Cold War Kids have been slowly building up a loyal fan base for half a decade – it may seem a boring way to crawl toward recognition in a time of gimmick and fast-track fame, but they are a band of sufficient quality that their steady climb may lead to them being esteemed in the future as one of the untouchable greats, in a way that only people who do things the old-fashioned way can achieve. The bluesy traces of the old South create some of the finest moments on Behave Yourself but Cold War Kids also cite Radiohead’s OK Computer as one of their biggest influences – this fusion creates an original style yet is firmly grounded in (and maybe obsessed with) backward vision, charting the trajectory of the modern Western musical tradition, from the blues to indie rock. The lyrics of this EP also seem to be concerned with past cultures. As in previous releases frontman Nathan Willett sings ambiguously anecdotal lyrics, concerned with the sins and mistakes of unnamed characters, creating an almost other-worldly atmosphere that communicates all at once the ideas of ignorance, lethargy, anxiety and circumvention of overriding Christian norms that we associate with our recent heritage.
Intro song ‘Audience of One’ is instantly exciting, with an addictive rhythm and trademark lyrics that perfectly evoke the thrill of vintage and degeneracy. It is a song that seems cheekily aware of how good it is but also the tensions and contradictions in its style and the lonely place the band occupies, always seeming to be on the cusp of major mainstream success but never reaching it. The EP is worth buying for this song alone. This moves into the lazily melodious calm of ‘Coffee Spoon’ and ‘Santa Ana Winds’, which sounds like the song a more troubled, gin-soaked Vampire Weekend might write. The fourth song, ‘Sermons’, is classic Cold War Kids. The last track, ‘Baby Boy’, sounds like it’s gearing up to be a fast track as exciting as ‘Audience of One’, but suddenly cuts off after 37 seconds, an ignominious finish for a great EP. It’s a clear message: Cold War Kids may be a very good band, but they refuse to be easy.
