Lost In The Dream

I was excited after reading their extremely pretentious description on Spotify but the result is underwhelming. I was really hoping for some genre bending/blending, instead it's just a dylan/orbison/petty not-quite coverband that delves into sound scapes ala Wilco meets Brian Eno. Clearly skilled at recording and arrangement, but the drums are the same on every track (just different speed) and it kills the vibe for me. It ends up sounded very bland and kinda boring. It leans way too heavily on a Tom Petty/Orbison wilburys vibe for me. THere are moments where I'm excited for what might be coming only to be disappointed by the same bland pop beat, again.

Snore on drugs 😴

It's just Don Henley as performed by the Killers. I've never understood the hype.

I really like the song "Red Eyes". The problem with these guys is that every song used the same template, chords, production values....everything. If you've heard one song, you've heard them all.

I’m quite proud of the legacy of music my Baby Boomer generation shared; but, the riches didn’t stop with us. The next time I hear a Boomer grouse about the pitiful state of contemporary music, I’m going to sit ‘em down, tape their mouth shut, and put on 'Lost In The Dream,' preferably with headphones, and turned up loud. Where has this band been, I began to ask, then aimed it at myself as well: where have I been? I’m no conscientious objector regarding the original war on drugs. I chose my side years ago. But apparently, these young comrades have been fighting on the same side, just over the hill and across the valley. Who knew the locations of our tours of duty were so close? ‘Haven’t lost it all, my friend, just a bit run down at the moment. Yeah, I’m living alone in here, living in darkness (‘Eyes to the Wind’).’ Lest you think that’s depression talking, or at least predominantly so, I believe lyricist and vocalist Adam Granduciel actually intends this lyric to be heard as a recognition of the value of periodic times of withdrawal for a little r&r, rest and recovery. And the music itself, not only in this song, but throughout the entire album is similarly restful, and beautiful, and optimistic in spite of the struggles life sometimes demands from us. There are notes of Dylan (both Bob and Jacob), Sigur Ros, early Dire Straits, Pink Floyd (right in the 1970s sweet spot), and the ambient works of artists like Steve Roach and Brian Eno. 'Lost In The Dream' is perfectly titled. And the band is patient with itself, taking time for the songs to develop. Great care has obviously been taken to pace things unhurried. Along with Granduciel’s sublime arrangements, the recording crew should all be given Grammys for their work. The mixing on this thing was superb, dozens of instruments (pedal steel, baritone sax, Leslie guitar, fretless bass, synths, ‘little tinkling bells’ sounding guitar?, to name a few) floating in and out, like waves breaking, then receding on the beach. In fact, the final track even features the sounds of crashing waves. Some of the songs offer downtempo deliciousness, like melted caramel in your ears, while others are more uptempo but never busy. The swirl of sounds is simply breathtaking. This would be wonderful to listen to on a long drive, but I’d rather be the passenger, so I could immerse myself in it’s atmospheric glory. Lyrically, Granduciel seems to be mostly dealing with themes of weariness and depression. I understand this LP was composed following almost a year of touring, and having a hard time adjusting to life off the road, he later recounted that he began ‘to spiral into emotional distress and physical manifestations of depression and paranoia.’ That’s definitely felt in spite of the fact that some of the lyrics are rather surreal, and don’t lend themselves to immediate interpretation, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Like the music itself, the lyrics require some patience to ponder. From ‘Suffering’: ‘Why be here when we’re both gonna fake it anyway? No more try to hear killing your goal mean I can be bigger than the tones in the moments of suffering.’ Some of the word pictures he paints are like brushes across a canvas- this one from ‘An Ocean In Between the Waves’: ‘I’m at the darkened hillside and there’s a haze right between the trees, and I can barely see you. You’re like an ocean in between the waves.’ I was about half way through the LP when I noticed that Granduciel isn’t really concerned with rhyme. Nor is he particularly careful about pitch perfect. He sometimes slides up to a note, ala Dylan. Sometimes the vocals are near lost in the mix, heavily effected, but others clear as a bell. It all works. I believe he’s partly addressing his relationship with a lover (ex? current?) on quite a few of these songs, but also, perhaps, the relationship with his own spirit. He concludes the LP with this gem: ‘I don’t mind you disappearing when I know you can be found… I’ll be here or I’ll fade away. Never cared about moving, never cared about now, not the notes I’m playing. Is there room in the dark, in between the changes? Like a light that’s drifting, in reverse I’m moving.’ I’ll be pondering that for the remainder of the day, but my immediate thought is that he’s struggling to practice a healthy detachment with regards to external circumstances (rather than bitter resignation or dulled apathy), in an effort to dig deeper inside and rescue his wounded, retreated spirit. It is possible to find the inner peace and joy that lives within each one of us in the midst of troubled and sorrowful circumstances. And when he finds that inner spirit, and his music suggests he’s probably already on the right path, then he will be unbreakable, even ‘under the pressure.’ (The title of the first song.) Fellow (& sister) Boomers, hear me: 'Dark Side Of The Moon' is one of my (and our) favorite LPS of all time. 'Lost In The Dream' is every bit as good; maybe, in some ways, even better.

I listened to this album as I went for a walk. As the last song ended, the sun was setting. It was beautiful. This type of music is right up my alley, and I was not at all disappointed.

All very pleasant but ultimately one dimensional

Maybe I'm a grouch today. This isn't terrible but it's not doing much for me, I can't ever imagine choosing to listen to it again, and I'm feeling some resentment about listening to it. It's got a very strong Bryan Adams/Don Henley vibe and honestly I'd rather listen to one of them because then at least there'd be some nostalgia involved.

The same drums at different speeds, that kind of bleh feeling to it, just not for me.

War on 'meh'

If it's raining, and a nap is necessary, this might be a fit. Rather dull.

Oh stop

And I thought Metallica's songs were long! This was a relaxing album but felt very long in the tooth. I could see it being great as background music while working but when focusing on it, there's a lot of empty space. Also the singer sounds like Bob Dylan. This is basically just Bob Dylan in space.

This album was warm and perfect for the day and has become more and more appealing with each listen. It does have a pensive 80s vibe and has little hints of the decade (most notably for me with "Burning" reminding me of Rod Stewart's "Young Turks"). I guess that's why it does have a nostalgic feel to it while also feeling quite spot on for today. I like all the moods presented here, so it is hard to pick a favorite representative track.

Hey, isn't this song on that show about the horse from Horsin' Around? 'Under the pressure' started off the album strong for me. Overall pretty much my favorite kind of music to listen to while working.

So far I hate this, it's boring AF. I don't understand why it's as popular as is seems to be, or why it's even on this list tbh.

Don't think this will age well. 2.5/5

Booooooooring

Pretty good but one of the 1,001???

I didn’t love this album, but didn’t hate it. Seemed like easy listening for aging indie rockers. Somehow, I felt like I was listening to Don Henley’s greatest hits. Which isn’t a terrible thing, but….

Nice but fairly uninspiring.

The album as a whole felt quite same to me. No track in particular stood out as something fresh and different, mostly just a similar song with a different tempo. Overall pretty disappointing sadly

Give me a whiskey sour and sit me on a front porch somewhere so I can contemplate the decisions I've made in life. Granduciel and company care so much about the production going into their work. I would argue most TWoD material wouldn't be nearly as impactful without the level of care and attention put into every element of the tracks. I also think this is a perfect record for a younger fan trying to expand their horizons on some older classic rock. The pop influences folks like of Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen and Grateful Dead are there without the attempt to emulate those bands. This is what influence should sound like.

Absolute stone cold classic

Wonderful from start to finish

Fantastic TWOD record.

Empecé a escuchar a The War On Drugs apenas este verano por una rola en vivo que me salió en algún discovery o algo así y me latieron mucho (aunque sé que ya alguien me los había recomendado hace mucho). Luego agregué este disco a mi biblioteca, porque es el más popular, y desde entonces lo he oído muchas veces porque me gusta muchísimo. Por un lado, la voz melancólica y un poco rasposa, como un Bob Dylan más afinado, o un Bryan Adams más joven, me parece que cuadra perfecto con la música que es eterea sin llegar a aburrida. Las rolas tienen subidas y bajadas y momentos que jalan toda mi atención a guitarras que parecen sencillas pero no por eso son planas. Creo que, de las cosas contemporáneas que ha tenido la lista es por mucho la que más me ha gustado.

I don’t believe you need a hook to make good songs, but this album certainly may make you crave one… these reverb pieces go in circles and leave me felling like I have listened to nothing.

Pure genius!!

Understated atmospheric and melancholy with exactly the right vocal effects perfect for the voice. A masterpeice.

I remember when this album came out and cannot believe it’s been 10 years! This album is awesome and very a very different feel. 5/5

Such an awesome album that you can listen to in many different situations. Love the combination between slower and faster songs. The guitar and drums play so well together to always keep the song moving along. And the singer, who's name I can't remember, has a voice that goes so well with the sound

I must have some form of OCD. I'll get obsessed with an album for a few weeks and listen to constantly. This one of them. Bob Dylan blended with Jamtronica. Great stuff and from Philly.

An amazing album I haven’t heard of the band before but the album is very good good with a lot of great songs and an album I highly recommend

Incredible. No one knows how to build-up a song like The War on Drugs.

This album washed over me like a warm waterfall. Wistful, wonderful, their use of reverb really tugged on my heart (esp "Burning"). Now I want to see these guys live. My one gripe is that many of the songs sounded similar.

Dreamy pop rock. This isn’t an original thought but this album reminds me of Dire Straits. Love Under the Pressure! What an album opener

Lost in the Dream I’m very aware of The War on Drugs, but I’m not sure if I’ve actually heard any of their songs, although they are the sort of band they play on 6 Music. I was expecting something similar to The National, perhaps a bit plodding and indie-serious, but I found it more rewarding than that National album we had. While it does share some of the same earnestness, it’s more interesting, musically, melodically and atmospherically. While the subject matter isn’t the happiest, there are a lot of upbeat melodies and a relatively joyous vocal delivery. There’s no doubt many of the songs share a similarity to each other, rhythmically many of them are almost identical, just at different tempos, but on repeat listens I started to notice some nice details in the instruments, and some great little pop hooks, like the piano figure and slide on Under the Pressure. Red Eyes really sounds like something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Again Suffering sounds very familiar, but is a very pleasant tune. An Ocean in Between the Waves in the second half sounds quite like The Chain to me, but again, is a lovely nice song. I really like the 80s percussion and bass sounds on Disappearing, again a nice track. Eyes to the Wind, another very nice track, sounds quite Jackson Browne to me. Big Springsteen vibes on Burning, particularly the yelps, which are very reminiscent of State Trooper Although all 10 songs are worthy of inclusion, some judicious editing of their lengths would probably be welcome. Although I get the atmospheres and drone like grooves they are building, there are a lot of extended echoey and reverby outros (I don’t think Under the Pressure needs to be 8 minutes for example) so the whole record feels a little long at an hour. Lost in the Dream is also another very tasteful and nicely done track, the harmonica back in the mix is really lovely. And In Reverse is another very nice song, with a well crafted atmosphere and some very nice little musical moments and hooks. Looking back, it seems as though every track reminds me of someone else, but I don’t think that's a negative, sometimes it just works to borrow some good bits from some great artists and mix them all up. I liked this. I don’t think it’s quite in the Wilco or My Morning Jacket bracket for atmospheric songscapes and textures or variety and inventiveness, with many of the songs on here tending towards being nice, tasteful and pleasantly catchy, rather than emotionally or musically dramatic and affecting. But that niceness has its place, and in this case it’s very well done, with more than enough musical subtlety, nuance and skill to stop it being anywhere near bland, and I’d definitely listen again, perhaps when autumn comes. It’s on the cusp of 3 and 4, but I’ll go 4 as it’s a very nice album. 💉💉💉💉 Playlist submissions: All would be fine, but I did like Burning and An Ocean Between the Waves in particular. I’ll go Burning.

I never listened to this, other than Red Eyes, when it was new. Sleepy at times, but overall pretty solid. Very clear Springsteen influence.

The highs of this album were 5*. Really great production and lyrics. The lows were like 2.5 when it got too wall of soundy. So that’s 4, I think. I’m impressed.

When I used to listen to BBC 6 music before it went too Hip Hopity Rap Crap, War On Drugs used to feature a lot and so brought them to my attention. I did and still do stream their albums occasionally. So this was a good excuse to renew myself with the band. I have probably streamed this album at some point but obviously not remembering if I did or not it must have been in the background whilst doing other stuff. Listening to the album seriously without distraction I realised how talented this band is. They are very melody centric so it’s no wonder they appeal and are right up my alleyway. The only criticism is that they rarely venture away from the laid back shoe gazing sound but when the time is right I like this. It’s nice to put on an album just wanting to chill or fall asleep to without a big banging number disturbing that ambience by track 3. Definitely an album and band I will continue to listen and invest in. 4/5 2/8/24

This album is REALLY good, I enjoyed just about every song. My only complaint is they can drag on for a bit too long

No. 245/1001 Under The Pressure 4/5 Red Eyes 4/5 Suffering 3/5 An Ocean In Between The Waves 4/5 Disappearing 3/5 Eyes To The Wind 3/5 The Haunting Idle 3/5 Burning 4/5 Lost in the Dream 3/5 In Reverse 3/5 Average: 3,4 Sounds like the musicle child of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

I'm sorry, but this album completely bored me out of mind. Also half the songs are way too long for my tastes (at least with their outros). I'm sure it's good if you like ambient-80s-style rock music.

cool at first but gets boring. self indulgent (songs are long af) and every song pretty much sounds the same. lyrics are ok. the lead front man has that punchable pursed lip face that says, ya i’m so fucking brilliant and deep. nah not really bro. your band is mid. while it isn’t at all memorable it certainly isn't bad either; it’s something that’d be good to listen to during a fever..it’s relaxing and guiltless to fall asleep to cuz you wouldn’t be missing out on much.

I don’t like the fucking Eagles.

Class

All time greatest. Just an amazing sound, iconic, ownable. Reminds me of stephanie garges hanging out in oakland.

The fucking shit, ich bin irgendwo, nur nicht hier

喜歡，有搖滾的活力卻又不過分張揚，編曲也很流暢但不流俗。

I might be biased but.. This album was on my former "sleeping playlist", which I heard in excess of 300 times. Had to hear it on vinyl.... and a few times during the day. So happy this album is on this list. It's just great throughout.

Under the pressure indeed

Not quite as good as “A Deeper Understanding”, but still a mighty fine album. 4.5 (but rounding up :P)

very indie, very 2010, very much enjoyed (a song was in Paper Towns, and we know how annoying i feel about that)

I couldn't figure out who it reminded me of, but I really dug the vibe of this. A little grunge-y new alternative kind of feeling? Will re-visit TWOD for sure after this

General impression: one of my favorites from a decade ago, holds up amazingly Detailed review: I knew I loved this album, but I haven’t revisited it a whole lot since the year it came out for some reason, and going back to it, I was right to love it. Wow, it’s an incredible heartland indie-rock album, one of the best ever made, I think. Almost every song hits, and the best ones, like “An Ocean in Between the Waves” and “Under the Pressure” and “Disappearing” (at least half the tracklist honestly) are totally stunning in sound, production, performance, and songwriting. The words are deeply felt and sung. The guitar solos are the bleeding heart of the album. Everything feels true and right. Deeper thoughts (context): Hasn’t been topped by anything in the genre to come out since. Score: 4.9 (5 for this list) Number of albums left to review: 971 Number of albums from the list I’d consider “must-listens”: 17 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 13

Really liked and lead singer's voice is a bit reminiscent of Bob Dylan.

Perfection

Banger

5 - absolutely incredible, every track, I’ll find this sometime later in life when I really need it and it’ll get me down and up again. Last song gives me duck worth vibes and I’m sure there’s more to it

Fantastic. Love these guys. Great find

added in the favs

Very very enjoyable vibesy music! Really enjoyed this one

Maybe it’s just that I’m in the mood for this, because I am also finding myself in a position where I am isolated, depressed, and just feeling weird about myself, but the long enveloping soundscapes of Lost In The Dream really appealed to me. The best way I can think to describe it is like an Americana version of Disintegration. And anybody who knows me knows how I feel about Disintegration

Such a great album!

Really enjoyed this selection. Surprised I had never heard of The War on Drugs.

Couldn't listen the whole album, but the songs I know are fantastic.

Longer tracks that leave room to breathe and explore the atmospheric soundscape. Album hit me on the perfect day, although I feel I would have enjoyed anyhow. Gives me Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen vibes.

Such a vibe tho

wunderbarer gitarren-rock-pop mit melancholischem touch.

I enjoyed this having only really listened to a few of their singles but I now realise TWOD mostly don't do 3 minute singalongs. I love songs that start quieter and build and this is full of them, it's quite shoegazey when a song like "An Ocean Between The Waves" descends into a wall of sound. This definitely one for a quiet moment and turning the headphones up loud. Shades of Neil Young with the occasional harmonicas and noodly outros, and vocals remind of Bruce Springsteen. Big ticks for my taste The only reason I wouldn't give 5* is that it goes on a bit but I was in the kind of mood for that when I listened, so 5 it is!

Chill, but a bit boppy. Feel like I know their music even though I don't, so familiar.

Great vocals and the album that I have on Vinyl. Always good to listen

Elk nummer voelt alsof ik vanaf een strand richting de ondergaande zon vlieg en i love it

Really loved this. What a great vibe. Mellow and somber in all the right ways but melodic and beautiful. A 5/5 for sure

Zooheee, Super album Al heel veel geluisterd

Loved it!

Love this album!

I loved it. Spotify threw this at me one before, and I liked it, but forgot to save, so was happy that this reemerged.

This is an album I already knew very well. I had been introduced to The War On Drugs with “Slave Ambient” and remembered Adam Granduciel’s short time with the Violators, so I was looking forward to this one. When I listened to the first single “Red Eyes” I knew this album was going to be special, and it was (and is). To me it’s like Bruce Springsteen funneled through a Grateful Dead influenced jam band lens with indie rock mixed in there. But that may just be me. I dig it, and I’ll keep listening to this one and other TWOD albums as they’re released.

FANTASTIC album! Strong Springsteen influence, with a Bleachers-esque approach to taking on the sound. Knew of them for a while but will definitely be checking out more of them!

Classic. 4.5/5

One of my favorite albums of all time

I never heard it before/ Very nice album.

Gran Mood

A dreamscape of an album. A redemption towards the light in the face of darkness. A turning point that you'll never return from.

New to me, must research this. I dropped out of life for a long period. Loved it, will repeat listen.

I'm already familiar with The War on Drugs as a heartland indie rock band from their later singles "Holding On" and "I Don't Live Here Anymore". The group was formed by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile in the mid-2000s, only for the latter to leave shortly after their first release. This is their third album, and wow Adam and everyone else who worked on this knocked it out of the ballpark. Lost in a Dream is an album drenched in a blend of washed-out shoegaze and mid-80s-inspired roots rock that's intricate in its song construction. It's filled to the brim with gorgeous melodies, and several instrumental moments that resonate like the guitar solo of "An Ocean in Between the Waves", the reverb guitar sliding of "The Haunting Idle", the synth crescendo and interplay on "Burning", and the saxophone that shows up on "Under the Pressure" and "Red Eyes". Seriously, "Red Eyes" is one of those immediate smash singles from this record that I couldn't believe upon first listening. Adam sings with a Dylan-esque delivery that maintains a balance between capturing an emotion without overselling it and holding it together on the edge of heartbreak. His vocals pair neatly with the lyrical content, where after a year of nonstop touring, his anxiety and depression bled into the words. He tries to hold onto fleeting moments of love before they fizzle out, even if it drives him near a breaking point. It's earnest yet self-aware enough to have some emotional stakes. He knows there will be heartbreak after heartbreak, yet he keeps looking no matter how much it'll hurt. This is a strong record through and through, taking the rock of the past with the melancholic lens of the 2010s indie scene. Give it a chance.

i have lost count of how many times i have listened to this on repeat

The war on drugs are a great band - I’d heard this album several times before and it is brilliant. Nobody else I can think of thats contemporary has the similar sound of Bruce Springsteen and dire straits

I feel guilty for not being familiar with this. It's amazing. Chilled, timeless, aged quality. Poetic. Going into my scheduled listening.

Best album of the 2010s IMO. Beautiful slow burns, urgent rock rave-ups, atmospheric guitars, searching and introspective lyrics…burning and suffering. A modern rock classic that in the 10 years since it’s release has aged like a fine wine.

Great

Love the soundscapes created. Very soothing and ethereal musical settings. Searching, yet uplifting lyrics… very captivating even on a first listen.

Cross between Sigur Ros and Wilco.

Low key great album

I’ve never heard of this band before. Red Eye was my favorite track, but I overall enjoyed this album. The Haunting Idle was beautiful and also a favorite track. The overall album has a very low key, relaxed atmosphere. I would definitely listen again. Has hints of Dylan and Petty, two artists whose work I really enjoy, so no surprise I really liked this album. 5 for me

I used to listen to this album during my sad stoner era in college. It is wonderful for that sort of thing.

Super !

i discovered this album at 14 and life changed forever