Customer Reviews

Loyalty to Loyalty [Vinyl]

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Indie rock derived from the back roads of some of the best Americana music tradition is not a particularly new idea nowadays, as bands struggle to try to outdo each other with a sound that hasn't hit it big yet. The National, Band of Horses, Midlake, dozens of bands are lining up for a swing at that big `ole `70s bluesy sound. Luckily for Fullerton, CA band Cold War Kids, they've already made a name for themselves with 2006's critically acclaimed Robbers & Cowards, a vibrant piece of indie rock that incorporated the best of old-school blues and backwoods country rock. The Kids wade in even deeper on Loyalty to Loyalty, and while much of this sophomore effort captures the urgency of their debut, at times the Kids drag rather than kick things up.

Singer Nathan Willett is a big reason for the band's appeal, a divisive vocalist with a raw, less trained Jeff Buckley-ish set of pipes and a penchant for preaching. But just as he uplifts some of Loyalty's best songs with a raspy passion on the down `n dirty "Mexican Dogs" or with smart lyrics on the thumping drums and sexy rhythm of "I've Seen Enough," his voice can turn from interesting and fresh to grating and intolerable with just a few misplaced falsettos. Single "Something Is Not Right With Me," although musically spot-on, is derailed by Willett's ranting shouts, while the band's decision to lift Willett's vocals way above everything else on the much-too-slow "Avalanche B" and the otherwise catchy "I've Seen Enough" make one wish Willett took more lessons.

The rest of the band is as on top of their style as ever before, cranking out track after track of irrepressibly bluesy, bar band-esque rockers that roar along on menacing guitar ("Mexican Dogs") or lilting, jazzy piano melodies ("Every Valley Is Not A Lake"). And while closing songs like "Relief" collapse under the weight of their own pretensions and Willett's howling, a tasteful mood piece like "Golden Gate Jumpers," with one of the record's best lyrics and melodies, remind one why Cold War Kids became famous in the first place.

Robbers and Cowards is an excellent album, full of energy and emotion. Loyalty has a different approach, yet maintains what made Robbers so strong. The lack of a single rhythm guitar through every song and their use of different instruments to drive songs forward is a nice change from the present mainstream song formula. The album starts strong with six unique songs, all different but with an energy running throughout, Something is Not Right With Me is poppy, but is not your typical teeny-pop sound or lyrics. I can't get into Avalanche in B or Every Man, but there are amazing counters like Dreams Old Men Dream and Golden Gate Jumpers that are easy to relate to with reflective lyrics.

It is not Robbers and it shouldn't be, but after a few listens through it is just as strong overall.

These guys are an incredible live show, most energetic live show I've seen in years-it is easy to see they love what they are doing.

Cold War Kids released an excellent debut album in 2006 "Robbers & Cowards", which was greeted with great critical acclaim. After relentless touring, the band finally came around with this, their second album.

"Loyalty to Loyalty" (13 tracks; 46 min.) is somewhat of a departure of the sound of the first album, with a much more bluesier sound. The album crashes in with a heavy "Against Privacy", setting the tome for the album. The songs are generally less-rocking than on the first album, but for some reason it doesn't bother me at all, as the album has a great overall groove to it. "Everyone Is Not Right With Me" reminds me of early White Stripes. "Golden Gate Jumpers" is as eerie as the title of the track suggests. "Every Man I Fall For" is as bluesy as the album gets, and it sounds great. "Relief" is about as mainstream rocking as anything on the album.

In all, I really like the album, although I can easily see why fans from the first album might be disappointed with this. I'm not. The band is evolving, you know? I saw the band when they toured in 2007 with the first album, and the show was nice. But I saw the band again just recently (opening for Death Cab), and they put on a truly mesmerizing 45 min. set, bringing a lot of the songs from this album, while throwing in a few nuggets from the first album. Truth be told, the songs from this album in concert rocked harder than anything you'll hear on the album Great, great show.

If you've heard Cold War Kids' debut, "Robbers & Cowards", you'd probably agree that despite key tracks such as "We Used To Vacation", "Hang Me Up To Dry" or even "Hospital Beds" and an overall seductive energy, its full length listening was somewhat irritating, mainly due to their singer Nathan Willett's off-key, even mournful at times, falsetto.

Well, it's more of the same on this second effort, except that this time you won't run to the skip button after 30 seconds of any track; the whole mood is rather more downbeat, dare I say soulful, and this time around they have enough good songs (greatness is even overwhelming here on at least four of the 13 tracks) to make a full album, where their debut could (should ?) have been an awesome EP. The piano hard-chords and the guitar twists collide more gracefully, and a few of the vocals even recall the late and great Jeff Buckley, in a far rawer mode for sure.

Highlights ? Well, opener "Against Privacy" sets the mood for most of the album, before "Mexican Dogs" provides a soul-rock anthem of epic proportions. First single, the aptly-titled "Something Is Not Right With Me", melts an almost disco bassline with Willett's sensible roars over an increasing intense backbeat. This should be a hit, but not in The Jonas Brothers' sense for sure... Still, the most rewarding efforts here are when CWKs slow down a bit, to let their truly original musicianship take control of their (and our) senses: "Every Man I Fall For", "Dreams Old Men Dream" (which sounds almost like a harsher, punkier U2 'circa "Boy") and "On The Night My Love Broke Through" (all in one go) form an intense and quite inspiring suite of songs most bands of their generation would kill for (and older ones too, at that).

If you're looking for a truly original noisy-pop band that manages to pull out accurately its passion, anger and emotive skills, and to brilliantly wrap great music at that around them on one single piece of plastic, "Loyalty To Loyalty" provides all of this and more.

Highly recommended.

Cold War Kids second album "Loyalty to Loyalty" might not be as good as their 2006 debut "Robbers & Cowards". The band have chosen a less mainstream approach, and their influences here are apparent--The Doors, Led Zeppelin, U2 and Violent Femmes.

The band delves into blues, rock and funk, except this time the songs are not as catchy. The lyrics are bleak, and the mood of the disc is somber with a wry wit. Standout tracks like "Every Valley is Not A Lake" or "Something is Not Right With Me" or "Welcome to the Occupation" give "Loyalty to Loyalty" some spring, whereas "Golden Gate Jumpers", "Dreams Old Men Dream" and "On the Night My Love Broke Through" add a moody atmosphere to the proceedings.

As a whole, "Loyalty to Loyalty" hangs together well, but in the end you are left wondering what was that I just listened to? I think their debut was more original than "Loyalty to Loyalty". Their sophomore slump might do them in if they can't come up with something magnificent to return with. I mean, there are no "Hang Me Up To Dry's" or "Hospital Beds" here, but there are a few good songs and overall and dour, depressed mood which isn't a bad thing if that's what you're in the mood for.

So, three and a half stars for "Loyalty to Loyalty". I'm hoping next time the band will try and rock out more.

Many will hear this album and be confused with the product after listening to the single "Something is not right with me". The strange thing is that the single really doesn't belong on this album, as its the only track with a fast beat, high energy, rockesque feeling. The other twelve tracks are for me more conservative, mature, and with greater production value than their past works.

The music is spot on, and that's one thing I've always loved from this band. Less repetition and beats on loop and more of the same diversified throughout the track is how I would explain it. I would also call it a discontent allegory because as the lyrics can stand on its own, The lead singer can sometimes go on his own tangent which can destroy a track because both the music and the singer seem to be on opposite sides (track 7).

The problem I had with this album at the beginning was that I didn't know where it was taking me. As I had heard the Single before and the first two tracks the album seemed to work themselves towards songs the likes of the single. But they never came. My belief is that if you want to experience and understand the album as a whole start listening from track 10 - 13 and back to track 1 - 9. The tracks 10 - 13 being my favorite of mine :). In conclusion the album has really grown on me in the past 3 days I've been listening to it. It has again a more mature feeling to it than most juvenile, testoterone driven albums out there.

How many times have people listened to this album before accusing it of being a sophie slumper? I find this album to have less energy and I would argue that this is absolutely a positive. The first album was bursting at the seams with energy, it could become grating to listen to from start to finish. This album is very dynamic and the song composition is very interesting, all of which stays constrained enough as to not become fatiguing. If anything I think that this is a wonderful complement to their first album.

Can't wait to catch them at the TLA with this new material!

I put this in my cd player with some trepidation after reading Amazon reviews and some of the national music mags which gave a luke warm reception to the new Cold War Kids cd. I loved Robbers & Cowards and thought it was some of the best new music to come out in the past couple of years. Original, yet accessible and packing an emotional punch.

I did not expect Loyalty to Loyalty to compare to Robbers & Cowards which I believe is a modern classic. Having said that I think Loyalty to Loyalty is a solid cd. I am surprised by some of the reviews that took umbridge with Jonnie Russel's voice saying it got annoying after a while. Well I believe that a big part of the Cold War Kids' sound is the voice of the lead singer. Lyrically, I have no problem with the songwriting and musically the band and the songs are still quite amazing!

Loyalty to Loyalty does not depart from or exceed the musical and emotional feel of the excellent Robbers & Cowards, but neither does it disappoint.

Loyalty to Loyalty is a very worthy follow-up to Robbers and Cowards in every way. It might take one or two listens to fully appreciate, but it is filled with great songs all the way through. Relief, 'hidden' at track 12, is potentially the best song on the album. The consensus as everyone's favorite seems to be "I've Seen Enough."

The low critical and fan reviews really are surprising to me. The Cold War Kids make some of the freshest and most enjoyable music that I've heard in the past ten years, along with The Mars Volta, Modest Mouse, and Band of Horses.

My review can't do this album justice. If you enjoy the Cold War Kids' sound, rest assured that Loyalty to Loyalty won't disappoint, and will provide maximum replay-ability.

I love Robbers & Cowards, so I was excited to pick this up. After I listened to this for the first time I remember staring at the screen confused. I tried to tell my friend about it afterwards, but I just could not really describe it, let alone whether I liked it or not. Now after a few more times listening to it, and trying to understand it better, I think I can.

Loyalty to Loyalty is nothing like Robbers & Cowards on the first listen. There is absolutely no flow between songs, there is no energy (other than on something is not right with me), it's very artsy, and it just doesn't reach out to the listener at all, but if you have some patience and sit through it a few times, it really grows on you. Willet's vocals are great, and really stand out. They sometimes drown out the rest of the music, but it isn't too big of an issue, it seems like the focus is on his lyrics, voice, and message rather than some of the cool parts that the guitar and bass had on songs like Hang me up to Dry off their last album. There is a lot of piano, and the whole album is toned down quite a bit. It's one of those albums you throw on in the morning or right before going to bed.

You can tell that they've developed quite a bit musically in the last two years, but it's almost like they don't want to admit it. Instead of letting a lot of songs develop as you would think they would, they try and bring the charm from the first album back making it feel somewhat awkward. A good example of that is Golden Gate Jumpers. But who knows, maybe that push and pull is part of the reason this album works. This review might seem overly negative, but it's because everything I don't like about this album is what I love about it. There's not enough focus on the music behind the lyrics but I love the vocals. It doesn't flow well but that makes each track stand out better. Anything you could think of about this album, it's kind of the same story. Just give it time, and be in the right mood, you'll be surprised at how Loyalty to Loyalty hits you.