Cold War Kids | Dear Miss Lonelyhearts
Kids refocus their sound by kicking around some new ones.
"Dear Miss Lonelyhearts" opens with "Miracle Mile," a song with pounding pianos that sound like a hyped-up "Hospital Beds" rehash until new guitarist Dann Gallucci's riff comes in and takes the song in a more frantic, harder-edged direction.
Cold War Kids' latest is a much more confident and solid album then a few of their decent but still so-so predecessors.
Cold War Kids have some fun with keys and drum machines on songs like "Lost That Easy" and "Loner Phase," instruments that complement Nathan Willet's bluesy wail surprisingly well.
Their most effective electronic experimentation comes on "Bottled Affections," which mixes an almost industrial keyboard with hand claps and electric drums to create an eerie yet oddly life-affirming anthem.
"Tuxedos" sounds a lot like a Joe Cocker song, featuring swelling brass and steady beat that just screams "soul."
The title track and "Water & Power" are almost 80s-era, U2-style ballads minus all the glossy overproduction and featuring a very organic sound and ambiance consistent with the rest of the record.
A welcome return to form, "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts" is as consistent as anything these guys have put out in a long time.
Recommended If You Like: Delta Spirit, The Walkmen, Favourite Sons
By Michael Lovito
Kurt Vile | Walking On A Pretty Daze
Eternal haze from the constant hitmaker.
Proud Philly native Kurt Vile has already torn apart countless souls with his previous records, but his fifth album "Waking on a Pretty Daze" sprinkles in hope with the memories.
Without parting from his warm fingerpicking and timeless guitar playing, Vile has taken a gently psychedelic route with brighter melodies and a broader selection of instruments compared to more melancholy "Smoke Ring for my Halo." (There's still plenty of emotion, don't worry.)
Reaching 10 minutes, the breezy opener title track sets up the songs to follow with a moving tapestry of woven guitar licks and riffs. The following "KV Crimes," "Girl Called Alex" and "Shame Chamber" get a little bluesy and evoke friends' War on Drugs- and Dinosaur Jr.-style melodies yet stay true with Vile's reflective Sunday afternoon vibe.
When he sings "Makin' music is easy/watch me" the irony of what makes him so great comes out. Without ever coming off as pretentious, he manages to marry heartfelt passion with such a laid-back ease.
To me, at least, Kurt Vile will always be the soft sounds that come with sunrise and evenings embraced with memories.
RIYL: Real Estate, Neil Young, The War on Drugs, Woods
By Molly Pfeffer, Velvet Sessions, Wednesdays 5-6 p.m.
Wire | Change Becomes Us
Plugged into the computer and the breathing machine.
Wire's an odd band.
Starting in 1977 with "Pink Flag," Wire took the musical world by storm with their reinvention of punk. Blending catchy melodies, frantic chords and unmatched passion and energy, "Pink Flag" transitioned into the rise of post-punk.
From there, the band adopted synths into its sound and abandoned the instrumental minimalism it was known for.
"Change Becomes Us" was written as the band's fourth album, following three that have already cemented their place in musical history.
While some of the ideas are there, it's tough to ignore that the band has aged significantly.
To me, the strangest part of this record is Colin Newman's vocals. Far gone are the days of his bratty, British-laden performances. On this record, the vocals sound more like half Newman, half robot.
You can catch brief glimpses back to Wire's golden days here and there. "Adore Your Island" features showboating chords that I can imagine Angus Young playing while holding his pick up to the heavens.
Thankfully, that image dissipates once Wire bursts into a less-scripted version of themselves, with a rambunctious, minimal freak-out that ends far too quickly.
There are moments on this album that remind me I'm listening to Wire, but plenty of others that make me wonder if Alex Lifeson (Rush) joined the band.
RIYL: Wire, Rush, Memories of long-gone musical love
By Cameron Stewart, Sultry Red Feedback, Fridays 2-4 p.m.
