I’ve only listened to “Pain” and another one or two tracks by this band and my thoughts are similar....IMO, (and I am neither a musician nor a recording technician) the group has some real artistic prowess going that allows them to trample all over good recording conventionality to powerful expressive effect. I can’t decide-for-myself if this works in their favor every time they do it but one instance, on the aforementioned song “Pain” where a lead guitar riff probably sends the needles on somebody’s VU meters so far into the red that they’re bent at a 90 degree angle, “works” extremely well in that musical moment, IMO...
"The War on Drugs" create music from a "cacophony sound" of reverb, echo plex, etc,
Last year a CD recording called " A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING" by the band ..."The War on Drugs" ( a kind of stupid name) was reviewed in the "Absolute Sound" and received a more than a favorable review. I thought the music interesting and at times very good. Compose/musician Daniel Granduceil has a beguiling and unique voice and sounds often like Bob Dylan
I did not realize, they have been around for several years and bought the CD "Lost in a Dream" recorded between August 2012 and November 2013. Several fair songs are unfortunately couched in a cacophony of electronic reverb, echo chamber hash, and other digital or computer derived sound. Granduciel's voice (and song lyrics) is buried in this haze and this mishmash of sound It is a shame because several compositions are good, but electronic gadgetry distorts and often destroys the rhythm and shape of the music. I generally understand the direction that electronic based music goes, and its innovation. But this CD ( whether poorly recorded, produced, etc ) pushes beyond the limits of this genre of rock.
Would like to hear other comments about this band ( maybe, this was just a bad outing for the group; they seemed to use a lot of different personnel to record this album.
Thanks,
S.J.
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