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Aug 25, 2017 The War on Drugs By Ryan Meaney

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Adam Granduciel is a musician’s musician, a terribly trite saying but one that speaks to the level of perfection Granduciel expects from himself. As bandleader of The War on Drugs, Granduciel has made a name for himself for his larger-than-life songwriting and sweeping electric guitar, both on full display on the bands new record, A Deeper Understanding. A love letter to the sand swept synth rock of the ‘80s, A Deeper Understanding sees the band at their most grandiose, blasting through 66 minutes of pure rock with heart-pounding precision.

The studio ear Granduciel displays is something of a master class in production prowess. Every sound heard on the record is meticulously placed for maximum emotional response, and the result is nothing short of breathtaking. From the programmed drum punch on “Up All Night,” the delicate piano lines at the start of “In Chains,” or the shimmering synths underlying the beat on “Nothing to Find,” The War on Drugs pack more into a six minute song than any band on the planet packs into an entire record. Each listen brings a new layer to soak in, with new sounds and melodies bursting under the surface just waiting to be heard.

Music like this is something that needs to be played at max volume, music that needs to be shared and discovered with another. Windows rolled down, speeding under fading sun with burdens left far behind. A Deeper Understanding is a reminder of what great rock music should sound like, a boundless parcel of songs here to set the world on fire and free the mind of monotony. The War on Drugs has left us with a record we can relish for a long while. As seasons change and the world turns, this is music to keep us reaching for something more. www.thewarondrugs.net

Read our new interview with The War on Drugs on A Deeper Understanding.

Also read our bonus Q&A interview with The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel, featuring quotes from our interview not found in the main article.

Read our review of A Deeper Understanding.

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