Cold War Kids - Mine Is Yours

Anyone who knows me knows I have a special place in my heart for 90s alternative music. Primarily the early portion - I talk a lot about the magic of 1991 / 92 (more about that at a later date)... but there was also something special about those mid-90's 'post-grunge' bands. For those of us who grew up with this music, any band that can capture that spirit without being a lame copy (Creed, anyone?) is always appreciated. I never really thought about Cold War Kids like this until their most recent album. They are taking the energy and vibe of the music they/I grew up with and filtering it through the indie rock sensibilities of bands like Arcade Fire.

From the get-go, Mine Is Yours pulls you in with plenty of vocal hooks and great melodies - augmented by your typical guitar/bass/drums lineup. The album really sank in with track 3; Royal Blue. It is based around a conga drum and bass loop, and builds from there. Its these moments - when their penchant for great melody combines with a solid beat and stripped down instrumentals - that the album shines, and makes it stand out as something more than just a rock cd. Sensitive Kid and its looped backbeat is another highlight for this same reason.

There is a great dynamic flow that runs through this album. There are great sing-alongs, solid guitar hooks, and more introspective moments. Unfortunately, the album falls off after track 8 into more generic guitar rock. Luckily, its easy to hit the fast forward button three times and arrive back at track 1.

If you too have your musical roots layed in the sensitive, ethereal bombast of the early and mid-90's, I think you'll like this release.

B+

Iron & Wine "Kiss Each Other Clean"

I recently got the new album from Sam Beam and Iron & Wine, entitled "Kiss Each Other Clean". I want to publicly thank him for continually challenging me as a listener.

Throughout his discography, each album grows from the last to places that I would not have expected ("The Creek Drank The Cradle" -> "Our Endless Numbered Days" -> "The Shepard's Dog" -> "Kiss Each Other Clean")... Upon first listen(s) I don't love it, but the more I listen to it, it starts to grow and grow. This newest album is a challenging listen because there are so many different elements ("Me And Lazarus" employs acoustic guitar, saxophone, vibraphones, and DJ scratching, among others). These elements seem disparate at first, but once you hear it all a few times (headphones were especially nice) it all makes sense and becomes an amazingly creative collage. The only misstep is "Big Burned Hand", which is a bit too Dave Matthews-ey for me. It could have easily been replaced by any of the B-sides I've heard from the sessions.

This album is not what I would consider great 'quiet in the background' music (my first few listens were while doing other things). This record demands your attention and I love it.

Get it at your local record shop or online at iTunes or Amazon with stellar bonus tracks. For more great songs from these sessions, check out the "Walking Far From Home" EP.

I highly recommend it to anyone who loves good music and wants something that wont just wash over you then disappear into the ever present noise of life.

grade: A-