Cold War Kids Break Up Seventh Studio Album Into Trilogy – Beginning With Accessible ‘New Age Norms 1’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Inspired by Kanye West’s prolific work as a producer, seeming to release an album every month, Cold War Kids’ seventh studio album is being broken up into a trilogy. The first part, New Age Norms 1, is an improvement upon 2017’s disappointingly uninspired L.A. Divine but still does not reach the greatness of the Long Beach indie band’s early work.

Frontman Nathan Willett and producer Lars Stalfors wrote the songs together before bringing in the rest of the five-piece band to record. For the last few years, Cold War Kids have felt the loss of founding guitarist Jonnie Russell, whose compositions and unique guitar style largely contributed to the band’s musical style on the first two records. Current guitarist David Quon has good moments on New Age Norms 1, but for the most part the guitars are in the background, with piano and bass dominating the songs. That is a trend that began with the underrated Dear Miss Lonelyhearts in 2013 and was solidified in the subpar L.A. Divine. With the new album, Cold War Kids raise the bar from the last effort with more interesting compositions, better lyrics, and fresher energy.

New Age Norms 1 is a bit formulaic compared to the band’s off-kilter early work, relying too much of the blueprint of piano chords coupled with bouncing bass and danceable beats, but it is a solid blues-inflected indie album as a whole. Though Willett’s voice was once one of the band’s weaknesses, he has grown considerably as a vocalist and his soulful singing is now one of the band’s strengths.   

The album begins with lead single “Complainer,” a dance-funk gem that calls those unhappy with a situation to take action. “You got big plans but you never take a chance; when will you stop wondering who you are?” Willet sings. It is arguably the most radio-friendly Cold War Kids song to date, but it is also one of the catchiest, thanks to Willet’s smooth falsetto, Matt Maust’s pulsing bass guitar, and the sparse but well-implemented rhythmic keyboard and horn flourishes.

The tracks “Fine Fine Fine” and “Dirt in my Eyes” show Cold War Kids in fine danceable form, the songs shimmering and propulsive. The infectious dance-rock hybrid of the latter recalls Foals, particularly with Quon’s use of watery staccato lead licks. Meanwhile, “Calm Your Nerves” and “Beyond the Pale” show a band equally adept at somber, emotional ballads.

The album’s two best songs are the ones that best capture the experimental nature that once exemplified the band. The slow, contemplative “4th of July” is an ode to patriotic ambivalence, with Willet struggling to appreciate his blessings without guilt. “There ain’t nothing wrong with turning off my mind, but if my old friends they could see me now, would they recognize?” Willet sings over offbeat, choppy piano. “How can we be humble living in paradise?” Willet asks in the chorus.

The album-closing “Tricky Devil” is its most stripped-down track, built around a slow, marching drum beat and sparse instrumentation. “Tell me how you will never betray yourself,” Willet croons.

The short eight-track album is meant to be a snapshot into a brief time in the history of Cold War Kids, with two more to arrive soon. For the most part, New Age Norms 1 does this well, giving moments of greatness, a few dull moments, and a lot of above-average indie music. It generally looks forward with the accessible pop songs while giving a few quick glimpses back to the band’s roots. It is a great improvement from L.A. Divine and the first part of the band’s current evolution, leading to a destination unknown. 

Related Content

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

New to Glide

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Twitter