Cold War Kids
Loyalty to Loyalty
Downtown Records
By Kevin Hakansson
Way back in 2006, The Cold War Kids burst onto the scene out of nowhere. The band had only formed two years prior, but they were receiving the buzz for being the latest quirky, rootsy and brash, yet not exactly catchy indie rock band. The band’s debut full-length, Robbers & Cowards, fed even more fuel to the hype machine, and suggested that, at least for a little while, Cold War Kids would be sticking around.
Like any follow up to a successful debut album, Loyalty to Loyalty has arrived with much anticipation. Could the Kids continue to build on a career in rock ‘n’ roll that seemingly started in the blink of an eye? Would they build on what we heard on Robbers, or would their new record go in an entirely different direction, not a stretch for a group that clearly prides themselves on being original? Well, Loyalty certainly isn’t a simple reworking of Robbers, but it does piggyback off what CWK did on their debut, for better or worse.
Loyalty to Loyalty opens with “Against Privacy,” a song that proves prophetic. It says that, much like on Robbers, yes, vocalist Nathan Willett’s howl is going to be the focal point of the record. It’s also the first set of Willett’s cryptic sets of lyrics, channeling Thom Yorke in singing “Forget ex-girlfriends, we want little governments.” Once Willett finishes his repetitive “We’re against privacy” choruses, the rest of the band shows what they can do. Johnnie Russell’s clean, reverb-redefining guitar and Matt Aveiro’s simple drum kit sound as though they were recorded live, and prove to be consistent and tight.
It’s interesting to note just how soulful CWK’s new album is. Not to say that Robbers wasn’t soul-influenced; it’s just, it seems that the band has kicked it up a notch. Willett slams the keys of his piano on “Every Valley is Not a Lake,” and sounds like he’s telling the tale of an old former star, saying “Well take a look child, these worn out bones. Just think they'd used to sell out a baseball stadium.” The album’s single, “Something is Not Right With Me,” easily identifiable by the presence of the album’s title as the repeated chorus, is short, funky, and to the point, and another tune where just listening to the intensity and volume Willett sings with will make listeners’ throats hurt.
Indeed, much like Robbers, Loyalty ebbs and flows with Willett’s voice. Hell, at times, his band plays so subtly, it’s impossible not to focus in on his high-pitched moan. At one point on “Mexican Dogs,” all instrumentation, save for Matt Maust’s tasteful bass, drops out, allowing Willett unadulterated wailing space, and on the socially conscious “Every Man I Fall For,” CWK’s ultra-tight rhythm section is at their most sensitive while Willett bemoans domestic abuse.
Whether or not they’d like to admit it, Loyalty to Loyalty really serves as a proving ground for Willett as a vocalist. Sure, it does showcase a rhythm section that shows the versatility to grow from the sparse “Every Man” or “On the Night My Love Broke Through,” to the tribal “Welcome to the Occupation,” to the Kid A-conjuring “Relief,” but in every case, Willett winds up the star. And whether or not you feel his unique bleat is worthy of the spotlight, you have to admit that he is what gives his band its identity.
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