The anomalous Cold War Kids are one of the most consistent rock n’ roll bands of the past decade.
The Long Beach rockers first busted onto the scene in 2006 with their cult hit ‘Hang Me Up To Dry‘ and, despite changes in both sound and lineup, the band has continued with steady success.
The dynamic and anthemic ‘Hold My Home‘ is their fifth album and is the sound of a band growing and settling into its own identity, but it also has all the stylistic shifts and turns that one would expect from these idiosyncratic types.
‘All This Could Be Yours’ is a rousing anthemic opener that sets the tone for the album. Beginning with hammering piano chords and pounding drums, the song steadily builds with a heart thumping pulse as singer Nathan Willett cathartically proclaims, “I have been patient, but you’ve got to try, All of this could be yours, be yours tonight.” The song will no doubt be a crowd favorite come festival season. The following track ‘First’ is by far the most radio friendly track on the album and once again displays the band’s knack for writing catchy pop/rock anthems.
Former touring members Joe Plummer (drums) and multi-instrumentalist Mathew Schwartz are now credited as official members; their contributions on the album strengthen and broaden the band’s musical palette. The glimmering ‘Hotel Anywhere’ combines elements of shoegaze with the anthemic theatrics of U2 to great success. Even better is the slick, romantic, neo-psychedelia of ‘Nights & Weekends’, which will surely play as a perfect soundtrack to summer’s late humid nights.
The jumpy and anxious ‘Hot Coals’ is an angst-ridden take on modern masculinity, and it may remind some Plummer’s old band Modest Mouse. The steady and soulful ‘Go Quietly’ allows Willett’s soulful falsetto to shine, while ‘Drive Desperate’ opens with jittering keys before dynamically shifting through guitar interludes and rhythmic build-ups. The dark and swaggering ‘Flower Drum Song’ harks back to the earlier Cold War Kids sound.
‘Hold My Home’ concludes strongly with two soul-tinged tracks. Featuring just a Hammond organ and tambourine, the subtle and minimal ‘Harold Bloom’ (named after American literary critic) pushes the focus to Willett’s lyrics, “Can you be wise if you never leave the room,” he ponders. The R&B infused album closer ‘Hear My Baby Call’ is arguably the strongest track here and is the perfect culmination of the band’s career up to this point. It is moody, heartfelt, and soulful as the chorus expertly balances confidence with melancholy.
This is their fifth album in eight years, showing Cold War Kids haven’t lost their youthful hunger, but it is clear that the Kids have matured in both sound and in songwriting. Throughout their career, the band have always been hard to categorize and they’ve often resisted any label that may get thrown at them, but there is a quiet and mature confidence to ‘Hold My Home’ which can only be achieved through years of experience.
Kids can grow up, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have fun.
