The O-town Scene

The War on Drugs' latest is "Lost in the Dream." The pleasures in this album can be found not only in the heart of the songs, but in the periphery. It offers such a broad expanse of sounds, influenced by such classic rock as diverse as Bob Dylan, Bruce Spingsteen, Mark Knopfler and more, yet in a sound that is rooted in today. You can hear what I am talking about in the opening song, "Under the Pressure." Like most songs on this outing, it is a story about the struggles of a life on the edge — "Better come around to the new way/ or watch as it all breaks down here/ under the pressure." As tight as the band sounds when the song is underway, it's the intros and outros that make this album so rich. The first 30 seconds of this one, with its feedback and percussion, breaks into a solid keyboard that sounds like it could have come from Bruce Hornsby. Lead singer and founding band member Adam Gran- duciel has a voice with a smoky rasp that is perfect for these tales of heartache and longing. The three-minute ending is a psychedelic lo-fi jam that is kind of fun to lis- ten to on its own. "Red Eyes" is another standout, with its opening riff straight out of Rod Stewart's "Young Turks," but with lyrics like "come and see/ where we are/ this everything/on my knees," this is music from the soul, with a beat. Like other songs, the lo-fi jam can be found if you listen for it about 2:25 minutes into the song that ends full of energy. To see some of that, check out the YouTube video of the band performing the song on David Letterman. If you like it, this album has a lot to offer. "Eyes to the Wind" is a standout with a timeless sound that reminds me of a cross between the second half of "Layla," mashed up with the best of Bruce Hornsby. In "An Ocean In Between the Waves," Granduciel channels the best of 80s rock into a song that questions love. With the edgy guitar work, solid rhythms, and lines like "feel the way that the wild wind blows through the room/ like a nail gun through the heart," these songs get richer with each listening. Its breadth can be heard in songs like "Disappearing," with its haunting lyrics and slow jam. "In Reverse," starts with a 1:50 minute to a song about a lover who is willing to accept his fate. As in some other tunes on this outing, the echos of Bruce Springsteen are unmistakable, but Granduciel has made it his own. War on Drugs continues to impress with its musical output — make sure to check this one out. Mark Boshnack is a reporter for The Daily Star, and a music fiend. He can be reached at mboshnack@ thedailystar.com. War on Drugs Gives New Twist To Classic Sounds August 7, 2014 O-Town Scene 3 Contributed Lead singer Adam Granduciel of War on Drugs poses in this undated photo. 280460 280460 Open 11 am - 9 pm • Sundays 12 pm - 6 pm Best Burgers in Town! Every Wednesday is Wing Wednesday 50¢ Wings Delivery Available 160 Main Street, Oneonta • 607-431-9044 thatcajunplace.com Like Us On Facebook 279723

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