Cold War Kids have taken their fans to a new rock ‘n’ roll utopia with the release of their sophomore album, Loyalty to Loyalty. From their rhythms to their lyrics, they have provided every stoner, groupie and virtuoso something worth jamming to.
The album is as close to rock perfection as I’ve encountered since Nirvana’s Unplugged. Its lyrics resemble those of Jefferson Airplane’s while its sound is like a kick-ass mix of Clapton, Pink Floyd and good ole’ Mr. Jimi Hendrix.
Like all great rock ‘n’ roll collections, Loyalty to Loyalty lyrically toys with aggression and lunacy. The Kids provided a mellow, bluesy suicide ballad in “Golden Gate Jumpers” and even included a track about spouse abuse in “Every Man I Fall For”. “Something Is Not Right With Me,” Cold War Kids’ “Helter Skelter” per say, is about the lyrically timeless subject of insanity. The cuts encompass the unique qualities of grotesque beauty and disquieting meditation. They are as powerful as they are soothing, and they’re very (expletive) cool.
And nothing is cooler than the manner in which Nathan Willet, Cold War Kids’s frontman and lead vocalist, resonates throughout the album. He proves himself to be a modern-day Robert Plant, showing off his wide-ranged pitch full of intensity and precision. When listening to “Avalanche in B,” in which Willet’s eerie but tranquil voice floats over a heavy piano melody and a swung, staggered drumbeat, I was immediately brought back to Zeppelin’s “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” and wished Willet had been born into an era more appreciative of rock ‘n’ roll.
But not every track recreates this old-school vibe. Those that don’t are a modern marvel in themselves. “Relief,” which starts off with rad bass and drum lines, reminds me a bit of The Strokes. The song is extremely catchy, well-put-together and divine. Similarly, the album’s single, “I’ve Seen Enough”, brings Kings of Leon to mind with its high-paced, high-energy feel and flow.
Correspondingly, much of the rest of album is alive and active. Drummer Matt Aveiro’s performance is grade A, especially in the track “Welcome To The Occupation”, as is Matt Maust’s bass groove in “Mexican Dogs.”
All of the Kids do a job worthy of applause (and obsession) in creating tracks sure to get concert crowds jumping and screaming in the band’s current tour, which lasts through Nov. 8. Unfortunately, like 75 percent of all great concert tours, the band’s bus rolls past Charlottesville without making a stop. Even worse, the band’s Oct. 18 show in D.C. is already sold out, and their next closest gig is Carrabo, N.C.. Nevertheless, skyrocketed eBay ticket prices and a 2.5 hour trek will undoubtedly be worth the hassle.
Cold War Kids have come out, once again, with a mind-blowing album in Loyalty to Loyalty. They have continued to prove themselves as the band to beat in the battle of rock music. More importantly, they have reminded us why we have taken up playing instruments, blown our savings on huge record collections and have continued to love and admire everything about rock ‘n’ roll.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
