The War on Drugs: A Deeper Understanding
The War on Drugs
A Deeper Understanding
(Atlantic Records)
It has been getting increasingly hard to find anything resembling just good rock n roll. The heirs to the ones that have left us either havenât found their footing or havenât earned the trust of that particular audience.
The War on Drugs come damn near close with their newest release, A Deeper Understanding, an album full of late night driving songs that can be played on repeat without ever noticing theyâve been repeated. The album is full of 80s rock influence, and slow, simple, acoustic driven numbers that tread a line between what they call Americana and shoegaze.
Then again, Iâve never been a fan of genres, and while A Deeper Understanding could fit perfectly into one of those compartments, itâs not needed. The songwriting is tremendous, tight, nostalgic, perfect pining for the one that got away, or celebrating the one that didnât.
Songs like âUp All Night,â feature singer Adam Granduciel treading into Bob Dylanâs vocal register, but keeping the vocals tight. âPainâ is a heart wrenching love song with unforgettable piano / guitar arpeggio. âHolding Onâ is the perfect 80s throwback with gated drums, complete with almost Mark Knopfler-like precision. âStrangest Thingâ and âKnocked Downâ roll into Ryan Adams territory but without the sappy, sharp, and glittery backdrop. The dynamic âIn Chainsâ is a toe-tapping, reverb-heavy, immediate release of emotion with a low and slow sax noodling its way in and out of the verses, and a burst of synth washing through the chorus.
The rousing 11 minute âThinking of a Placeâ delivers simplistic songwriting throughout, and really doesnât feel like itâs 11 minutes long. The overwash breakdown mid-song that cuts it into two very different styles with the same chord progression is welcome. This is not progressive in the style of Zeppelin or Yes, but an augmented telling of what feels like a Southern Gothic tale.
A Deeper Understanding is a great album. One that has been missing from rock n roll for some time. With so many of our beloved rock heroes moving on, maybe The War on Drugs can carry the torch for the foreseeable future.