solid rock album
I don't love this album, but I do quite like it. It's a good, solid rock album from a good, solid band. The first two tracks and "Hospital Beds" are standouts.
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great music, songwriting
I heard their follow-up first, and liked it all right. This material turned out to be waaay richer, with a good 5 or 6 truly memorable songs. In a way, I'm glad I didn't get to be too disappointed when they let down on their second album, but given how great and musical Robbers & Cowards is, I have high hopes for #3.
loved it
Saint John is a great song. Cold War Kids and this album in particular sound fresh and inventive.
It's pretty good, but...
Best served in small doses. CWK are best when doing their Bob Dylan thang and at their worst doing their Tom Waits impersonations. Pick a few tracks and revisit. Hang Me Up to Dry is a great single, Hair Down is also good.
Great Album
Great sound, with great thought provoking lyrics.
immediate gratification
I found this album immediately likable and didn't fade too quickly. It had a White Stripes feel without being amateurish. Easily worth your time if you like the rock and roll!
White Boy Blues Music
Cold War Kids do a great job at channeling 70's White Boy blues groups like Canned Heat. Having seen them live, each member is a talented musician in their own right and together they form a great band. Check out Hang Me Out To Dry, We Used to Vacation, and Hospital Beds
So soulful, but slightly uneven
There is a vast rift between the more energetic, raucous songs like Hang Me Out To Dry and the slower songs like God Make Up Your Mind. For the longest time I'd skip about the slower third of the album, and was still very satisfied. They're so fun to listen to and occasionally reveal glimpses of some real conviction (just check out Hospital Beds). And with time the slower tracks grew on me too, leaving me pretty enamored with the whole thing.
pitchfork is pompus
this album is really really good. dont believe any bad reviews. i love track 3 & 6.
Excellant
Love the song Hang me out to dry
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eMusic Features
Cold War Kids
By Elisa Bray, eMusic Contributor
Back in 2006, Cold War Kids set the blogosphere alight with the stripped-back blues-indie numbers "Hang Me Up to Dry" and "We Used to Vacation," sparking a fierce record label bidding war in the process. In the run-up to the release of their debut album, Robbers and Cowards, the California quartet was hailed as "the new Radiohead." The hype eventually died down, as hype does, but their fanbase has grown steadily. A former English teacher and… more »