Cold War Kids bomb

California’s Cold War Kids spun heads with their 2006 debut release Robbers & Cowards. A bluesy, rock-oriented band with roots that dig deep into the music that initially forged rock ’n’ roll, Loyalty to Loyalty is an interesting listen, to say the least.
 
However, Loyalty to Loyalty is a major letdown. A lot of times it’s difficult to pinpoint where a wrong turn was made on various albums, but it’s blatantly obvious as to why Cold War Kids didn’t come through on Loyalty to Loyalty: The songs here are not catchy. 

Similar to their first album, the lyrics here try to be overly blunt, but now they no longer complement Nathan Willet’s vocals as well, leading to a mush of sounds.

Nevertheless, the rest of the band are seriously talented musicians. The arrangements and technical aspects here make up for the lackluster lyrics and save the album.  

Seriously, Cold War Kids, next time just produce an instrumental EP. 

Even if I couldn’t speak English, I would still have to yank my headphones off while listening to the band, and it’s because Willet’s lyrical tone and flow are absolutely unbearable on Loyalty to Loyalty.

“Show, don’t tell,” was the phrase that my high school English teacher endlessly repeated to me, and the song “Everything is Not Right With Me” proves that the band never heard that phrase. The song repeats the lyric “Everything is not right with me” too much, and I guess we’ll just have to take his word for it. 

“Mexican Dogs” features asinine lyrics such as “Like Mexican dogs, no one gave us names.” Here, Willet is too cocky and at one point just mumbles shit into the mic. 

Tracks like “Dreams Old Men Dream,” “Relief” and “Cryptomnesia” are more bearable to listen to outside the context of the rest of album.

But despite those exceptions, Loyalty to Loyalty is one of the biggest disappointments of 2008.