From the first bars of the title track, it’s easy to tell that a darkness has been lifted off of the Cold War Kids’ shoulders. Synthy blips crescendo over the intro and Nathan Willet coos “Whoa-oh-oh” before declaring that something is “changing colors like the leaves in Fall.” On the surface, it does indeed seem like everything has changed for the Los Angeles-based outfit.
The Long Beach foursome saw their popularity soar after releasing their debut – Robbers & Cowards – and while their sophomore effort – 2008’s Loyalty to Loyalty – peaked at no. 21 on the Billboard charts, fans and critics were thrown by the band’s decision to mostly abandon the ruckus, out-of-control vibe they'd possessed on Robbers and explore a gloomier sonic picture on the LP.
Loyalty has come to be the type of album that reveals its charm over a year’s worth of sporadic listens, but Willet & Co. work to find a happy synthesis on Mine Is Yours. The thick, ominous tone Willet and guitarist Jonnie Russell have come to be known for is still prevalent on songs like “Louder Than Ever,” but where past efforts found the pair using the sound to create a sense of impending doom, much of their latest album is filled with a sense of joy.
This article appears in Jan 20-26, 2011.