THE WAR ON DRUGS play the Drake on August 24. See listing Rating: NNN
It’s not often you come across a band that inspires comparisons to both Tom Petty and Neu!, but on Slave Ambient the War on Drugs come up with a synthesis of classic Americana and ambient groove and somehow make it sound natural.
Little Dire Straits-inspired guitar licks pop up here and there, often hidden behind droning synths and unchanging, motorik drumbeats. Like former War on Drugs guitarist Kurt Vile, Adam Granduciel tends to drawl like a less engaged Springsteen or an especially stoned Dylan, and he has a knack for melodies that would sound at home on classic rock radio if not for their avant-garde context.
Songs often ruminate on one or two chords for minutes at a time, while little bits of instrumental texture quietly snowball in the background. It’s easy to get lost in the pleasant, euphoric drone, but at 47 minutes the album is more of a marathon than a sprint.
Top track: Baby Missiles
