New Tune Review - Cold War Kids, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I apologize for the hiatus, things have been chaotic. But I'm back with a quick review of an album I'm playing repeatedly on Spotify:

Cold War Kids - Dear Miss Lonely Hearts

I like Cold War Kids, but - admittedly - I've never loved them. I'm always really in to their latest single but this is the first time I've dived into an album. It seems I picked the right one. The soothing mix of alternative rock, R&B, the unmistakeable vocals of Nathan Willett and a pinch of 80s electronica is the perfect recipe for an album full of earsnacks.

In fact, it would be easier to tell you my least favorite songs on this album than to list my favorites. There's a clear theme to the album - much like Norah Jones' recent Little Broken Hearts. Though pretty consistent through most of the album, although I was slightly thrown off by the first track and lead single "Miracle Mile." The tempo is so upbeat and reminiscent of a drive down Wilshire on a sunny day, that it's hard to catch the lyrics full of longing and regret.

Faves:

Straight from "Miracle Mile" you hit my current favorite, "Lost That Easy." That dramatic intro! That percussive underbelly! That haunting background! It all gives me chills and makes my body sway at the same time.

If you trapped a jazz band in a subway tunnel and forced them to only warm up for hours, you might come up with something similar to "Fear & Trembling." It might be my tender band memories coming to mind, but I love it.

I appreciate "Tuxedos" for the lyrics and the 'I'm depressed at my high school prom" sound.

"Bitter Poem" really shows of Willett's signature voice and the lyrics ring full of truth and confusion. The crescendoing, probing ending is just about the only glimmer of hope we get in this album's storyline.

I recommend you give it a listen!

Oh, and - in case you missed it - check out this INSANE video from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I really wasn't super impressed by first single "Sacrilege" from their upcoming album Mosquito (gasp! I know!) until I watched this crazy four minutes and three seconds. Enjoy!

Comments

Cold War Kids iHeart Radio Album Release Party - My Quick Opinions

I've seen the Cold War Kids twice now, and my favorite thing about seeing them is they love to let people see them for free in Los Angeles. A free show is always the right idea. This time I got to see them at the iHeart Radio stage in Burbank, California. It's a very cool space, and the staff is super nice. Part of this iHeart Radio streaming party was a line of questioning from iHeart Radio personality. It was cool to hear lead singer Nathan Willett talk about his love for Los Angeles and desire to use their new album, LA Divine, to set the record straight about the city's perception. He told Billboard the album is "the best version of what [they've] always done," and I agree. There's nothing particularly outstanding about the new album. There's no new, adventurous sound. The freshest thing about LA Divine is the effect the tumultuous year that was 2016 had on the lyrics. For example, Nathan told an amazing story about an art piece in New ...

Mrs. without the "r."

Of course I'm a feminist. Not that that needs explaining, but I absolutely believe in equal treatment and opportunities for both sexes. But being a feminist doesn't mean I burn bras every Tuesday night. I still adhere to a number of not-so-feminist-friendly traditions. For example, I hate taking the trash out. That's a "man's" job. I take the trash out when I must, but if I can ask Jersey Mike to do it , well that's just 10 times better. Typically, for me, a man's job is any job I don't want to do. Maybe that's not quite a tradition (more me leaning on societal norms to feed my laziness). But there's one tradition that, growing up, I always thought I'd be fine: Taking my husband's last name. My mother kept her maiden name when she married my father. She was born a Shute and felt that shouldn't have to change just because she found a cool guy to spend her life with. Growing up it wasn't confusing for me u...

Nothing Will Replace Gossip Girl, But Riverdale Is Close or Teen Shows I've Watched Lately

Each day I live and breathe, I'm inching closer to a time when I will no longer understand and will therefore lose the capacity to truly love a teen drama. But I'm not there yet, and I'm (still) searching for something to fill the void Gossip Girl left when it was revealed that Lonely Boy was the one putting the words in Kristin Bell's mouth. Gossip Girl first aired after an episode of America's Next Top Model. I remember this because my mother and I used to watch ANTM together in the days before girls started auditioning just so they could meet Tyra. But neither of us could leave the room once Gossip Girl's pilot began. We were both hooked immediately, and it would be a show we enjoyed together even after I left home for another city hours away, and then another state halfway across the country. GG was corny at times, and it had its pitfalls (how did Chuck Bass start Season 1 by trying to rape little Jenny and end it by kicking off what would become ...

OKnLA

Search This Blog