( A classic from The War on Drugs)
This album starts off with “Up All Night’, and to a T this is what I expected to hear from an intro to a War on Drugs album. The synths are very warm and the vocals are even warmer, all backed up by this almost retro Piano Rock. Now, to be honest, this one took me the longest to appreciate of all of the early singles. But it has grown on me, and I certainly think this works as an opening. I can’t stress enough how warm and inviting “Up All Night” is. Now, Adam Granduciel is known for meticulous production and ridiculous details in song structure, and here is no different. Some of the details here are so simple, yet so mind boggling. For example, just listening to the tones on those guitar solos are absolutely chilling. But as far as the electronic elements go, they’ve actually grown to be an even bigger part of The War on Drugs’ music, giving this track almost a funk. “Up All Night” is smokey, gigantic and one hell of an opener. I’m also really impressed with how intense some of these moments here are, with solo after solo sounding nearly impossible. But just like a lot of earlier War on Drugs tracks, this is going to take some patience. Hell, this album as a whole is going to take some patience, with almost every track here over 6 minutes. But it’s worth it. Now, one thing I do have to say about The War on Drugs is that the atmospheres in their music have become completely flawless over the years. “Pain” is up next, which contains elements of Folk and Indie Rock, but it’s presented in such a vast and starry atmosphere that it’s gigantic. Overall, this track is just an absolutely stunning performance. Adam’s lyrics on this one easily rank among some of his best, to the point where it’s pretty damn mind blowing. As far as the instrumentals go, there are certainly a whole lot of really great things about this as well. The guitar hooks during the verses also make this one easier to digest. The solo’s come off just as sonically gigantic as well. So far, this has been a seriously stunning album. And that final guitar solo is epic enough to truly tug at your heart strings. Now, any fan of the last War on Drugs album will be able to appreciate “Holding On” right from its opening notes. As far as that Americana sound that they’ve been working with for years goes, it really doesn’t get any better than this. I love Adam’s very smoky and moody vocals. It’s gotten to the point where there’s just so much going on within the vast instrumentals in War on Drugs’ music that it’s almost overwhelming to take it all in at once. But one thing is for sure, this is some of the most heartfelt material I’ve heard from Adam ever, and that’s saying something. The upbeat synths and rhythms on “Holding On” are a really nice touch as well, which is what really drew me into tracks like “Red Eyed” in the past. It all remains very smooth, however, and even with all these instrumentals, the production remains almost oddly perfect. Then we have tracks like “Strangest Thing” which continues to blow my mind. The amount of power in these instrumentals is staggering, and it’s certainly nice to hear The War on Drugs in a slower and more Folky atmosphere. This is by far the most somber tone here and Adam’s very deep and personal performance on this one stealing the show. But it’s the little production tricks here and there that continue to keep me on the edge of my seat. Just the way The War on Drugs throws in small synths in the back or other distant instrumentals makes this sound like some of the biggest Indie music that I’ve ever heard. It all pays off wonderfully too, with the explosion of instrumentals making up the hooks are nothing but pure joy to listen to. Once again though, I have to talk about these solos which are absolutely massive. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time they were such a huge factor in the War on Drugs music. Needless to say, this album continues to be breathtaking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9LgHNf2Qy0
“Knocked Down” on the other hand is a completely different animal on the other hand. It’s soft and somber, but this one is just plain quiet all around. However, it remains just as stunning, mostly due to the incredible songwriting on this one and just how pained some of the distant instrumentals sound. I feel like overall, this is Adam’s most personal and inviting album yet as far as his lyrics go. But it gives this album a very human feel to it. Outside of that, this track is easily the least to talk about. It’s by far the shortest track here. But I wouldn’t say that makes it bad at all, I actually still think it comes off seriously memorable. Not to mention, those piano melodies are incredible. Then we have “Nothing To Find”, which is a serious wake-up call. And to be honest, I really did need a little bit of a pick me up. Not to mention, I’m always going to be the kind of guy who loves to hear The War on Drugs in this very upbeat atmosphere. They sound so determined here, and these almost heavier instrumentals come off so wonderful. Also, like I said earlier, its upbeat moments like this in which the band’s Americana side really comes out massively. But it’s also moments like this that set The War On Drugs apart from every other Indie Band who are trying to write these life changing songs. The War on Drugs, however, are easily doing that sound more justice than just about any other band in Indie right now anyway. Also, once again, kudos on that solo man because that is SHARP. So far, this album may just be the finest work in The War on Drugs discography. But this album had to get a little winded at one point, and that point is “Thinking of a Place”. This one has all of the usual suspects as far as War on Drugs tunes go. The Folky backbone is there, the Americana spirit, the glistening atmosphere are all here on display. But first off, let me just say this literally sounds like a damn song off of what Kurt Vile was doing on his “Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze” album. Now, that’s not necessarily bad, especially when you consider that Kurt was an original member of The War on Drugs. But overall, this track really doesn’t hook me at all. Adam’s performance isn’t nearly as heartfelt or emotional here. And that’s a real shame because, to be honest, when I heard this track early on I almost lost hope for this album completely. There are a handful of elements I enjoy though, like the guitar that continues to be exceptional. Even the atmosphere here continues to be glistening as any other great War on Drugs track should be. However, why in the world is this track 11 minutes long? If this was only 5 minutes long, I wouldn’t have nearly as many lukewarm things to say about this. Because after that 5-minute mark things just continuously get more and more drawn out and full of itself. Some of the later instrumentals, like the harmonica, are just so likable, so it’s a real shame this one is so bland. But with how stunning this album has been so far, I can deal with this one being a snoozer. On the other hand, “In Chains” is very pleasant, and I’m instantly so much more into the atmosphere. As a matter of fact, the atmosphere on this track may be one of the coolest on the entire album. I love the very subtle strings and strong bass on this one. Once again, “In Chains” just comes off sounding gigantic, and brings me right back to that overwhelming sense of staring directly into these atmospheres. The little details remain meticulous, and thinking about every instrumental that went into this one is actually really overwhelming. To be honest, as far as pacing goes, this is the sort of medium that I love hearing War on Drugs in, that very starry eyed medium between their slower folk stuff and their more upbeat indie stuff. But this one is just jaw dropping as it rolls on. These instrumentals and small breakdowns are so huge, and Adam belting out that chorus is seriously eye opening. Like I said earlier, these tracks take patience, with “In Chains” once again being well over 7 minutes long. But so far, for the most part, these tracks have totally justified their length. Not to mention, those group vocals in the last 2 minutes are seriously heartwarming and epic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuLRcBZedkc
Then we have “Clean Living” which is the quietest and dreariest track we’ve heard yet. It’s almost to the point where this doesn’t even sound like a War on Drugs track. Yes, Adam’s performance certainly livens things up a little. But as far as a ballad goes, I’ve just heard so many better tunes from The War on Drugs. The atmosphere isn’t as interesting on this track. However, I do have to say, around the 2-minute mark when those heavier instrumentals pop in things certainly get better. Hell, it almost sounds like an entirely different track. But overall I still feel like The War on Drugs aren’t playing on all cylinders on “Clean Living”. There are still some nice moments and pretty instrumentals. But compared to the earlier material on the album, this really doesn’t hold up. This album ends off with “You Don’t Have to Go”. While this may not be as energetic and as upbeat as other tracks here, as far as a smooth finale goes, this one works great. At the very least, this one sounds like The Way on Drugs. I love just how some of the instrumentals come off. Listening to them, I can easily just picture looking out over the Philadelphia skyline at night. Adam’s performance once again is at its bluesiest and smoothest, and his lyrics couldn’t be more introspective and interesting. And while this really doesn’t bring in any outrageously new ideas to the formula of this album, I think it’s just a really enjoyable and sweet finale. I also love just how warm some of the backing vocals are. The production is glistening, and the atmosphere is as inviting as ever. “You Don’t Have to Go” is a wonderful finale.
Rating: 8.4/10
Give A Listen To: “Pain”, “Holding On”, “Strangest Thing”, “Nothing To Find”
Genre: Indie Rock / Americana / Heartland Rock
If You Dig This, Check Out: The War On Drugs - “Lost In The Dream”, Future Islands - "Singles", Kurt Vile - "Wakin' On A Pretty Daze"
This album starts off with “Up All Night’, and to a T this is what I expected to hear from an intro to a War on Drugs album. The synths are very warm and the vocals are even warmer, all backed up by this almost retro Piano Rock. Now, to be honest, this one took me the longest to appreciate of all of the early singles. But it has grown on me, and I certainly think this works as an opening. I can’t stress enough how warm and inviting “Up All Night” is. Now, Adam Granduciel is known for meticulous production and ridiculous details in song structure, and here is no different. Some of the details here are so simple, yet so mind boggling. For example, just listening to the tones on those guitar solos are absolutely chilling. But as far as the electronic elements go, they’ve actually grown to be an even bigger part of The War on Drugs’ music, giving this track almost a funk. “Up All Night” is smokey, gigantic and one hell of an opener. I’m also really impressed with how intense some of these moments here are, with solo after solo sounding nearly impossible. But just like a lot of earlier War on Drugs tracks, this is going to take some patience. Hell, this album as a whole is going to take some patience, with almost every track here over 6 minutes. But it’s worth it. Now, one thing I do have to say about The War on Drugs is that the atmospheres in their music have become completely flawless over the years. “Pain” is up next, which contains elements of Folk and Indie Rock, but it’s presented in such a vast and starry atmosphere that it’s gigantic. Overall, this track is just an absolutely stunning performance. Adam’s lyrics on this one easily rank among some of his best, to the point where it’s pretty damn mind blowing. As far as the instrumentals go, there are certainly a whole lot of really great things about this as well. The guitar hooks during the verses also make this one easier to digest. The solo’s come off just as sonically gigantic as well. So far, this has been a seriously stunning album. And that final guitar solo is epic enough to truly tug at your heart strings. Now, any fan of the last War on Drugs album will be able to appreciate “Holding On” right from its opening notes. As far as that Americana sound that they’ve been working with for years goes, it really doesn’t get any better than this. I love Adam’s very smoky and moody vocals. It’s gotten to the point where there’s just so much going on within the vast instrumentals in War on Drugs’ music that it’s almost overwhelming to take it all in at once. But one thing is for sure, this is some of the most heartfelt material I’ve heard from Adam ever, and that’s saying something. The upbeat synths and rhythms on “Holding On” are a really nice touch as well, which is what really drew me into tracks like “Red Eyed” in the past. It all remains very smooth, however, and even with all these instrumentals, the production remains almost oddly perfect. Then we have tracks like “Strangest Thing” which continues to blow my mind. The amount of power in these instrumentals is staggering, and it’s certainly nice to hear The War on Drugs in a slower and more Folky atmosphere. This is by far the most somber tone here and Adam’s very deep and personal performance on this one stealing the show. But it’s the little production tricks here and there that continue to keep me on the edge of my seat. Just the way The War on Drugs throws in small synths in the back or other distant instrumentals makes this sound like some of the biggest Indie music that I’ve ever heard. It all pays off wonderfully too, with the explosion of instrumentals making up the hooks are nothing but pure joy to listen to. Once again though, I have to talk about these solos which are absolutely massive. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time they were such a huge factor in the War on Drugs music. Needless to say, this album continues to be breathtaking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9LgHNf2Qy0
“Knocked Down” on the other hand is a completely different animal on the other hand. It’s soft and somber, but this one is just plain quiet all around. However, it remains just as stunning, mostly due to the incredible songwriting on this one and just how pained some of the distant instrumentals sound. I feel like overall, this is Adam’s most personal and inviting album yet as far as his lyrics go. But it gives this album a very human feel to it. Outside of that, this track is easily the least to talk about. It’s by far the shortest track here. But I wouldn’t say that makes it bad at all, I actually still think it comes off seriously memorable. Not to mention, those piano melodies are incredible. Then we have “Nothing To Find”, which is a serious wake-up call. And to be honest, I really did need a little bit of a pick me up. Not to mention, I’m always going to be the kind of guy who loves to hear The War on Drugs in this very upbeat atmosphere. They sound so determined here, and these almost heavier instrumentals come off so wonderful. Also, like I said earlier, its upbeat moments like this in which the band’s Americana side really comes out massively. But it’s also moments like this that set The War On Drugs apart from every other Indie Band who are trying to write these life changing songs. The War on Drugs, however, are easily doing that sound more justice than just about any other band in Indie right now anyway. Also, once again, kudos on that solo man because that is SHARP. So far, this album may just be the finest work in The War on Drugs discography. But this album had to get a little winded at one point, and that point is “Thinking of a Place”. This one has all of the usual suspects as far as War on Drugs tunes go. The Folky backbone is there, the Americana spirit, the glistening atmosphere are all here on display. But first off, let me just say this literally sounds like a damn song off of what Kurt Vile was doing on his “Wakin’ On A Pretty Daze” album. Now, that’s not necessarily bad, especially when you consider that Kurt was an original member of The War on Drugs. But overall, this track really doesn’t hook me at all. Adam’s performance isn’t nearly as heartfelt or emotional here. And that’s a real shame because, to be honest, when I heard this track early on I almost lost hope for this album completely. There are a handful of elements I enjoy though, like the guitar that continues to be exceptional. Even the atmosphere here continues to be glistening as any other great War on Drugs track should be. However, why in the world is this track 11 minutes long? If this was only 5 minutes long, I wouldn’t have nearly as many lukewarm things to say about this. Because after that 5-minute mark things just continuously get more and more drawn out and full of itself. Some of the later instrumentals, like the harmonica, are just so likable, so it’s a real shame this one is so bland. But with how stunning this album has been so far, I can deal with this one being a snoozer. On the other hand, “In Chains” is very pleasant, and I’m instantly so much more into the atmosphere. As a matter of fact, the atmosphere on this track may be one of the coolest on the entire album. I love the very subtle strings and strong bass on this one. Once again, “In Chains” just comes off sounding gigantic, and brings me right back to that overwhelming sense of staring directly into these atmospheres. The little details remain meticulous, and thinking about every instrumental that went into this one is actually really overwhelming. To be honest, as far as pacing goes, this is the sort of medium that I love hearing War on Drugs in, that very starry eyed medium between their slower folk stuff and their more upbeat indie stuff. But this one is just jaw dropping as it rolls on. These instrumentals and small breakdowns are so huge, and Adam belting out that chorus is seriously eye opening. Like I said earlier, these tracks take patience, with “In Chains” once again being well over 7 minutes long. But so far, for the most part, these tracks have totally justified their length. Not to mention, those group vocals in the last 2 minutes are seriously heartwarming and epic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuLRcBZedkc
Then we have “Clean Living” which is the quietest and dreariest track we’ve heard yet. It’s almost to the point where this doesn’t even sound like a War on Drugs track. Yes, Adam’s performance certainly livens things up a little. But as far as a ballad goes, I’ve just heard so many better tunes from The War on Drugs. The atmosphere isn’t as interesting on this track. However, I do have to say, around the 2-minute mark when those heavier instrumentals pop in things certainly get better. Hell, it almost sounds like an entirely different track. But overall I still feel like The War on Drugs aren’t playing on all cylinders on “Clean Living”. There are still some nice moments and pretty instrumentals. But compared to the earlier material on the album, this really doesn’t hold up. This album ends off with “You Don’t Have to Go”. While this may not be as energetic and as upbeat as other tracks here, as far as a smooth finale goes, this one works great. At the very least, this one sounds like The Way on Drugs. I love just how some of the instrumentals come off. Listening to them, I can easily just picture looking out over the Philadelphia skyline at night. Adam’s performance once again is at its bluesiest and smoothest, and his lyrics couldn’t be more introspective and interesting. And while this really doesn’t bring in any outrageously new ideas to the formula of this album, I think it’s just a really enjoyable and sweet finale. I also love just how warm some of the backing vocals are. The production is glistening, and the atmosphere is as inviting as ever. “You Don’t Have to Go” is a wonderful finale.
Rating: 8.4/10
Give A Listen To: “Pain”, “Holding On”, “Strangest Thing”, “Nothing To Find”
Genre: Indie Rock / Americana / Heartland Rock
If You Dig This, Check Out: The War On Drugs - “Lost In The Dream”, Future Islands - "Singles", Kurt Vile - "Wakin' On A Pretty Daze"
Overall Thoughts: You know, I was really pleasantly surprised with this album. I knew that The War on Drugs had something special up thier sleeves listening to the singles that were teased. But the overall pristine sound of this album is just stunning. I'm not entirely sure if I prefer this over their last album, but this album is just as meticulous and well thought out as you would expect. However, like I've said, most of these tracks are 6-8 minutes, so you best go into this album with tons of patience.
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