By Hutton Marshall | SDUN Editor
In early March, The War on Drugs released their third studio album, “Lost in a Dream,” to a pent-up wave of critical acclaim for the band’s saturated “heartland” rock. Pent up, because, like most of the group’s work, it took a while to get here. Under the creative control of the notoriously meticulous singer/guitarist Adam Granduciel, the recording process reportedly consisted of the usual scrutiny their previous two endeavors endured.
Arbiters of hipster sentiment such as Pitchfork, NPR and the Guardian have praised the new release though, appearing to validate the tedious, some would even say neurotic efforts of Granduciel. Indeed, the album is well refined, and its songs, although still elusive and spacey, feel more deliberate than their earlier work. Both lyrically and musically, “Dream” is much more concise, and I cringe to say, accessible, without losing the introversion and reflection that makes Granduciel’s work magnetic.
For those unfamiliar with the Philadelphia indie rock group, they formed in 2005, as the product of a musical partnership between Granduciel and now-popular solo artist Kurt Vile, who is perhaps still responsible for much of his former band’s name recognition, despite having left the group shortly after their first album release in 2008.
The group went through several lineup changes since then, with Granduciel being the only consistent name in the rotation. Closing the gap between Vile’s comparative stardom, their 2011 album, “Slave Ambient,” received praise for its blend of lackadaisical, mild psychedelia and Bruce Springsteen-esque rock.
“Dream” has piled on even more notoriety for the group, and stylistically, it further distances them from Vile’s work, which is probably to their advantage, but it isn’t why the band’s success is mounting.
Live performers fall into two categories: those we watch with awe, and those we see ourselves in. Lady Gaga, Andrew W.K., Mick Jagger – larger-than-life stars – are captivating by being what 99.9 percent of the population only imagines being. They are shock and awe. On the other hand, artists like Granduciel, singing about everyday anxieties and broadly felt sensitivities, are entralling because its us singing those songs, or at least it might as well be. Our ability to relate to them draws us in, and Granduciel embodies that.
This album was written and recorded as he trudged through a flamed-out relationship and isolation at home resulting from his new-found success. With track titles like “suffering,” “red eyes,” and “The Haunting Idle,” past pain is evident, but musically, it’s a surprisingly warm, drifting rock album. Just as Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” juxtaposed the sad, thoughtful lyrics of post-nervous breakdown Brian Williams with bright, off-color pop music, The War on Drugs creates a similar effect to make “Dream” both catchy and revealing of Granduciel’s inner turmoil. It’s not something to miss.
The War on Drugs plays at the Casbah on Sunday, April 6 with White Laces.
