I know there are a few War On Drugs fans on here. new album “I Don’t Live Here Anymore” due at the end of October.
Title track is up on YouTube. After a couple of listens, I really like it. However, is it just me or does it remind of Don Henleys “Boys Of Summer”…..?
“Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac…….” Definite BOS vibes in there*, but it’s rather good and has just sold the new War on Drugs album for me.
[*Don Henley checks phone for lawyer’s number.]
That’s the seam he mines, isn’t it? Every song on Lost in the Dream sounds like it was the product of a forced union between Dancing in the Dark and Boys of Summer sung by Dylan circa Blood on the Tracks. I adore Lost in Dream but never really gelled with the albums either side (although I’ve just ordered A Deeper Understanding on CD to see if owning it makes me like it more).
The new song isn’t leaping out and grabbing me, but neither do most things on first listen these days.
The live album is surprisingly good.
Ordered that too. I can imagine them being great live.
Perhaps not so surprising if you have seen them live – pretty good.
Indeed, I may try and get that, having seen them at Rock City a while back. Excellent they were too, I concur.
There’s definite AC/DC kind of “if it ain’t broke…” tendencies above, though.
Yes I can hear the link.
This track grabbed me immediately – the backing vocals make all the difference [by Lucius, so they were always going to be good]
I was underwhelmed by the first new track ‘Living Proof’ but I heard it again recently and it’s a grower, so I have hope that this album will match ADU & LITD
Now I like the War on Drugs, so don’t get me wrong. But there’s a school of thought that says for a US band to get big, they have to make the same album over and over again. Because it’s such a big territory to crack, it takes a long time for audiences to get what it is they’re trying to achieve. So while, say, the Arctic Monkeys have changed vastly with each release, the War on Drugs and many besides, seem to only make tiny incremental changes to their sound on each album. It’s not necessarily a criticism, just an observation of the trajectory they’ve chosen.
I’m hearing…
Tears for Fears – Head Over Heels and Kim Carnes – Bette David Eyes…
Crikey, yes. It’s like a mash-up of those and Boys of Summer, isn’t it?
The promoter of the gig I’m doing sound at in 3 weeks is a big War on Drugs fan, doubtless he will be blasting it out through my PA in his continuing attempt to convert me. I remain underwhelmed. My loss, I know.