NPR Premieres "No Hell" - An Exclusive Clip from Cloud Cult's Feature Film 'The Seeker'

With 'The Seeker,' Cloud Cult Makes A Movie To Match Its Music

May 24, 2017 10:00 AM ET by STEPHEN THOMPSON Few bands can match Cloud Cult for multidisciplinary ambition. The Twin Cities group's live shows are uplift engines — complete with strings, horns, and onstage artists who craft paintings for auction as the musicians perform — and now Cloud Cult has its own narrative feature film, The Seeker, which has been making the festival rounds. Not surprisingly, the movie (directed by Jeff D. Johnson) and its soundtrack build on Cloud Cult's larger themes: wholehearted love, the embrace of both optimism and pain, and an overarching belief in the greater good of the universe.The story of a girl whose life is upended by a tragedy, The Seeker is both a film drama — albeit one with no dialogue — and a standalone album about self-discovery. The film, set to roll out digitally on June 13, functions as both its own story and a set of free-standing music videos like this one, for a characteristically cathartic song called "No Hell.""Most of the time, I write songs just because I love to write songs," singer-songwriter Craig Minowa writes via email. "But 'No Hell' came into being during one of those moments in life where I write a song not just because I want to, but because I need to in order to get through particularly hard times."The Seeker comes out through VOD services on June 13; its soundtrack is available now via the band's website. Click to watch "No Hell" From The Seeker via NPR! Cast & Crew of The Seeker Celebrate at the LA Premiere (May 18). Photo: Zac YonekawaCloud Cult has a long record of blurring the lines between music and the visual arts on stage. Last year, the band  Rolling Stone calls one of the greenest in the business, took it a step further and released what became a multiple award winning album and feature film  The Seeker .

This June, the band is set to bring The Seekerto the live stage for the first time in select US cities. Cloud Cult will perform the full score ofThe Seeker while the film plays on screen, followed by a second set of fan favorites.Cloud Cult toured in support of that album release to sold-out audiences in early 2016 and the partner film, also titled The Seeker has been wooing critics at film festivals and captivating audiences in national theaters since then. The film is set for digital release on June 13th. Presale for the U.S. and international digital release of the film began last week on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and Vimeo (click here to pre-order and for more info).

The Seeker, starring Josh Radnor (Mercy Street, How I Met Your Mother) along with Alex McKenna (What Women Want) is the story of Grace, a daughter whose idyllic life is turned upside-down by immense tragedy. As she grows older, her cynicism and apathy towards her new reality is challenged by a reminder from the past that sets her on a pilgrimage that will define her. The story and music were written by Cloud Cult, and the film was visually scored and directed by Jeff D. Johnson of Motion 117 Productions.

The Seeker is one of a small handful of feature-length narrative dramas to land on Entertainment Weekly's “Must List.” According to film critic Joe Neumaier of the Tribeca Shortlist, “Anyone who’s ever heard echoes of their childhood during times of crisis or contemplation - meaning, anyone breathing - will be utterly swept away.”

The film won the “BEST OF FEST” in the Visual Music category at the Speechless Film Festival, and despite fierce competition from a record number of movie releases in 2016,Sarasota Film Festival’s Michael Dunaway calls The Seeker “One of the top 8 films not to miss this year.” Jason Carney, the executive director of the Phoenix Film Festival, picked The Seeker as one of the “10 Don’t Miss Movies” (out of more than 150) in his interview with TheArizona Republic.
 

Cloud Cult will perform the full score to the film in select cities below along with a second set of fan favorites!  Grab your tickets now HERE as the band sold out shows in most of these cities on last year’s album release tour.

6/1: Chicago, IL - House of Blues
6/2: Madison, WI - Majestic Theater
6/9: Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium (presented by The Current)
6/10: La Crosse, WI - Artspire
6/23: New York City - Music Hall of Williamsburg
6/25: Philadelphia, PA - TBD
6/26: Boston, MA -  The Sinclair

Tickets available at  www.cloudcult.com