Mine is Yours – Cold War Kids

I’m a fan of Cold War Kids. I love the soulful, bluesy rock. I love the first person narrative from all walks of life. I love adage-filled lyrics that seem to be written by an old soul. I enjoyed their first album, relished their second, and couldn’t wait for their third. I was disappointed.

I was looking for a bass filled anthem, like “Saint John” or even “Relief.” I was looking for an energetic, staccato piece like “Something Is Not Right With Me.” I was looking for singer Nathan Willett’s voice to wilt over a mournful guitar, as in “Every Man I Fall For.” I was looking for something as powerful as "Sermon" that I could belt out off key when no one was around. Mine is Yours just doesn’t have any of that. I excitedly listed to this the day it was released. After an initial playing, I had to hear it again. Not because something caught me about the recording, but because I figured I must have missed something.

Previously, the music entailed unique and often minimal instrumentation, highlighting Willett’s throaty yet paradoxically falsetto voice with at times only drum and bass. This album sounds more full and balanced, but it seems like the passion is gone. Nothing about it has any drive, any purpose. Standout moments are few and far between - all of the songs sound alike and blend together. It seems like they went the way of Kings of Leon. The opening bars of Mine is Yours and Only By The Night even sound similar, especially to anyone who is familiar with the artists’ previous material (and thus know immediately that something seems to be amiss). It may have a wider appeal, but I think the fans who truly appreciated the unique sound will be disappointed. If all goes well, maybe Cold War Kids will headline Lolla, Bonnaroo, and Coachella, too. Ooo, and if they really follow in the footsteps of KOL, they can even get in a catfight with Glee creators.

Really, even looking at the cover art reveals that something is different with this album; one of these things is not like the other. The album title also breaks from the past: Robbers and Cowards, Loyalty to Loyalty, and now Mine is Yours. While all three tug at something innate, something unspoken, the third installment is certainly more soft. Lyrics include gems like “I’m the one that’s acting like I’m so strong; you’re the one that’s acting like nothing’s wrong. Can we skip the charades?” Please. Can we skip the syrupy, hackneyed lyrics? I miss the old Cold War Kids, the ones who would mix a gin and sink into oblivion and have dreams that old men dream.

All this said, it’s not all bad. The single, “Louder Than Ever,” is a pleasure to hear. It’s clearly a single and is rather catchy. “Cold Toes on the Cold Floor” probably comes the closest to their previous material, sounding a little deviant and a little provocative.

I wish I had more positive things to say about this album. I wish I could get lost in some of these songs as I did with previous releases. Above all, I wish that Cold War Kids will reassume their unique niche in any future releases.