Cold War Kids - ‘Cold War Kids’ | Album Review
January 10 | Written By Lauren Ketterl
With their 10th studio album release, Cold War Kids dropped a brand-new, self-titled album on November 3rd. The indie-rock band has been making music for nearly 20 years after the group met in 2004 while attending Biola University in Long Beach, California. Vocalist, guitarist, and pianist Nathan Willett leads the group along with other band members Matt Maust, Joe Plummer, David Quon, and Matthew Schwartz. The group has mastered a distinct sound of indie rock combined with hints of blues and soul music, and this album shows that perfectly.
The first song released on the 12-song, self-titled album is the single ‘Double Life,’ which dropped earlier this year in June. The upbeat song addresses the human experience of having two personalities, one being your true authentic self and the other being uncomfortable when taken out of your environment. The lyrics, “Sing my songs, bang my head. Rush me home, back to bed,” solidify the idea of this double life and the conflict of living your life while searching for comfort.
Following that song is the funky tune, ‘Run Away With Me,’ which gained influence from David Bowie’s ‘Station to Station’ and Sly Stone’s ‘If You Want Me to Stay.’ The song explores the idea of wanting to be free and a desire to escape. The lyrics “I’m most alive, when I’m wild and free,” and “Don’t it make you furious, when you play it safe?” feed into the desire to be free.
The group released a four-song EP titled “Blame” which includes the two singles along with the songs ‘Blame’ and ‘Another Name.’ Both songs have a mellow tone with ‘Blame’ reflecting on a relationship and the growth between the two individuals involved. It discusses the idea of one of the individuals growing faster than the other and being seen as selfish for maturing. “Fast forward today, I quit holding the door,” followed by “I didn’t notice a change, I was so immature. We’re not playing a game, so why are you keeping score,” reflects the battles fought in a growing relationship. ‘Another Name’ is a hard-hitting song about Maust’s relationship with his therapist coming to an end. The lyrics “My life story I’ve gotta re-tell to somebody else,” and “All the times I felt deserted, Old fears that I had to unlearn,” speak for themselves.
Another notable song is ‘Sunday in the City.’ This mellow song is different than any other song on the album due to its distinct sound. It has a soulful, upbeat vibe that is unique to this album. This song talks about going to the park and seeing all the different walks of life. The lines “There is loneliness, hunger, and wildfire. Still there is music everywhere,” along with “We can’t just think about ourselves anymore. There’s people here, they got no place to land,” shows the reflection of the different people at the park and what they’re going through.
‘Empty Inside’ is another spectacular song with a very ironic upbeat tempo to pair with its cynical lyrics. The lyrics read “What if I’m empty inside? What if my heart is a hole? I’m so afraid I’ll find I got no soul,” addresses the idea of self-reflecting on the what ifs in life and the question of if you’re empty inside then why would your accomplishments matter?
Finally, is the brilliance that is the song ‘Starring Role.’ This gripping song ponders the concept of waiting for your chance to shine; seeking attention but shunning those who are attention seekers. The lyrics read “What news of the famous? Why do I read? I can’t escape this jealousy,” followed by “I don’t wanna be a spectator on the screen. I wanna know how it feels inside the ring.” This represents the envy of one to have their shot at fame and have the starring role.
Overall, this album sits at the top of the Cold War Kids’ releases due to the unique nature of the songs and the intimate lyrics. It is certainly one for the record books and to be listened to all the way through.
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