On Robbers & Cowards, Cold War Kids seemed to hit the right mix of rattling rock and atmospheric ballads, and their energy and hooky songwriting overpowered their debt to influences like the Walkmen, the White Stripes, and Spoon. The band doesn't replicate that feat on Loyalty to Loyalty: too many of the rockers start out brash and end up dull, like "Something Is Not Right with Me," which has a great strut that unfortunately doesn't develop into much else. On "Every Valley Is Not a Lake," Nathan Willett's vocals are ...
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On Robbers & Cowards, Cold War Kids seemed to hit the right mix of rattling rock and atmospheric ballads, and their energy and hooky songwriting overpowered their debt to influences like the Walkmen, the White Stripes, and Spoon. The band doesn't replicate that feat on Loyalty to Loyalty: too many of the rockers start out brash and end up dull, like "Something Is Not Right with Me," which has a great strut that unfortunately doesn't develop into much else. On "Every Valley Is Not a Lake," Nathan Willett's vocals are unfettered to the point of grating, and only emphasize that the band's melodies aren't as strong on this album as they were on Robbers & Cowards. The same problems plague Loyalty to Loyalty's slower songs, such as "Avalanche in B," which drags painfully, and "Cryptomnesia," which closes the album with an unsatisfying meander. Even the band's writerly lyrics often feel overworked instead of clever -- lines like "Against Privacy"'s "We will talk about the pope and Prada shoes/No one gets upset" just feel contrived. To be fair, the album isn't a total disaster and improves as it goes along (excepting that unfortunate final track). "Mexican Dogs" stomps, then soars; "I've Seen Enough" blends the band's drive and poetic aspirations with flair; and "Every Man I Fall For" is an accomplished torch song begging for a songstress like Chan Marshall, Beth Ditto, or Beth Gibbons to sing it. Cold War Kids' storytelling skills are at their sharpest on "Golden Gate Jumpers," an oddly whimsical sketch of attempted suicide, and the rat race lament "Welcome to the Occupation," where lyrics like "They don't want poets, they want pigeons on a stool" don't feel pretentious. The band also moves in some different directions with equally mixed results: "Dreams Old Men Dream" has a soaring melody with a Latin twist, and "Relief"'s fuzz bass and falsetto sound like nothing else in Cold War Kids' songbook. On the other hand, "On the Night My Love Broke Through"'s sultry passages and wild piano tangents sounds better in theory than in practice. Cold War Kids deserve credit for their ambitions, but there's a fine line between trying hard and trying too hard. More often than not, Loyalty to Loyalty takes a disappointing stumble on it. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi
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Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $3.59, good condition, Sold by Seattle Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Downtown.
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All our items include the original disc(s) in the original case. Your purchase funds free job training and education in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for supporting Goodwill's nonprofit mission!
Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $3.92, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill of Colorado rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Downtown.
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Fair. All our items come in the original case with artwork, though manuals and slipcovers are not always guaranteed to be included as these items are donated goods and will show some wear and tear from normal use. Jewel cases will be included but may be damaged and/or cracked. We typically resurface discs that are visibly scratched prior to shipping, but we do not test disc(s). Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Thank you for shopping with Goodwill Colorado! Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Safe and Secure Bubble Mailer! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $3.99, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Downtown.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Downtown.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $4.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Downtown.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $5.92, new condition, Sold by EB-Books LLC rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Rockford, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Downtown.
Add this copy of Loyalty to Loyalty to cart. $10.49, good condition, Sold by Music Fiendz rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from South Hackensack, NJ, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Downtown.
