Not all that long ago, I noted how Cloud Cult‘s music was a phenomenon in and of itself, a movement of cosmic proportions, and an overall championing of positive energy. They had just released their DVD, No One Said It Would Be Easy. Well, the atypical group is back with a new album, a reissue of two early LPs, They Live On The Sun and Aurora Borealis. Out today, the double LP features 26 tracks of early Cloud Cult.

States the band’s website about the double reissue:

Lead singer/songwriter Craig Minowa created the albums during an 18 month long stint of seclusion at his Northern Minnesota organic farm after his two-year-old son passed away unexpectedly in 2002

The albums, which have been remastered and remixed with a few bonus tracks, will for the first time be available at a national level. For more information, visit the Cloud Cult website.

Cloud Cult: And It’s Good (Stream)

Cloud Cult: Breakfast With My Shadow (Stream)

Cloud Cult: It (Stream)

“The original idea with Cloud Cult,” states front-man Craig Minowa twenty six minutes into No One Said It Would Be Easy, “was to try and create something that would make people feel alive for a moment.” While that mantra has changed slightly since the group’s inception, I’d bet it’s pretty safe to say they know they’ve succeeded at achieving their original intent.

Cloud Cult is aptly titled. Their music is cosmic, bigger than life itself, hinting of the expanse that is space. And the term cult would apply as well.

One: there is a religious undertone to many of the songs on their albums. Well, religious isn’t really the proper word – spiritual is more like it. Their philosophy of shifting energy and how it relates to life and death and, perhaps even more importantly, one’s outlook on life and how that individual decides to channel that energy in various directions, is incremental to the music of Cloud Cult. Without this, it isn’t likely that Cloud Cult would exist as they are today.

Two: the collective’s devotion to one another, their music, and their somewhat odd lifestyle in comparison to your standard rock group. One life as rock stars, one as organic farmers in a remote area outside Minneapolis. It’s a lifestyle embraced by other groups — namely, Bowerbirds.

No One Said It Would Be Easy touches on all these points. It’s pretty amazing, really; Craig Minowa’s outlook on life and his ability to empower peace in others with his music; the drive behind Minowa, behind his wife, behind all artists in Cloud Cult is practically unparalleled.

Fairly early on, the film hints at an underlying pain – and if you’re familiar with the band, you’ll already know it comes from the death of the Minowa’s son. The amazing part is how Craig and his wife overcame the sorrow which ultimately led them to become the band they are today. It’s an astonishing ride, one filled with tragedy and hope and an outlook that’s a bit non-traditional but ultimately makes sense.

At its heart, No One Said It Would Be Easy (the song) is really about life and finding meaning and purpose behind it. The members of Cloud Cult have found their reason and purpose, and they’re communicating it through song. At least that’s how I read it. And as Minowa says (and I paraphrase), it’s all experiential – it’s all about reacting to the music and everyone hears something a little different.

Cloud Cult: Living On The Outside Of Your Skin [mp3]

Cloud Cult: Car Crash [mp3]

If you have yet to check out Cloud Cult (MySpace), this little trailer might be a good introduction. And if you’re a long-time fan of the group, the video is another memento from the band for your collection. It’s for their upcoming documentary No One Said It Would Be Easy. Blending pop with electronics and music with art, Cloud Cult becomes an experiential band in both the audio and visual sense.

The film explores all avenues of this band – their humble beginnings, the artists that accompany them on stage, and the development of their home-built studio that’s run off geothermal energy. I have yet to see the film, but just knowing a bit of the band’s back story is enough to draw out a bit of emotion, if not a tear or two: tragic loss of the Minowa’s (lead singer Craig visual artist Connie) son in 2002.

Yet despite the sadness, Cloud Cult continues to base their music around hope and love. No One Said It Would Be Easy will be released late April on their own eco-friendly label Earthology nearly one year to the day from the release of their eighth proper album Feel Good Ghosts (Teapartying Through Tornadoes).

If you are of the lucky few that live in close proximity to Minneapolis (home of my third favorite radio station: 1) KZUU in Pullman; 2) KEXP in Seattle; 3) The Current in Minnepolis), there will be an exclusive pre-release showing at 5PM in Varsity Theater on March 22.

You can pre-order the DVD here, and scroll down to see a quite full list of upcoming tour dates. I’ve bolded the local(ish) shows.

Both tracks below can be found on Cloud Cults’ 2005 masterpiece, Advice From The Happy Hippopotamus.

Cloud Cult: Car Crash [mp3]

Cloud Cult: Outside Your Skin [mp3]

CLOUD CULT ON TOUR

03.27: High Noon Saloon (Madison, WI)
03.28 EarthJam @ Drake University (Des Moines, IA)
03.29 Picador (Iowa City, IA)
03.31 Turner Hall (Milwaukee, WI)
04.01 Metro (Chicago, IL)
04.02 Blind Pig (Ann Arbor, MI)
04.03 El Mocambo (Toronto, ONT)
04.04 Casa del Popolo (Montreal, QUE)
04.06 Pearl Street (Northampton, MA)
04.07 Paradise (Boston, MA)
04.08 Toad’s Place (New Haven, CT)
04.09 Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn, NY)
04.10 First Unitarian Church (Philadelphia, PA)
04.11 Black Cat (Washington, DC)
04.12 Mr. Smalls (Pittsburgh, PA)
04.13 Beachland Ballroom (Cleveland, OH)
04.14 The Intersection (Grand Rapids, MI)
04.16 St. Cloud State (St. Cloud, MN)
04.18 Coachella (Indio, CA)
05.02 First Avenue (Minneapolis, MN)
05.04 Dahl Arts Center (Rapid City, SD)
05.06 The Other Side (Missoula, MT)
05.07 The Blvd (Spokane, WA)
05.08 Neumos (Seattle, WA)
05.09 Media Club (Vancouver, BC)
05.10 Wonder Ballroom (Portland, OR)
05.12 The Independent (San Francisco, CA)
05.13 Detroit Bar (Costa Mesa, CA)
05.16 Plush (Tucson, AZ)
05.17 Rhythm Room (Phoenix, AZ)
05.19 Bluebird Theater (Denver, CO)
05.20 Waiting Room (Omaha, NE)
07.24 10,000 Lakes Festival (Detroit Lakes, MN)
08.29 Univ. of Minnesota (Morris, MN)