There’s a lot of folks out there who put “Cloud” in their band name. Before today, my favorites were Cloud Cult and Cloud Room. Now I’ve got to add The Cloud Hymn. “A Seed Buried in the Ground” is a pensive, breathtaking record that on the surface sounds sad but, when you listen more closely, clearly is not. It’s about the beauty of life, little things that mean so much. It’s mostly just singer-songwriter John Nielsen of Wisconsin and his guitar, but it sounds much bigger and fuller than Bon Iver, and is much more powerful than most acoustic guitar indie folk. The lyrics are obtuse but moving, the music is deceptively simple, and the album is perfect. I’ve read that Nielsen is studying for a law degree. It’s sad if he can’t support himself with his brilliant music. The Cloud Hymn is easily one of the best records I’ve heard so far this year.