Chillicothe -- Funnel Cloud Town
Funnel Cloud Town is a collection of heartbreaking stories of people getting by -- delivered by Chillicothe (Nicholas Altobelli) with grace and humor.
Nicholas Altobelli brings a twangy sheen to his new project Chillicothe and his soft-spoken character portraits Funnel Cloud Town. There's a heavy helping of early-aughts indie rock as well – and the detached observation that applies makes for a distant narrator looking down on hardscrabble stories.
That duality is presented best on the album opener, "Dead Man Walking," a breathy song with abstract lyrics that are more about evoking emotions than literal meaning – the ghostly imagery here brings The Low Anthem's cryptic sea shanties to mind. The catchy melody and enchanting duet on the song contrast with the seemingly numbing routine of small-town life.
That routine is shattered in "Grocery Store Flowers." The song is literally devastating, a window into a lifelong love story that is reaching its inevitable conclusion: after all, someone has to die first. But what happens to the survivor while they are anticipating that change?
There are moments of lighthearted humor, too. "All My Favorite Singers" places us in those intimate moments in a love affair before illness sets in – and critiques the state of rock'n'roll heroes. While "Heart For Sale" may be glum in terms of content, there is a Fountains of Wayne-like wit to it as well as a strong power pop hook.
Funnel Cloud Town embodies the contrasts of letting life weigh you down and laughing through the pain. Even "What the Stars Have Made" is a cheerful protest ballad against Christian nationalism. Altobelli accomplishes the death-defying act of balancing those impulses, assuring us that it can't be bad (or good) all the time.
Chillicoth – Official, Bandcamp, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky
