"Mine Is Yours" by Cold War Kids (2011) Grade B - Best tracks: "Finally Begin," 'Louder Than Ever," "Royal Blue," "Skip the Charades" and "Bulldozer"
By the time the first chorus drops on “Mine Is Yours,” it’s easy to tell why Cold War Kids’ third full-length is a departure from the band’s former work.
The lead and title track starts with a steady crescendo before giving way to a gush of billowy arena rock where front man Nate Willett’s croon rises to lead the first of the album’s many sing-alongs.
The difference here doesn’t make the band completely unrecognizable, but it’s certainly a big step in a different direction.
And whether that shoe fits is another question.
The four-piece SoCal crew made their name in 2006 with the rickety indie soul-blues racket of “Robbers and Cowards,” a phenomenal album brimming with drama. Genuine and realistic character sketches of drunkards, and (fittingly) robbers and cowards were meticulously crafted through careful wording, coarse performances and visceral energy. Their 2008 effort “Loyalty to Loyalty” pushed them gradually further, similar in content but with varied instrumentation.
This time around, however, the group isn’t interested in modest gains. On “Mine Is Yours,” they take a leap.
The sound on “Mine Is Yours” is more polished thanks in part to Jacquire King, whose production skills rocketed Kings of Leon to mega stardom at the center of the rock universe. With King twisting dials and pushing knobs, Cold War Kids’ new sound is more radio-friendly but takes them into uncharted territory and comes out with mixed results.
The band’s experiment with a bigger sound reveals that they can operate at a louder level. Guitarist Jonnie Russell dots the record with some admirable performances, stepping forward on the grandiose opuses of “Finally Begin” and “Bulldozer,” and the rhythm section (drummer Matt Aveiro and bassist Matt Maust) is propulsive as usual. Just having the capacity to play big is half the battle, and it’s the other half of that struggle they’ve yet to surmount.
After the first two records, Cold War Kids developed their brand—an abrasive, raw edge that wore well in intimate settings. King’s glossy touches give their music a sound unbecoming of their niche and it changes the complexion and identity of their sound.
Willett has the toughest time adapting. While he unleashes his strong pipes and steers the band through sweeping choruses, he only taps the surface of his lyrical talent. Anecdotal details have always been a particular strength in his writing, and even though he continues that trend on “Mine Is Yours,” Willett takes some cheeky stretches and oversteps his bounds with some forgettable lines:
Weigh the pros but cons come first,
I’ve got a black belt in doubt
Luckily, Willett can never be accused of half-assing it–he puts on a performance where the best moments (his ardent fervor on the chorus of “Skip the Charades” is captivating) outshine the less-than-stellar.
Through and through, honesty has always been Cold War Kids’ best trait. Willett leads a group that, if for nothing else, is sure of itself and fully invested in its music, and if his songwriting can catch up with their new sound, they may grow into their new shoes.
