Stray Nimbus

Stray Nimbus can be a complex organism with many changes and moods.  The project is headed by Jaiden Lee, a local Denton, TX artist who's dead set on bringing the world of original music a broken-down model with a raw, deterministic approach. 

The music challenges current genres by exposing the roots of rock and roll, alternative, metal, punk, and special derivatives of it, with a flair of post-punk overtones and traveling into the world of rockabilly/psychobilly crassness.  But it doesn't stop there.  Other pieces can be moody ballads that touch on the heart and soul with feelings of urgency and emotional conflict.  Nimbus has a sense of evolution transpiring through the show and is not afraid to use strange or alien methods for the plot of most styles of rock music.  In many ways they can be considered to be a dark-alt band, playing songs with styles within that have a tendency to insert themselves out-of-character of the original concept.  Contrasts of feeling and direction often happen in breakdowns which can thrust a punk piece into the blues, and from one place to another.  Other songs are set to be humorous, taking on disdain from the status quo, the scene and even the members themselves. 

In a way, the only consistency in Stray Nimbus is inconsistency. Some fans have mentioned "I thought I knew which song was my favorite, until the next one started and I was like, 'No, this one's my favorite'", while others have said that they didn't know where they were going to end up after every song changed into yet another animal.  Whatever it is, the response has always been diverse in commentary.  They seem to be compared to a time line of rock bands, mainly stemming from the 90's and before, including Big Black, Black Sabbath, Alice and Chains and the list goes on.  With the many changes in members since their beginning in 2011, the fluctuating influences have cultivated a plethora of origins from heavy roots to experimental.

Their sets are schizophrenic in nature, which often comes hand in hand visually, including the lead vocalist to be body painted with grim details of a bleeding heart.  However, in the end their sound is big, risk-taking and adventurous with staple songs that are meant to be taken in thoughtfully.  When it comes to a Stray Nimbus show, it seems better to take a look at the whole picture than to be caught in one mindset and to just enjoy the turning wheel.