
Album of the Week: The War on Drugs
A Deeper Understanding Out Now via Atlantic
Aug 25, 2017
The War on Drugs
Find It At: {article-find} {name} {/article-find}
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.
Support Under the Radar on Patreon.
Most Recent
- Under the Radar’s Black Friday Sale 2023 Extended Through Friday – 35% Off Subscriptions (News) —
- Under the Radar’s Black Friday Sale 2023 – 35% Off Subscriptions and 50% Off Back Issues (News) —
- Premiere: The Umbrellas Share New Single “Echoes” (News) — The Umbrellas
- The High Llamas Announce First New Album in Eight Years, Share Video for “Hey Panda” (News) — The High Llamas
- Premiere: Zach Russell Shares New Single “Playing House” (News) — Zach Russell
Comments
Submit your comment
October 20th 2017
12:22am
I’ve been googling the internet for some related information, but haven’t found anything as good
as what you have here. I must say i, need to improve my Tumblr layout.
What do you utilize here?