to worry about homeless, hungry families with children. On the back is Adrian pictured with a street musician playing the accordion. Inside is the info on who helped him out with the CD. Cloud’s poetry is right on the mark. The lyrics aren’t printed, but he sings them clearly and his stories of life in a society gone mad are easily understood. He’s from L.A. and if I were you I’d go find this CD. Ask the loser clerks at Media Play with their embarrassed red faces if they have it. They won’t know what in the hell you