One of the many things I've always admired about The War On Drugs is their huge confidence to take as much damn time as they like to get to where they're going musically. None of that 'must hit the chorus in less than 60 seconds' commercial music industry approach.
So true! I Hate when people dismiss music like this just because they don't play 100 notes per minute. I love this song so much, it literally saved me from going crazy while horribly sick for last 4 weeks.
Lost In The Dream is a modern masterpiece of an album. Slave Ambient, A Deeper Understanding, and I Don’t Live Here Anymore are all fantastic as well. They are a brilliant songwriting and performing band. I can’t sing their praises enough.
Lost in the Dream has to be one of the best albums i’ve listened to. From start to finish an incredible journey. Would love to see you react to Red Eyes. Huge track!
The war on drugs are the best touring band around right now. I've seen them twice. Simply unreal. You should also check out the strangest thing, red eyes, etc. There are also multiple live versions of under the pressure available on RU-vid at each one is slightly different. In one, Adam is the focus. In another, the sax player is the focus. Etc
'HARMONIA'S DREAM'- Grammy nominated (Best Rock Song) this year. I just turned onto them last Fall and they took me 'there'. Those FLASH moments when the Dead were jammin' at their best.
I've tried and tried and want to like them, but I just can't do it. I feel they're always missing strong dynamic which causes the mix to sound like thick mud. They do remind me of Wilco, however, and that's an incredible band live. Or at least they used to be 15 years ago. They've fallen off a bit.
Great video! The War on Drugs is one of my favorite bands. I like to listen to them whenever I’m stressed or exhausted. Their music is very relaxing. “Pain” is my favorite song. It’s my go to after a busy day at work.
War on Drugs is an amazing band. Saw them last year and what a great show. You MUST, MUST check out “Thinking of a Place” from their “LIVE:DRUGS” album.
Okay, this is one of the best pieces of advice I ever had. War on Drugs was already my favourite band, but I missed this album. Listened to it in the car this morning. Tears in my eyes. And what a journey Thinking of a Place is on this record. ❤
Saw them for the 4th time yesterday and they ended the show with Thinking of a Place. I think it was the best concert I’ve ever seen. It was amazing and beyond beautiful
This performance of this song always brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. The drum build and then how it breaks through and the crowd is dancing. So good, so pure.
capo 4th fret, Asus2 and G shapes gets you around the basics, hypnotic. Charlie on drums holds it all together brilliantly. their studio albums are good but they are a 'live' band.10/10
This is my new favourite band, outseating a lot of hall of farmers. The war on drugs is all of Americana blended together and served hot. Live they might extend the vibe beyond a RU-vid video attention span but their albums are all pure gold. If I had but one band for a deserted island, no hesitation. All day everyday on repeat. Never tired.
Check out The war on drugs - thinking of a place, thats one hell of a timeless song! Btw can you do a reaction on Ben Howard - End of the Affair Live at iTunes festival 2014. He's a slpendid singersong writer. Very pure and he puts emotion into every note he plays. Cheers!
Saw this video the first time in the Covid days, and watching it with the drummer pumped up, everybody locked into the vibe, the awesome soundscape, and most importantly tons of people gathered together in the same space made me feel great but sort of wistful for those days and wondering (at the time) if we would ever get to do that kind of stuff again....
On paper this is a “dumb song”. Two chords jammed over for 10 minutes. No virtuoso playing. Lyrics aren’t that amazing really. But somehow it’s just incredible. When the song restarts I feel like I’m 14 falling in love with rock and roll for the first time. It just makes you feel something.
There is a German comedian called Ollie Scholz, who recommended The War on Drugs in an interview, especially the song, red eyes from the album under the pressure. He told a story that he was listening to the song while driving down the road in a convertible near the coast in the sunset, the feeling you described is exactly what he meant
Highly recommend this album (Lost in the Dream) in its entirety in your free time. It’s unbelievably good and gets better each listen. Their follow up to this “A Deeper Understanding” is very close behind it also.
I almost wish you had your eyes on the video more, but hey you're a guitar player and were getting lost in the vibe. Charlie Hall is a force of nature. So lucky to have seen these guys in Philadelphia for many years before they started to really break out internationally. Best touring band in the world.
New viewer here. Thank you so much for doing this! TWOD is my favorite band of all time. It's weird to me that they are, in a way, because I'm a guitar player and of course I like the classic bands, but no band captures nostalgia and existence as well as The War On Drugs. Check out Thinking of a Place from A Deeper Understanding when you have the time. That song is even simpler but somehow brings you on the verge of tears! Adam is a serious master of his craft. Man, now my whole day is different haha. Have a good one!
I ❤ The War on Drugs! Their ”musical landscapes” helped me through the pandemic and I’m so glad that I had the oppurtunity to see them in Helsinki 3/2022. Really loved seeing them play, they are skillful musicians and yes, together they create a mesmerizing vibe that’s melancolic, comforting and stimulating in the same time.
wow you never heard of the band!!!! i would have thought this was right up your ally.. so glad you took this request they are worth the listen. if you get some time listen to the tiny desk set.
So glad you have 'found' War On Drugs Michael (and surprised you didn't know them). Adam Granduciel is such a great 'wall of sound' style guitar player.
This is something to get totally lost into......I just felt myself getting lost in the groove, the jam...... What a great piece of music and thank you again for showing me something I didn't already know about.... Cheers
If you enjoyed this song you will like their "Thinking of a Place" MUSTARD studio performance. It has far more harmonic range - more than 2 chords! - than this song which emphasizes their more dream-pop side. Their last single, "I Don't Live Here Anymore" is also great: it has a late-80's sound with gated drums and an Americana vibe. This is a band that deserves more ears.
One of my favorite and most inspirational bands of the past couple decades. Adam is a huge guitar nerd and his Rig Rundowns are fantastic fun to watch. He and his fellow Philly guitar slinger, Kurt Vile, are this generations best guitar rocks bands imo. Live even better.
Brilliant song 🙂 can't wait to watch this in full but been pulled away for dinner. You should check out Oceansize too mate, just can't recommend an individual track. Probably "Pine" for a review Dinner done :) it was really interesting seeing you take this on because its very much an atmosphere song and really enjoyed you just getting lost in it and experimenting along rather than analyse for a change.
People need to understand exactly how hard, how painful and how taxing it is on a drummer to hold a simple beat like that for that long and with that much intensity.
TWOD is the 2nd best live band in the world behind My Morning Jacket. Both will be at One Big Holiday at the Hard Rock in Mexico. One BiG Holiday is My Morning Jacket’s festival.
Great choice, been enjoying your videos lots. Is there a reason you go with live videos over album production? In terms of setting a vibe (and LONG songs), have you encountered 'Storm' by Godspeed You! Black Emperor? Would love to know your reaction to the way they layer, play with tempo and use guitar differently (screwdrivers!). Similar in depth to Radiohead, you might enjoy if you haven't already. :)
They’re like if Dire Straits and Avalon-era Roxy Music had a jammy baby fronted by early eighties Bob Dylan. I’m a fan. They’re damn good live. Adam is a really cool guitar player.
