Cold War Kids - Love Is Mystical

1.    What’s up? 

Cold War Kids are a popular indie rock band from Long Beach, California. Their last single First (2015) was number one the American Alternative Charts. Love Mystical (Feb’17) is the lead single from Cold Wars Kids' sixth album L.A. Divine (April’17). 

2. What have they got? 

Love Is Mystical is fire and brimstone singing and jaunty keys. A soulful, funky, indie rock foot-tapper that, while catchy, in the end is mostly dreamy and ephemeral. 

3. Who do Cold War Kids sound like?

The Killers, Cage The Elephant and Modest Mouse.

4. What have the gutter trash said about Love Mystical?

“An upbeat lead single punctuated by stomping piano” – Consequence Of Sound.

“Rousing and soulful anthemics” – NME. 

“Stomping single” – Exclaim!

5. Which bands influenced Cold War Kids? 

Some of their main influences are The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, U2, Jeff Buckley and The Smiths. 

6. Why should I give Love Is Mystical a listen? 

Because you love a song exhorting the gods for redemption on earth. 


7. What are Cold War Kids' best songs? 

First is their best, and the best song of 2015. No fucking doubt. All This Could Be Yours and Miracle Mile are top-class bangers. 


8. Any more words? 

Not today.

“Give you the power to believe again”

Coyote (formerly XING) are an indie folk duo from London and Los Angeles. Jack Moore is one half (son of Gary Moore of Thin Lizzy) and Andrew Smith is the other. Apparently George Harrison’s son (Dhani) did back-up vocals on this tune too. The duo are big fans of MGMT and sound a bit like The Avett Brothers meets The Traveling Wilburys. Fate (2014) was the lead single from the E.P of the same name. Fate is an insanely catchy campfire singalong song with a fat touch of Tom Petty.

“Take my body, take my soul”

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - River City Extension

River City Extension are an indie rock band from Toms River, New Jersey who marry elements of 70's rock, Americana and folk to make indie opuses. They cite their influences as Bruce Springsteen and Yeungling while liking artists like Paul Simon to My Morning Jacket to Reni Magritte. There is a little of Blinded By The Light in the featured track.

White Blackmail (March'15) juxtaposes crying guitar and a maudlin vocal in tone and lyric,"I've been down so long I don't know what I'm fighting for", with a jiggy beat that leads to a final ecstatic indie all in. There are even a few bars of violin and piano to intensify the dramatic weight. Listen carefully for a 'whoa' and a 'hey'. That's indie gold right there son. Good as gold. Just like a Compton pimp, River City Extension use all the tricks and White Blackmail is gonna love you up. Hard. White Blackmail is a spine tingling majestic bird taking flight and one of the best indie songs of 2015.

"For you my heart will always bleed

I love you honey, take what you want from me".

 

 

 

Shit you really need to know:

River City Extension have been together since 2007 and White Blackmail is off their third long player Deliverance.

The band have described White Blackmail as about being in an abusive relationship with their art.

The album Deliverance is about conquering self-doubt through self-worth and is "passionate" and "expansive" according to this review and having "bits and pieces of awe and wonder" by Under The Gun Review.

River City Extension have been compared to Counting Crows and Vampire Weekend. Others are brought to mind of Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers.

The band have been touring with Air Traffic Controller to promote their new album this year.

River City Extension do nice things like hand writing their lyrics for fans and making personalized mixtapes of their songs for fans.

The not to be missed River City Extension songs are Our New Intelligence and If You Need Me Back In Brooklyn.

Slippery seconds is the best indie song of 2014. Period. The Californian indie rockers Cold War Kids and their appropriately named gem First (2014).

“There comes a time, in a short life
Turn it around, get a rewrite”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - Modest Mouse

After a creeping down the stairs whimsical vocal opening, Modest Mouse dial in some ska for Lampshades on Fire (Dec’14).

And it goes right off…

…arses are skanking to this one…

There’s a sense of urgency in the swing and this is going park… all… day… long...

“Well you all know what I’m talking’ about
Shaved off my eyebrows when I fall to the ground
So I can’t look surprised right now”

 



Modest Mouse are an indie rock band famous for blowing hot and cold. Some people have called them "crazy motherfuckers". They come ducking and diving out of Issaquah, Washington.

Lampshades On Fire comes sliding off Modest Mouse's sixth dam-buster Strangers To Ourselves (Dec’14). Modest Mouse have been putting the bounce in peoples step since 1993 but their latest album comes after eight years of rest and recreation. No surprises that the tune is an oldie tarted-up.

Shit you didn’t need to know:

Two former members of Modest Mouse now play with the Cold War Kids.

The singer broke his jaw in a bar fight once and three years later spent 10 days in a Buffalo jail because of a pissed while driving conviction.

The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr was a member of the band from 2006- 2009.

The Pixies and Meat Puppets have been mentioned as influences on Modest Mouse.

Need a few more peacemakers for the collection? Take aim with these hard hitters Float On or The World At Large.

Pudding for the fat bastards goes to this juggernaut by the Canadian indie rock duo Japandroids, and their 2012 anthem The House That Heaven Built. 

Everybody needs a regular fucking dose of this monster track.

“When the soul of the city, was laid to rest

And the nights forgotten and left for dead”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Indie Songs of 2014 - Cold War Kids

 Cold War Kids’ All This Could Be Yours makes a dash for the finish line with driving drums and “Ooh oh ohs" creating an eerily desolate and desperate scene. It’s catchy but.

 

Cold War Kids are from Long Beach, California and have been making music since 2004. All This Could Be Yours is off their fifth album Hold My Home (Oct’14).
 

Cold War kids have described themselves as a soul punk band and have diverse likes. However the bass player's favourite bands as a youngster were Blur and The Jesus and Mary Chain. Great taste my man. Other Cold War Kids influences are Jeff Buckley and the Velvet Underground.


If you’re looking for further ammunition from the Cold War Kids try the indie anthem First or Miracle Mile. They're good ’uns.

 

Both the guitarist and the drummer in Cold War Kids are originally from Modest Mouse. Modest Mouse are from Portland, Oregan, and started making music in 1993. They are similar to Dr. Dog or Bloc Party. Their main influences are The Pixies and The Talking Heads. Float On (March, 2004) was the lead single from their fourth album Good New For People who Love Bad News (April, 2004) and is their most popular song. So with no further ado here’s the Modest Mouse classic Float On.