When the Cold War Kids released their EP Up in Rags in early 2006, one thing was clear: These kids were going to be big. With music blogs giving these guys a lot of love, they were quickly catching on, but still a well-kept secret. To their advantage, they were signed to Downtown Records, also the label for Art Brut and Gnarls Barkley, and fans were waiting for their much-anticipated full-length release.
And the answer is their powerful debut, Robbers and Beggars. The Cold War Kids produce a refreshing, edgy garage rock sound; think Led Zeppelin meets the White Stripes. Throughout the album their sound never gets stale, because they continue to push the button by reinventing their rhythmic take, using innovative instrumentation and interesting song structure, which makes every song fresh, new and unique, but still feel like a unified record.
The Kids' musicianship shines, as does lead singer Nathan Willet's forceful, energetic vocals—some might feel a bit overwhelmed, but listeners can get used to his energy and passion as they can hear his incredible range and quality to his tone.
The opening of the record is a revamped version of ""We Used to Vacation."" It sounds extremely full and well-produced, and is a great way to start the album, showcasing how they are commanding of their sound. ""Hang Me Up to Dry"" follows, and continues the sheer intensity and strength of the album. They are amazingly forceful rockers and not at all timid to pour on the sound artistically and insightfully.
""Passing the Hat"" is a new song on the album, not taken from their previous EPs like most of the tracks. Driven by a '60s-ish guitar riff, loud bass drum, piano and Willet's vocal range, this song highlights that these guys can make great, catchy hits, and are able to produce enough music to surpass an EP-worth of songs.
Probably the most unique track on the album is ""Saint John."" The elements of the song are extremely simple but artistic, with a commanding bass melody, drum, tambourine, an occasional piano and passionate vocals. It almost seems like a surreal sing-along song, with a blues or soul-like quality to it, displaying their adaptability and talent as musicians.
Clearly, ""Hospital Beds"" is the climax of the album, and probably the most poppy of the bunch. ""God, Make Up Your Mind,"" another new song, is a huge surprise and shows how they have such a range of musical qualities not only on the album, but within each song. The psychedelic-inspired song goes back-and-forth between slow and swaggering to loud and intense.
Robbers and Beggars succeeds in many respects because their album is incredibly catchy, vibrant and fails to get too old or stale, especially as a debut. Each song seems to build on the last and be better than the other, which emphasizes that the album has a clear point and direction, making a unified, enjoyable record. However, it is true that the majority of the content was recycled, but they are able to overcome that shortfall by creating such a genuinely artistic masterpiece. It will be interesting to see what happens to the Cold War Kids in the future and if they will be able to continue building upon the incredible hype they created.
