Half of Cold War Kids’ new album bristles with a confidence and a newly found vitriolic energy that was largely absent on its predecessor ‘Robbers & Cowards’. It’s a much better album for that.
‘Loyalty To Loyalty’ captures the kick you get out of watching Cold War Kids live better than ‘Robbers & Cowards’ did. Listening to the 2006 album after a live show last year felt like a serious comedown. Only Hospital Beds survived thanks to the band managing the rousing chorus in the studio, if only just about. It was still restrained compared to what I’d heard only hours before. the rest just sounded flat and whimpy when put next to what the band played on stage.
‘Loyalty To Loyalty’ is a different album altogether. The first four tracks have more muscle than anything Cold War Kids recorded before. ‘Against Privacy’, ‘Mexican Dogs’, ‘Every Valley Is Not A Lake’ and ‘Something Is Not Right With Me’ are proudly strutting beasts that owe more to the sneering attitude of Bob Dylan or Nick Cave than to a vulnerable Jeff Buckley.
Watch Cold War Kids Play ‘Something Is Not Right With Me’
The band displays ample confidence to say it loud and say it differently. ‘Relief’ sees the Kids toying with rhythms and noises that could be at home on a prime period Beck album. ‘I’ve Seen Enough’ could be the band’s new ‘Hospital Beds’, a highly melodic song that transcends the borders between Alternative Rock and plain old Pop.
The remainder of the songs on this album return to a more withdrawn, vulnerable style. But the band has noticeably hardened and this benefits even the quietest moments on ‘Loyalty’. After listening to the first four tracks back to back, however, the rest pales somewhat with the exception of ‘I’ve Seen Enough’.
We say: 
Listen To ‘Loyalty To Loyalty’ Here!
Readers from the UK and Ireland can download ‘Loyalty To Loyalty’ from iTunes UK.
