Long Beach band Cold War Kids are back with their third album, and have said they wanted this release to have a bigger, fuller sound this time around. They worked with Kings of Leon producer Jacquire King, and that influence can be heard immediately on the opening title track, “Mine Is Yours.” Nathan Willett’s vocals sound downright earnest backed by a bigger, more arena-ready sound. For a wider audience, this larger sound may work for Cold War Kids, but they seem to have traded in some of their edge and spark for more polish and gloss. Willett’s vocals are more nuanced and even, but longtime fans may miss the erratic ups and downs that his singing used to hold. Yes, this is a common progression that happens with indie bands, but hopefully, these guys will maintain enough of their original sound before they start getting confused with Train. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Kings of Leon, The French Kicks, Tapes ‘n Tapes, The Walkmen