The War On Drugs sound bigger and grander than ever before, putting Adam Granduciel's vocals and songwriting on a pedestal in the center stage. It's what we've come to expect from the band: harmonious guitars, driving grooves, wavy synths, and captivating vocals. They continuously hone in on their craft at creating truly timeless rock songs.
There are very few singers and songwriters who are as consistently great in the indie rock-sphere as Adam Granduciel. Originally conceived in Philadelphia with fellow Philly guitar legend Kurt Vile (who left for a fruitful solo career after their debut), The War On Drugs is a band that has only gotten better with time. And bigger too. The band's last album A Deeper Understanding, via major label Atlantic in 2017, gained a bigger following resulting in the band quickly becoming a music festival mainstay. They also received huge acclaim from critics, even winning a Grammy for best rock album (and deservedly so). The album itself is not only one of the best albums of 2017 but is arguably one of the best of the decade. If you're not familiar with The War On Drugs (the band, not the global issue), their sound is quite reminiscent of older Heartland rock a la Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty, vocals that are very Bob Dylan like, glossy synth tones, blissful hooks and pained lyrics that reach out like a triumphantly crushing wave. They've only gotten clearer and more upfront with their sound since their lo-fi and shrouded beginnings. There are many things to appreciate about A Deeper Understanding like the overall sound, production, mixing, and of course the songs. I will firmly state that the album is one of the best sounding records of the decade hands down, many thanks to Shawn Everett.
Now enough of that album! It's been four years and we're on to the next record in the band's career. I Don't Live Here Anymore is The War On Drugs' fifth studio album. The band sounds bigger and grander than ever before, putting Granduciel's vocals and songwriting on a pedestal in the center stage. The songs themselves are anthemic and huge the majority of the time; they're meant to be blasted across a stadium to a sea of fans. Not to say this is a bad thing: what the latest Coldplay album got wrong, The War On Drugs got right on here. The album is richly detailed and textured once again but diminishes some of the bells and whistles from the band's last album. Instead of the layered instrumentation, the band gets a bit simpler and hone in on their craft of creating truly great rock songs. Thanks to Shawn Everett once again, a famed mixer who is the big reason why records like Alabama Shakes' Sound & Color and The Killers' Imploding the Mirage sound so dang great, I Don't Live Here Anymore sounds expectedly gorgeous with its mixing and production. It's definitely one of the key factors into why these albums are so enjoyable to me.
The upfront and to-the-point delivery at times may be a reason why some listeners may not find this as enjoyable as their previous efforts. I disagree. These songs may not have the complexity of some of the band's work but they certainly make up for that with genuinely great performances and songwriting. Take the opener "Living Proof." A gorgeous piano driven guitar ballad that drives along like a quietly beautiful drive along the coast. It's matured and perfectly seasoned with its progressions. It clearly isn't trying to do too much and the simplicity makes it so charming by focusing on just Granduciel and his songwriting. Other songs are more of what we expect from The War On Drugs: harmonious guitars, driving grooves, wavy synths, and Granduciel's captivating vocals. "Harmonia's Dream" is another moment of brilliance; the glorious grooves with the bright synths towards its climax make it an incredible highlight. "Wasted" is another moment that shines bright with its jangle guitar pop and anthemic blasts of guitars and vocal harmonies. The title track is another huge highlight. Its triumphant chorus makes it a huge anthem that will certainly be a fan favorite at live shows. It features backing vocals from indie pop duo Lucius, pushing the song up towards the brightly lit sky and straight into the clouds. "Victim" is another fast-paced banger that has some excellent abrasive noisy synths and guitars.
There are slow burning moments that hark back to 80's rock nostalgia, Springsteen to be clear. "I Don't Wanna Wait" and "Change" wouldn't sound so out of place on an 80's rock radio station. The majority of the album's latter tracks are slower, gradual songs that require a bit more patience. "Rings Around My Father's Eyes" and "Old Skin" are wholesome and classic sounding but aren't exactly my favorites. "Occasional Rain" closes the album with a sharply layered guitar harmonies and grooves that are reminiscent of band's like Real Estate or Dawes. The album itself is a bit shorter and simpler than their last record but it still has many lengthy tracks that often venture into five or six minutes. Despite the simpler sound and more upfront approach, the songs themselves are the biggest reason why I Don't Live Here Anymore is yet another excellent success from the band. The performances are still incredible to hear and the sound and mixing is brilliant once again thanks to Adam Granduciel and Shawn Everett. Even four years later, the band's signature blend of Heartland rock and Americana is still refreshing and fun to listen to. If you're a fan of the band's last album or even The Killers' Imploding the Mirage, I see absolutely no reason why you wouldn't like this one. Adam Granduciel and his band may have brought more of a stadium sized sound on this one, but by no means does that diminish the songwriting or the songs themselves.
My Rating: 8 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Harmonia's Dream," "Living Proof," "Wasted," "I Don't Live Here Anymore," "Victim"
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