Lost In The Dream

The War on Drugs — Lost in the Dream (2014) 8/10 — ★★★★☆ I went into this album knowing absolutely nothing about The War on Drugs. For some reason, I had it in my head that they were a pop-punk band, so I wasn't expecting much. Boy, was I wrong. What I discovered was a beautiful blend of atmospheric rock, psychedelia, and classic Americana. Almost immediately, I started hearing similarities to Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, and Jackson Browne, particularly Running on Empty. Adam Granduciel's vocals have that slightly nasal, conversational quality that reminds me of Petty and Dylan, and the harmonica on the title track only strengthened that comparison. But the biggest connection for me was Pink Floyd's The Division Bell. The spacious production, shimmering guitars, extended instrumental passages, and dreamy atmosphere reminded me so much of that era of Floyd. The music has room to breathe, and the songs develop naturally without feeling rushed. What impressed me most was the album's cohesion. At one point, I was a full minute into "Burning" before realizing "The Haunting Idle" had ended. The transition was that seamless. Everything flows together so naturally that the album feels like one continuous musical experience. "An Ocean in Between the Waves" was my favorite individual track, particularly the way the vocals carry on over the extended guitar work. "Burning" and the title track were other highlights, but this isn't really an album where individual songs tell the whole story. My track-by-track average came out to 6.95, yet I'm giving the album an 8. That might seem like a big jump, but it's a perfect example of why I don't rate albums strictly by averaging their songs. The sequencing, atmosphere, consistency, and overall listening experience elevate this well beyond its individual parts. This discovery reminded me of my experience with Arcade Fire's Funeral. Not necessarily because the albums sound alike, but because both opened my ears to something I didn't know I was missing. An 8 on a first listen is a massive score for me, and I already know this is an album I'll be returning to. One of the best discoveries I've made through this project.

Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, and Suffering were my faves! really good sleepy time music actually. I could feel myself getting lost in the instrumentals, kinda psychedelic at certain points. maybe strange to say but I think if I was introduced to this album at a pivitol time in my life, this would be one of my top albums. this feels like one of those!!

Zoooooooooo deze viel tegen! Klinkt als AI-slobmuziek. Met extreem veel moeite uitgeluisterd. Dit duurde gevoelsmatig 4 uur. Bij elk nummer even kijken hoe lang ik nog moest. Denk dat ik nog liever naar Bruce luister. Je bent er wel mee opgegroeid omdat veel mensen om je heen hier wel naar luisterden in het indie-hipster tijdperk. TWOD sloeg ik altijd over en nooit verder gekomen dan de hits. Als je de 2 hits hebt gehoord, heb je het hele album ook gehoord blijkt nu. Wat een generieke rotzooi. Ik zag iemand die zijn albums op deze manier rate. Wel een aardige maatstaaf. 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background

Beetje alsof Dylan en Springsteen een lelijk Gen-Z baby hebben gebaard. Ik voel erg weinig voor dit album. Ik vind de sound haast een beetje arrogant te noemen, alsof je naar een band luistert dat in een uitverkocht voetbalstadion staat te spelen. Laag op laag, een echoënde sound met een dikke bak reverb. 2 sterren.

I feel like sam fender was inspired by this. Beautifully melancholy album.

I overall enjoyed it, the production is good and it’s easy listening, i liked the guitars. Some tracks will stay in my playlist, no bad song but no strong song for me, except red eyes. That’s a strong 3.

Good quality album, just a bit dull for me

not very original. Dont know what is was about the track Suffering but I really hated it, doleful, maudlin and musically, absolute shit. An ocean between the waves was enjoyable. a bit Springsteen? (Burning) Bob Dylan. Sounds more like a tribute album, such a lot of sound alike artists

I hear a load of 70s and 80s easy listening stuff. Don't Henley, Chris Rea, Rod Stewart... Perhaps I don't know enough Springsteen to get everyone else's comparisons. It was okay anyway. I'd stick it on in the car for a longer journey without complaint. Not a band I wish to seek more of.

This album just isn't for me. The album is like if Bruce Springsteen made waiting room music with no fun.

I appreciate the reflective ambience of this album, and it's listenable, just not that good.

Beautiful unique build upd

Often boring indie rock instrumentals with alt country/americana vocal performances. Not for me.

Wow! A new favorite. I had heard the first two tracks on the radio before but never the whole album. Makes me feel nostalgic and melancholy all at once. Lots of Dylan influence

Fine

Tailed off but really enjoyed the first half

Lacking inspiration. Silly name for a band. Get in the bin

Never heard of them and don't plan to explore further. 1/5

Nothing else scratches the itch of War on Drugs. A bit slow paced for my taste, but I couldn’t ask for anything more for what it is.

Good album with beautiful bendings of instrumentation. I would have given it 5 star but for the arrangement of the tracks. First 2 tracks start strong, then it looses some momentum with slower tracks and its a bit up and down after that. Will keep listening to this band though and wouldn't mind seeing a live performance. Appriciate the longer songs to sink into. Favourite tracks: Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, Burning, Dissapearing, Eyes To The Wind

"I'm on Fire" Springsteen meets Arcade Fire, mellow vibes but it'd be nice to get a little bigger or more raw once in a while.

Fun to revisit this one.

I listen to this and Live Drugs often. Great studio band. Great live band. Excited for their new one. Will continue to come back to this one. 4 1/2.

Atmospheric

8.9 Dreamy, rythm and a clear sense of calm and direction between the songs. Mesmerizing song and beat, real presence of the drums. Real good listen!!

אני אהבתי את הוייב ואת הסאונד היה נחמד לרוץ עם זה אבל לא תפס אותי אולי בעתיד זה יתפוס אותי

Sonic bliss. Wailing guitar riffs. Pure art

Gosto desse estlo indie, embora pareça um rock sem testosterona. Escutarei novamente, faz parte do meu dia-a-dia. Mas daí a ser disco pra ouvir antes de morrer é meio demais.

Definitely one of the greatest albums of all time. Every song felt very nostalgic. It felt like childhood, teenage hood, and adulthood all rolled into one. It reminded me of Pure Herion by Lorde and it reminded of another album that I can’t put my finger on.

I enjoyed this. I got right in to his album a few years back, A Deeper Understanding. This one is also beautiful

Pleasantly surprised by this one.

This is an album I loved when it came out, but haven’t listened to in a long time. It was great getting the chance to do it again, and definitely one to listen to before you die. I’m a sucker for anthemic rock, and boy did this satisfy the itch. Standouts were Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, Eyes to the Wind, and Lost in the Dream.

Beautiful and dreamy with lush guitar tones, I feel like I should know this and love it more than I do. I already knew about a quarter of the songs due to them frequently showing up in my suggested music, but never gave them a full chance. This listen convinced me that I should maybe embrace them a little more. Assumed they'd get a solid three, but maybe I'll up it to a four for hopes sake.

Started off strong then fell off hard

Borin, nothing special vocals, nothing special instrumental, I don’t see my self re listen but for some people maybe

Very Good!

Feels like I’m stuck in a shitty 80s movie.

Oh this was a hidden gem

Call yourself The war on Drugs and then have your first track be a U2 ripoff is a bold move

Epic

Wasn't what I was expecting. Thought it would be more of a post-punk type thing. Didn't hate it but no need to revisit. 2.5/5 rounded to 3.

Like driving on a long highway as the sun is rising. Cruising. Sunglasses. A half drank Red Bull in the coaster. A deep breath. That’s how this album felt all the way through and I’m so pleased. Started this at 1am and I fell asleep around track 6 which was cool. (I then woke up an hour later to some shitty Arcade Fire song. Overall solid as heck. I knew this band from Red Eyes, but never dove into their music. Glad this was the pick today. Felt like it was meant to be today.

4.5

De pratar om förebilder som Springsteen, Neil Young, Tom Petty, Dire Straits ... För mig är det 80-tals alt rock på vägen mot Indie. The Big Music! Trummorna osar Waterboys, gitarrer och arrangemang The Triffids. Sången andas ibland Lloyd Cole. Solklar femma

Not heard this band before. Listened yo this somewhat on the run and distracted so really should give it more time and attention. My main thought while listening was that it is some quite good alt rock and an album that would probably grow on me.

I absolute love this album, it's right up my alley. The ambient alternative sounds and instrumentals wash over you like a wave on every track, creating a warmth to the record that I always enjoy whatever my mood. I also really enjoy the production, it adds so much to the atmosphere The War On Drugs look to create here. It's exceptionally well written and equally well produced. The best thing about it is that it makes you feel alive, like I should listen to it at the top of a mountain or something. It's just great.

a little mopey for my tastes tragically. good quality stuff though!

This was a decent album. A little bit plain, but very atmospheric and I imagine it would be good for car rides. I think I would have loved this in high school.

The guitar tones are everything here, literally. They are the only thing elevating this album from being very mid Springsteen worship. Rating: 6/10

good

First Listen Favorites: Red Eyes Under The Pressure In Reverse Honorable Mentions: Disappearing

yawn 4/10 best song - idek tbh

2.8

On first listen, a perfectly listenable but unremarkable album

New to me, I seem to have a big gap in my knowledge from this era. Enjoyed it though

Thought this was a very listenable album but stopped short of being properly interesting. Little hints of it, like how the albums starts and ends, but felt like it held itself back too much. As a comparison, Alligator by The National (released a few years prior to this) is largely restrained but that makes the outbursts of rage/frustration (e.g. Abel, Mr November) that much more impactful.

New to me, although I’d heard people talk of it positively so had some hope on listening. I won’t be listening again though, nice enough but just too few edges to snag my interest. One star but well towards the top end of the one stars. Tom.

Ganske bra, chill, men ikke superb. 3 av 5

I can’t stand this - it’s like the worst of Springsteen and dire straits thrown together

Chill music that was kind of nice but all blurs together and not sure I'll remember

As recommended, listened to this while night driving and it did not disappoint. Pretty timeless. Tight, dreamy production.

I wasn't much of a fan before but this album partially converted me. Aggressively 4/4 and a bit homogeneous, the sound is undeniably clean and powerful. Somewhere at the crossroads of new wave and maybe even Springsteen... With a few Dylan intonations thrown in. This is a great album to take a solo evening walk to or put on for a road trip.

1. 3.5 2. 4 3. 3 4. 3.5 5. 2.5 6. 3 7. 2.5 8. 4 9. 4 10. 3

Lovely deep record. But just lacking a single or two

Well-produced, but with a sound that does little to distinguish one song from the next, or from every other indie pop album of the 2010s. Unfortunately nothing really stood out to me here (aside from maybe the last track).

war on staying awake

The last few songs kind of lose me, so it starts to feel like a slog near the end. But overall, not too bad. Favorite track: Suffering ; Disappearing ; The Haunting Idle

A skilful mix of influences made this sound weirdly familiar even the first time I heard it. Some of the songs could definitely be shorter but I do find it an enjoyable uncomplicated listen.

Boring.

Real chillers only.

I respect their commitment to a consistent sound - the same simple drum beat throughout most of the songs. It's well produced and, on the extended tracks, quite hypnotic at times. But when it ended, it was like it never happened. I can't remember anything about it. Sort of like a dream where nothing happened. I put on a similar vibes album after (Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs), and I like that one a lot more.

Oh yeah, das ist der beste moderne Indie Band Rock den ich bis jetzt gehört habe

I like some of the music here, but the album itself is too long and repetitive. Some good stuff including Red Eyes (my fav song and first listen), An Ocean In Between The Waves and Lost In The Dream. That’s about it tho. Still solid

The War on Drugs is a band I have tried several times simply because all the references suggest they should be right up my alley. They are constantly linked to heartland rock, Springsteen, Dylan, and Wilco, all of which I love. Yet for some reason, their music fails to really grab me. It is certainly not a torture to listen to, and there are moments on Lost in the Dream where I really like what they are doing. The layered, reverbed guitar work can be very enjoyable at times, but overall it becomes too much and repeats itself endlessly. Why are these songs so long? I honestly see no point in the final two or three minutes of the coda on the opening track "Under the Pressure," as five or six minutes was already more than enough. When almost every song stretches out like this, I lose attention in the similar and repeating guitar and drum soundscapes. I still have a hard time seeing how they get compared to artists like Springsteen or Wilco who write with so much more direct impact. Someone online commented that it sounds like Dylan and Springsteen had an ugly Gen-Z baby, which made me laugh, but it pretty accurately sums up why I struggle with them.

The War on Drugs are a regular play on Sunday mornings at my house. The Dylan vs Springsteen vibes just hit right for me.

uninteresting indie pop, samey and poop

Pleasant but dull and derivative, would listen to it hungover trying to fall asleep on the sofa I guess

Love

Long and repetitive with a lacklustre voice. Loves a reverb but doesn't go anywhere. 2/5

Liked the first couple songs then sort of forgot the album was playing so not that good

Top tier heartland rock of the 2010s

“Keep singing. Maybe they will throw some fruit for dessert.” An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)

The first few tracks were pretty cool. The rest of the album sounds like someone took 2010s guitar tones, slapped them on an 80s album, and doubled the length of every track. It really is all about the guitar tones for me. They're great.

i was so excited to see this pop up. i love Red Eyes and have always wanted to listen through the whole album. turns out it's so fucking boring i hate it. god i hate it. i might hate Red Eyes now. feels like it's echoing springsteen at his most fluffy and vapid and overly sentimental. stylistically and also literally just singing from deep inside a very echoey cave. the instrumentation is both too simple and over produced. trying to glean some redeeming quality from the lyricism feels like staring at the sun. just to make sure it wasn't a me thing i got a good night's sleep, ate a lovely full breakfast, listened through again and it just made my day a little worse. every fucking song sounds exactly the same

Rating: 6/10 In my eyes, there's a lot of better 2010's textured dreamy indie rock than this. Pleasant throughout and never bad, only a bit long and samesy in its sound, doesn't help that the songs go on a long time and the best of it is found at the very beginning. The first four tracks do make for a pretty good musical run. As a whole it's above average. Something about it feels a bit...forgotten about, like the time for this album being interesting is maybe passed. On the subject of its 2014 release year though, it does do something that I don't otherwise see much in the dreamy indie sphere though, which is giving that sound a folky americana vibe. Definitely an aspect of it that makes me unsurprised it's from this time. In that sense it really does have a lot going for its sound, it's rockin' and rootsy and also enveloped in ethereality. Definitely makes me wonder if this was Noah Kahan's favorite band.

There are obvious influences from Dylan and Springsteen but it takes those influences and sets them on this beautiful wash of reverb guitars which is punctuated and accented with a range of different instruments. The melodies and progressions underneath are strong and could be taken in a completely different direction and still make great songs. The only negative is that the album is quite one paced and lacks a bit of variety. However, Red Eyes is soooo good that I am going to ignore that and give it a 5 anyway.

I remember when this album was released and didn’t bother listening it because of the blurb around them (Springsteen-esque, pink Floyd reverb) and thought it would just be a bit of a rehash. I’m so glad I listened to it later on though as it has so much texture and a groove to it that I enjoy it every time I put it on. The drums just enact this head nodding, toe tapping feel and the use of layers and layers of instruments and effects just becomes a wash of sound but the production on this and most of their other albums lets the solos still shine and Granduciel’s vocals to pop through against that swelling backdrop. The interludes really sew this album together and let it breath before onto the next. Yes, it has influences from other artists but it stands on the shoulder of giants and also does its own thing brilliantly well.

Instantly drawn in to the sound when I first heard it in a coffee shop (Headrest) in Brooklyn. Upon further examination, it holds up and I enjoyed the album. I will return to it. With comparisons ranging from Don Henley to Can, from heartland synth to neo dad rock, and from best of the decade to boring garbage, TWOD are doing it right. If this is the middle,todays AOR, I'm in. I believe there's a lot more there, and by seeing how many influences folks see in them, TWOD have made an original.

Whatever. C'était un peu fade.

Dude sometimes there's a drum machine sometimes there's a real drummer, sometimes there's a Bob Dylan style of singing and sometimes there's a more melodic and lush style of singing, there's usually synth pads and a lot of spacey guitars, and that all can sound awesome on a record but that's not the case here. Super boring instrumental passages.

Have listened to this one consistently since I first heard it when it came out. Great dad rock

Als een kameel kom ik na een lange zwerftocht van zeker 2 maanden door een droge woestijn van de jaren 60/70 eindelijk aan bij een oase van muziek uit de jaren erna… gulzig drink ik dankbaar en geniet ik ten volste van een andere sound. Is dit het lekkerste water wat ik ooit zal drinken? Zeker niet, maar ik ben er wel dankbaar voor en zal de plaat nu wellicht hoger scoren. Ik ben benieuwd of ik morgen weer terug de woestijn in gestuurd zal worden of dat zal blijken dat achter de palmbladeren een stad der moderniteit zal verrijzen en ik weer eens mag genieten van muziek na de jaren 60/70.

Vroeger als kind geloofde ik dat de top2000 de lijst der lijsten was. Als puber geloofde ik dat 3voor12 voor muziekcritici was. En toen hadden ze bij 3voor12 dit album als beste album gekozen als beste van 2014. Ik werd 18 luisterde dit album en ik ben afgestapt van mijn geloof in 3voor12. Dit is niet een fantastisch album, maar een matig album. In 2014 kwam ook salad days van Mac de Marco uit , de nacht is nog jong van Ronnie flex en our love van Caribou. Sinds ik dit album ben gaan luisteren ben ik geen artikelen meer gaan lezen van 3voor12. Ik was zeer teleurgesteld en nu weer. De reverb op de nummers is een beetje veel. Het is een beetje saai en het einde van de alternatieve, indie tijdperk . Alsof we collectief klaar waren met saaie bandjes van 3voor12 en we verder zijn gaan kijken of misschien was ik dat alleen.

its alright? kind of dull but its not a bad sound

Slow and calming. Two of the songs made it on to my favourites list. I did eventually get bored of the long soundscape-like prologues.

As vezes me lembrava um Bob Dylan a voz dele. Não entendi por que esse álbum tão novo está aqui. É ok, nada de mais, mas tanto outros álbuns que não entraram na lista... Muito repetitivo, e músicas muito longas. Não é ruim, mas não é bom.

GREAT LP !

Chill, a bit interesting at times. Singing inspired by Bob Dylan. 7/10

If Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen had a child.

Really nice lush hazy atmospheric album that feels like a nice hug. 4 stars