The Wake

Originating in Fullerton, Calif., Cold War Kids is made up of Matt Aveiro, Matt Maust, Jonnie Bo Russell and Nathan Willett: According to Wikipedia, the four men who relocated to Los Angeles to record through Monarchy Music, and have toured in support of artists such as Tapes ‘n’ Tapes, The White Stripes, and Muse. From this label, Cold War Kids released three EPs before switching to Downtown Records in 2006 and debuting their first LP “Robbers & Cowards” that fall.

Cold War Kids have a sound influenced by Jeff Buckley and Velvet Underground. Basically, they are an indie rock band with badass lyrics and no limitations in creativity. Their second LP, “Loyalty to Loyalty,” has a very free spirited and anti-bureaucratic feel, which is only to be expected with such a historically important election just around the corner, and so the Cold War Kids use their lyrics to speak for the common people. They use, and pull off, the royal “we” when opposing the controlling
order set upon us by routine consumerism.

The very first song on the disc, titled “Against Privacy,” slights the intrusion upon our everyday lives and, like most of this CD, the grasp society has on the definition of individuality. “Something Is Not Right With Me” screams, quite literally, of society’s compulsions to blend in with what is “trendy” and the inhibitions that stem from this pressure to “fit in.” The lyrics of the song “Golden Gate Jumpers,” as well as the use of a harpsichord piano, combine to create a somewhat haunting old westernesque harmony in which Willett tries to prevent the “black skirt on the rail” from jumping.

The mix of sporadic drum beats and overwhelmingly loud vocals blend remarkably well to form a coherent and thought provoking album, fitting flawlessly into your music library. Right between Beck and Cloud Cult. And maybe The Cranberries.