Different from robbers still distinct and strong
Bruce Bucknell | Rochester, NY USA | 07/24/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Robbers and Cowards is an excellent album, full of energy and emotion. Loyalty has a different approach, yet maintains what made Robbers so strong. The lack of a single rhythm guitar through every song and their use of different instruments to drive songs forward is a nice change from the present mainstream song formula. The album starts strong with six unique songs, all different but with an energy running throughout, Something is Not Right With Me is poppy, but is not your typical teeny-pop sound or lyrics. I can't get into Avalanche in B or Every Man, but there are amazing counters like Dreams Old Men Dream and Golden Gate Jumpers that are easy to relate to with reflective lyrics.
It is not Robbers and it shouldn't be, but after a few listens through it is just as strong overall.
These guys are an incredible live show, most energetic live show I've seen in years-it is easy to see they love what they are doing."
Departing from the first album
Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 04/17/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Cold War Kids released an excellent debut album in 2006 "Robbers & Cowards", which was greeted with great critical acclaim. After relentless touring, the band finally came around with this, their second album.
"Loyalty to Loyalty" (13 tracks; 46 min.) is somewhat of a departure of the sound of the first album, with a much more bluesier sound. The album crashes in with a heavy "Against Privacy", setting the tome for the album. The songs are generally less-rocking than on the first album, but for some reason it doesn't bother me at all, as the album has a great overall groove to it. "Everyone Is Not Right With Me" reminds me of early White Stripes. "Golden Gate Jumpers" is as eerie as the title of the track suggests. "Every Man I Fall For" is as bluesy as the album gets, and it sounds great. "Relief" is about as mainstream rocking as anything on the album.
In all, I really like the album, although I can easily see why fans from the first album might be disappointed with this. I'm not. The band is evolving, you know? I saw the band when they toured in 2007 with the first album, and the show was nice. But I saw the band again just recently (opening for Death Cab), and they put on a truly mesmerizing 45 min. set, bringing a lot of the songs from this album, while throwing in a few nuggets from the first album. Truth be told, the songs from this album in concert rocked harder than anything you'll hear on the album Great, great show."
No rhythm, yet their voice remains distinct
Andrew Nigro | New York, NY | 03/25/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"In my less than professional opinion, this album has no groove. It's slow where the listener wants to be fast, it's fast where the listener is accustomed to slow. "I've seen Enough" is a good song because it finally gives the rhythm and beat the listener is yearning for. No doubt Nathan Willett has patented a singing style like none other, but he is stretching the tolerance of improv whinyness. Perhaps the band was trying hard to be creative, or perhaps this musical voice is their true voice, which then demands their audience's patience and acceptance."
