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 Lumineers - Ophelia

     1.  Who are they?

The Lumineers are an indie folk pop band from Ramsey, New Jersey, who fight out of Denver, Colorado. Playing together since 2002 their debut album The Lumineers (2012) found mainstream success selling 3.5 million copies worldwide and reaching number 2 in the Billboard charts. Ophelia (Feb’16) is the lead single from their second album Cleopatra (April’16) that debuted at number one on both the UK and Billboard charts.

2. What’s the tune like?

Ophelia opens up with whiskey wistful vocals and lyric but sprightly piano and rhythm propels the toe tapping folky goodness forward out of the maudlin memories. The tunes light whimsy grows on you with a few listens. 

3.  Who do The Lumineers sound like?

Of Monsters And Men, Vance Joy, The Avett Brothers, The Oh Hellos and even Imagine Dragons all swim in the same pool on occasions.

4. What have the wise scribes said about Ophelia?

“Plenty percussive, full of repeated vowels and a driving piano part” – NPR.

“Familiar stomps, claps and harmonies” – Rolling Stone.

“A bluesy stomper” – Consequence Of Sound.

      5. Which bands have influenced The Lumineers?

      The main influences are Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Bruce Springsteen, The Cars and Talking Heads.

     6.    Why should I give Ophelia a spin?

Ophelia’s juxtaposition of melancholic lyric and jaunty piano worms it’s way into your affections; intended or not. Given the The Lumineers' phenomenal success you’d be churlish not to give Ophelia a crack.

7.    Do The Lumineers have any more good tunes?

The new album’s title track Cleopatra is top shelf, the advertiser’s dream Hey Ho is instant love and Stubborn Love is as the title suggests. Hey diddle, diddle, head straight up the middle.

8.    Any more words?

The band started as a cover band called Free Beer in an attempt to make punters think 

there was an open bar.

“Ah, ah when I was younger

I, I should have known better”

Ages and Ages are an indie folk band from Portland, Oregon. They started playing together in 2009 and have two albums on their roll of honor. Diversionary (Do The Right Thing) (2013) was the best indie folk pop song of 2014 and is a song that NPR described as “a jubilant plea for unity and understanding” that “restores your faith in humanity.” Diversionary is a song with the campfire sing along quality of Stand By Me and a message even more valuable. The tune is a fucking knockout.

“Do the right thing, do the right thing

Do it all the time, do it all the time”