The War On Drugs – Live Drugs (2xLP)

Besides being a gifted musician, singer and guitarist Adam Granduciel of The War On Drugs is a collector of his own band material. On his way to a first live album, he could choose from saved work from no fewer than 40 hard drives. Quite a sorting job. The War On Drugs on record or live is quite a difference. And almost all live performances also deviate from each other. And that's the beauty of this record. The diversity of numbers. Versions in which Granduciel seems to follow the album versions in terms of vocals or opt for a different timing and vocal height, such as during their biggest hit Red Eyes and the more unknown - yet beautiful - Buenos Aires Beach, from debut album Wagonwheel Blues (2008). On stage, the drummer can go crazy while the rest of the band plays loosely. In the meantime everything is very precisely put together. And the tension can be stretched endlessly, without boredom lurking. If there is something lurking, it is perfection. The Kraut grooves come and go. Harmonies and rhythms are immersed in order to eventually surface again. Songs seem to work towards a climax, but get bogged down in long solos and beautiful outros. For example, Eyes To The Wind does not last six, but more than nine minutes. The piano playing is mesmerising, just like the beginning and end of the highlight Under The Pressure. The intro breathes Pink Floyd and The Cure. What follows is a hypnosis of almost twelve minutes. You hear a band in great shape. Go listen this!