Lost In The Dream

5/5. An ethereal and shoegaze-y album inspired by 70's and 80's rock is not something you find every day. The songs go on for 5+ minutes usually with minimal lyrics and just backing guitar riffs and solos sometimes. When I first heard the album when it first came out a while ago, I don't think I quite felt like it was for me. As the years have gone by, and my listening has diversified, I can hear and appreciate the influence and excellent songwriting. This is such a great road trip album while also being a good one to just let it wash over you in headphones. The production is fantastic and you can hear the passion in his voice. Glad I had a chance to revisit this one. Best Song: Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, Burning, An Ocean In Between The Waves

Dry, low energy, never really comes alive. Gets an extra star just for red eyes tho

Kändes väldigt i sin samtid.

Biased review/score as a big fan, I think Adam Granducial is a modern day genius, this record is great, the vocals are Dylan-esque, heavy 80s Springsteen vibes in the drums/synths. But it's mixed with shoegaze/dream-pop to create this beautiful wall of sound. The pace of record is great, big synth/guitar driven hits mixed with slower more introspective songs.

Decent, soft rock

Low-key rock

My kind of modern rock.

Listens: 2 Stand out tracks: The Haunting Idle 80s vibes. A few tracks has vocals that sounded like Bob Dylan. I enjoyed the transition from The Haunting Idle to Burning. Atmospheric, moody qualities.

Liked this but it didn't particularly take me. Lot better than expected, gave he impression that if I listened to them more I would become a fan

Springsteen and Dylan should collect royalties for this. It’s fine. Some songs should end a minute or two sooner. It forces some synths in between in an attempt to make it mysterious, when there’s really nothing to be mysterious about. Some songs are comforting that feel familiar to what embodies the late 70’s/early 80’s .

3.5 Stars.

Inoffensive and catchy enough. Nothing bad, nothing great. Happy to listen to this as background music but probably wouldn't want to intentionally listen to this. 2.5/5 stars.

A very interesting album. I can see several references to great artists of the past in the sound of the songs. The lyrics are very beautiful and profound. Call me crazy, but it sounds like a distant cousin of Bob Dylan with great influences from Pink Floyd, singing in a dreampop band. Coo-coo. Anyway, 4 stars sounds good.

Все какое-то однообразное, как фоновая музыка для кафе пойдет, один трек можно послушать, но альбомом это слушать невозможно скучно

Fav: Red Eyes Least Fav: The Haunting Idle “We have The Killers at home” The Killers at home:

So calming and relaxing. Loved the whole album, vibes similar to khrungabin. Easy listening

I don’t get it

Very Radio Paradise. Sounds like two or three familiar artists I can’t quite place. Really like it—giving it a 4 which could have gone up to 5 if I’d had a chance to listen a couple more times.

I kinda hate this band Will I listen to again: 0%

A beautiful folk-pop album without a clear hit track. 8.7/10

Timelessly great

Very melodic, calming album. Have thoroughly enjoyed.

Is good background music

would be a lot better if it was 25% shorter, solid but not much stood out to me, and the things that did got stretched too thin.

Bland

7/10 I love me some sad boy music, I do. 3-27-2025

Opener song "under the pressure" feels like it matches the "theme" of the album closer to the end with the like, 3/4 minute wooey woo instrumental (he said before he realized every song had a wooey woo instrumental). Another "vibes heavy" prog rock album, the more spacey songs are pleasant but not super engaging otherwise, The Haunting Idle is just 3 minutes of reverbed guitar strumming and other random chords which i think the album could do without. It is easy to hear the Dylan/Springsteen influence in some of the guitar and vocals (eyes to the wind, burning), but like - I'd rather just listen to Springsteen or Dylan. The drums really do sound the same on every song which isn't the worst thing ever but does not help anything either. 4.7/10.

Lovely

gar nicht mal sooo schlecht, kannte ich bisher überhaupt nicht

Amazing

Ten album brzmi jakby ktoś nasłuchał się za dużo Dylana i Springsteena i postanowił nagrać płytę z lat 80’ trzydzieści lat później. Mi to nie przeszkadza, bo lubię ten klimat, ale nie jestem pewna na ile to przetrwa próbę czasu. 7/10

bleargh

I really liked this one. I get some Dire Straits vibes from the guitar work.

Interesting. But I don't get all the rave.

I’ve had a hard time getting into these guys. I like some of it but not all of it.

Somewhere between Sting and Tom Petty. Catchy.

Lovely stuff….

I have come around on this band so much over the last several years hell fuckin yea brother Best Song: Red Eyes Rating: 8.5/10 Excellent Stars: 4/10

I’ve heard this band’s name but can’t say I ever knowingly listened to their music. Hey siri, play some indie rock! That’s kinda what it sounds like. Somber, with all kind of effects enveloping the songs. Overly serious and humorless as far as I’m concerned. Kind of the same feeling throughout.

3.5 Stars

3.5

Wish I liked this as much as I wanted to but under the pressure will always be a favourite

Rad as hell. Big fan of it. Like being embraced by a softer, more ethereal album by The Replacements. Spent the weekend listening to this album and it’s grown on me even more. Probably my favorite so far.

Pleasant dreamy trippycana - it's an album for a lazy weekend

Seems like they are just copying that “classic” American rock sound, done (and better) by so many before them. A lot of the songs were too long but I think that was to add to the dreamy-ness of the album.

War on war

I found this to be rather dull

Pheasant background noise, if a little whiny.

Just another ex-1001 album!™ http://1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie.wikidot.com/album-artists-a-z-ex I can't quite work out what this wants to be, sounds like some mashup of Springsteen, Arcade Fire and other Americana. Either way, it's all very middle of the road.

My favorite song off the album was "Red Eyes" because it sounded very coming of age. This was a very pleasant listen.

Nice sound - I only knew one song from them before

Lindos temas, lindas voces, letras un poco más interesantes de lo común. Nada muy guau, no sabría que destacar. Nota: 2.8

This answers the question nobody was asking - what if Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen had a kid, and Bob taught the kid to sing and Springsteen taught the kid how to compose music. But really, it feels like there's a line between influence and imitation. I refuse to believe that that is Adam Granduciel's voice, in the same way I refuse to believe that Josh Kizska had never heard Led Zeppelin until he hit high school. I mean it's possibly true, but come on. All that being said, this is a cool meeting of heartland rock sounds, folk, and modern production quality. It was a little hard, at times, to move past the obvious influence/imitation of Bob Dylan, but after a while it was just part of the sound as a whole. Off the bat I thought this could be a five-star venture. As it went on, I started to feel like there wasn't enough variation in the tracks. The more up-tempo tracks all sounded very similar to each other, and the slower ones were boring enough that I couldn't differentiate those much either. In all, it just kind of became two big sounds and I wasn't totally blown away by either. It could've been great, it was just good. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, An Ocean in Between the Waves, In Reverse

Is this prog rock? Idk. Chill, atmospheric, easy to listen to. Would revisit.

Exceptional.

The War on Drugs makes the best soundscapes, the whole ensemble when it clicks is just so good. Also true live. And under the pressure is a banger. But when they slow down or just meander, soundscapes aren't enough. But thoroughly enjoyable album with some standouts (first two songs especially)

Under The Pressure Is an Amazing opening track. in General, on the record, the longer a song is the better. I'm just a little disappointed by the drumming which is too simular in between tracks. an Ocean in between the waves is the only that caught me by surprise, with its 80s drums. But great record will come back to it for sure

I didn't find it earth shattering but it was a nice discovery. I listened to it through an airport and some metro rides around Milan and it grew on me. High 3, or low 4?

Lush and chill. I've heard a few of their songs before on the radio, back when I used to listen to a radio, and remember liking them then. It's interesting how they incorporate familiar late 70's and 80's guitar sounds and song structures with a more modern atmospheric vibe. Will listen again.

I liked the second half better. This one had to grow on me.

Wow...really, really liked this one. Hard for me to give an album a 5 on its first listen, but this one came as close for me as any that we've listened to.

On reading some of the reviews, I discovered it was not an original thought to hear the album as Variations on a Theme by Don Henley. Each identical drumbeat has that same quailty of watching a high speed activity in slow motion that makes Boys of Summer so evocative, but here it is only evocative of Boys of Summer. Everyone else is right of course: there's 80s Springsteen, 80s Rod Stewart, Dire Straits. Also there are echoes of The Big Music - The Waterboys, 80s U2, Big Country - but the Big Music aimed for the epic and anthemic, whereas this is anemic. The first song ends with a long noisescapes, such as other bands would leave for the closer, indicating that the climax has been reached and all the coherent energy spent. This load is shot too early and its only a puff of retained childhood air. 1 This album is bluntly derivative of other rock music; Dire Straits, Springsteen, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan (specifically ‘Oh Mercy’) all spring to mind. However, there is nothing here of the desire to please an audience that is indicated in the absorbing, storytelling lyrics of those acts. Indeed there is no real songwriting here at all - just 80s American heartland rock ‘vibe‘. These lyrics, fragmentary evocations of Springsteeny backwater life in the streets in the darkness on the edge of town and the river and some girl or other (unnamed but presumably Mary, Jane or Wendy) are for the most part muttered in a manly Mark Knopflerish way from a bath of reverb and delay. Which sounds alright except once you’ve gone off and checked what the lyrics are the whole thing feels like the work of an A.I Springsteen lyric generator. Here’s a snippet: ‘There’s a cold wind blowin' down my old road/Down the back streets where the pines grow/As the river splits the undertows/ But I’d be lyin' to myself if I said I didn’t mind/ Leave it hangin' on the line…’ And another: ‘On a drive, I'm takin' back roads/ High against where the rivers are flowin'/ I didn't think that our love had grown…’ Not even through the courageous act of pinching melodic fragments from Dancing in the Dark or I’m on Fire or Tougher than the Rest to set them to, can this nonsense be redeemed. Still - those Springsteen tracks are only pop song length and these War on Drugs tracks are really long so they are bound to be profound; the greatest album of 2014 the critics said, and for all I know they were right. 1/5

This was very pretty music. Nice.

Idk wie oft ich das im Sommer 2025 am Weg nach Lamasté versucht habe ganz durchzuhören, aber Juli 2026 hab ich es endlich geschafft. Under The Pressure und Red Eyes sind extrem geil, aber ich finde, Alben sollten meistens nicht 1h lang sein. Trotzdem, ein sehr cohesive und sehr voll klingendes Album

Wonderful production value and catchy songs.

This was unexpectedly excellent

Really cool album. I like it.

One of the most beautiful albums I've ever listened to, pure magic

# 433 : 11/03/2025 : I don't love it, I don't hate it. A couple of things stood out but I thought it was very ordinary quiet forgettable and I doubt I'll ever go back to this. every song used the same template, chords, ....everything. If you've heard one song, you've heard them all...

A fantastic album. Nothing less…

Good Indie Rock

No está mal, sonido alternativo.

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 😓🪟🛏️ Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🌃🌊🔮 Rating: 🩹🩹🩹(🩹)/5

One of my best friends is a War On Drugs diehard, and I wish I were able to access the same level of passion for this music. It's very polished, but I think I wish it extracted the interesting parts of Bruce Springsteen's music (like, say, The Hold Steady) instead of what it settles on. Which is not to say that I don't like this album, because I certainly do, particularly the great one-two punch that starts it off. But it's hard to be too enthusiastic about it.

I can tell there is excellent production, musicianship and heartfelt lyrics on this album. But it would take a real investment to get into it. I listened, admittedly while working, but it just faded into the background for me. I can have a hard time with these indie opuses - if it doesn’t capture me right away, I don’t really feel motivated to immerse myself long enough in its world to care.

😳

Meh, not really for me. I found it to be boring at times.

Not really sure what i was listen to, a werid missmash of progrock and folk music. Got bored and gave up after the 4th song.

They defined a signature sound and stuck with it. Fine, because it's a very pleasant sound, but it doesn't keep entertaining me. It escapes me why many people hear Dylan and Springsteen in this.

Still dig it and the drum grooves

Sean Tanos Monday at 10:22 AM I was listening to this music in the car with my wife while we were driving to Minden on our break. I think I mentioned Bob music before, which is just music my friend Bob likes. My wife looked at me after the 2nd song, and asked if Bob had ever heard this band because she thought he'd love it. Definitely Bob music.

Imagine it's raining, and you hear thunder. You think "this is great weather to take a nap". That would be the scenario where this album would be okay. Otherwise, it's pretty bland.

I wish there was a way to attribute authors on here but this is from a reviewer post on December 20, 2021 and it sums up my thoughts very well. I didn't hate it, but was hoping for more. "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."

boooorrrriiiinnnnggg. I couldn't wait til this was over. Was suprised to see this record was released by Secretly Canadian.

Felt like it never picked up. Just didn't capture my interest once.

Dreamy. Really love the vibes. Can imagine playing this album in the summer, chilling in a car with the roof down, feeling the warm breeze. Love the production. Groovy beats. Cool synths. The melodies are so nice to listen to. Kinda giving a cross between Bob Dylan and Sam Fender. Songs are long but I don’t mind that, they keep me hooked. I will listen to this again.

I shamelessly enjoy this. It was easy to get lost in and had me head nodding from beginning to end.

Their write up on Spotify is so pretentious, it’s like it was written for Portlandia. So far, it sounds like a Don Henley / Fleetwood Mac cover band. First song absolutely references Boys of Summer by minute 3. It’s cute. But it’s not exactly innovative. A lot of this sounds like Arcade Fire. A lot is repetitive. That doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s easy listening, for the most part. But not new, not essential. Just nice.

not a big fan

Ten seconds into the first track, I knew I was going to love the album. In spite of the reverb, I felt like I could make out all of the instruments and I really enjoyed the long outros. Sometimes I like that kind of thing, especially in this kind of psychedelic music. Bops throughout.

Really vibed with the instrumentals on this album, but the lead singer's voice kind of got annoying after awhile. A bit too whiney and talk-like for my taste. I also thought some of the songs went on for too long. But the music produced wonderful psychedelic hints at times and some upbeat feelgood tones at other times that I really enjoyed.

Halfway through I realize this album wasn't released in the 80s. Really put a damper on my enthusiasm. I wanted to hate the whole album but I couldn't. Red Eyes is a banger. I bought the long pretty good to a couple others. And general I didn't mind the excessive length of the songs. It's somehow fit the style. In general though I didn't like the vocals, they sounded like Bob Dylan crossed with Paul Simon and drowned in reverb. Also kind of pissed that they had a whole song of just ephemeral ambience.

Another high note listening experience courtesy of the 1001 album list :) This one has been on my radar to immerse myself in for quite sometime but somehow fell through the cracks, so I was delighted when it came through the generator today as my album to review. I was already familiar with the two opening tracks as well as the reputation this release has for sounding very Dylan-Springsteen-Americana-esque, which it very much dose, however not to the degree that it compromises from its own distinct identity. This is a very cohesive album, each song flowing nicely into the next, contemplative in feel that is pleasantly airy and dreamlike. I put this on while I was driving along rural backgrounds and the scenery complimented these tracks beautifully. 🎧 Classic Track- Under The Pressure 🎧 Hidden Gem- Suffering 🚫 Skip Track- In Reverse The slow burn instrumentals are exquisite albeit extends the runtime of the album overall a tad too long, coming in just over an hour averaging 6 minutes per track. A wonderfully produced indie rock gem that I look forward to revisiting! 🖼️ Album Artwork: ❌- nothing special Click the thumbs up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album :)

Very good album I never thought I would like the war on drugs but they are a great band

I went to a concert of theirs a couple months ago, I was freezing cold and had a migraine so I laid down on the blanket we brought, and just kinda dissociated to the music, it’s pretty good dissasociating music

the only drug they're gonna take off the streets is ambien. at least daft punk had the smarts to bring in nile rodgers to lively up their retrofetish horseshit. they worship a guy who said "don't look back" but make some Lot's wife-ass music.

Nice enough

Pretty cool

not bad not special

I like A Deeper Understanding a lot more than this album, but this is still a solid album. The production and vocals feel comforting

Great Springsteen album

Very atmospheric album I enjoy this kind of music, I can see why someone mind think it’s boring but I see it as moody, and cinematic. My favorite part of this one was for sure the production it was excellent throughout. Favorite Tracks: Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, and An Ocean Between The Waves.

It’s ok. A few really solid songs and a bunch of meh ones.

I never heard of these guys before. Was good for my background music—overall, it’s too hazy and “on the highway at dusk” for me to reach for often.

This album started out with a great first song, and I was ever hopeful of a new discovery. It soon sunk into a dreary, repetitive mess. Thinking about the drums specifically I realized early on that I could play drums on this album. And that’s not a compliment.

Dreamy Springsteen. The typical WoD blueprint. About as good as Slave Ambient.

Greaat

It'd been a while since I last listened to Lost In The Dream and glad that it still holds up as a lovely, vibey record. Great for just putting on in the background and letting the music wash over you, but not noticeable enough to ever surprise. I do understand why some people really love this, but I do wonder if it's quite distinct enough to really earn its spot here

If these guys were contemporary with their genre, they would be 60% as interesting as anyone else. But they're not, and that's worse. Instead, it sounds like a 40th anni reunion tour that lost its spark, but without any original. It sounds like they were familiar enough with Americana to know that Mark Knopfler could jam on an intro/outro for 4+ minutes, but not enough to know that Mark Knopfler could do that because he had chops.

Bit of a let down. I really like that 2010s synth Americana sound and this teased it a lot but never really did it, and ultimately it was very one dimensional and vibey

Uh is this a album for bob dylan lovers that are also about to OD lol - idk it was downer

Never listened to them before and I really enjoyed it. Definitely my style.

After seeing them live again a couple of months ago, I realized how well these songs have stood the test of time, especially when compared to the rest of their repertoire. There's a bit more depth, energy, and tension in these songs than in everything that came after. Additionally, all of their songs tend to be longer and more stretched out than their earlier work, particularly those featuring Kurt Vile. It's not a five-star album because of the slog in the middle.

Like Pink Floyd with Paul Simon or the Dire Straits - very good listen

Cracker! Great driving record as well.

Man, this is tedious. I don't care for it. Lot of skilled musicianship and production, but it is clearly drawing from a lot of 80s pop rock sound. I don't know, this is some Free Willy soundtrack type stuff I can't get behind. 2/5 listen, 3/5 for the hard work and skill that went into making this.

num foi feito pra mim, mas cade o kurt vile

meh

Why would you create Bob Dylan Boomer music in 2014?!

I liked this. It's in no way special, but I enjoyed listening to it, and might listen again.

Not bad

Perfectly fine. Has forever been uninspiring to me. Would much rather listen to a Kurt Vile record.

Good

Fine. Not offensive but a little too chill and just didn't do it for me.

Enjoyed it.

Lovely, peaceful, sounds familiar?

Favorite Track: Lost in the Dream

Does Springsteen get the royalties? This passes me by in an audio soup of delay, reverb and plodding tempos. I find it dull and samey.

Meh

Un inmenso esfuerzo donde se nota el trayecto duro y depresivo al que hace referencia. Buenas influencias Springsteen, Young sobresalen notoriamente

Wow. This was actually really good. I always thought this band were a lot older than they were, I had heard of them before but I didn’t realise they had releases as soon as 2014. I was very pleasantly surprised by this record. It’s a fun indie album, reminding me of late-season Skins on Channel 4. It has a melancholy sound at times which creates beautiful melodies paired with decent vocals, with a good modern blend of sounds and genres. It kept my interest, despite the length (as usual, I thought one or two songs could have been stricken from the record but I don’t feel too strongly about it to mark it down) and I found it quite an easy album to listen to. The instrumental breaks, such as Haunting Idle, were really good too. It’s a very poignant album, very thoughtful and at times emotional. It reminds me why I love indie rock so much. I’d definitely listen to it again and I’ll be interested in hearing more from this band.

Das war echt überraschend gut Oh 😮 Gut entspannt und abgehend zugleich

Good stuff

I actually vaguely know this album. I had heard a few of their songs before but my buddy scored free tickets to see them right around the time this album came out. He told me, "You have to listen to this 'Under the Pressure' song." So, I did and being a fan of jam bands, I wasn't put off by the runtime. The thing is: it IS a good song but the "jam" is just kind of boring. It doesn't do much. But I still like it. Well, the rest of the album feels the same way. It's enjoyable but just a little uninteresting. I'd definitely listen to it again but it's best as background noise.

perfect album

OK, a bit depressive and too neil young vocals but the melodies were pretty good and catchy overall

This is good! I instantly fall in love with the sounds. Some of those melodies reminded me of old classic 60s or 70s rock but with brand new dreampop-shoegaze arrangements. This is cool I love it. A solid 4/5.

Heartland rock is really cool idk why its been so long for me to listen to this. But really homey and warm album.

This was ok.

amazing album, very creative, good ambience (95/100)

Love this album - Bob Dylan meets Bruce Springsteen

Sublime, atmospheric, melancholic majesty. Traces of Dylan, Springsteen and Bon Iver combine to make for a wonderful album.

I like it's good. Would happily listen to it anytime, although probably wouldn't seek it out myself. Rating: 3

This was nice

Good solid album for its time. Repetitive but never tiresome. Good vocals and sounds capes.

Great album to have in the background while working/thinking/writing.

This is the most three-star album I've heard on this list. Very moody and had good atmosphere.

Dreamt and thoughtful without being pretentious. Some of the best of what 21st century indie can be.

Alright

Mellow

Good album, bit slow

boringgg

I don't want to listen to dad rock anymore

What an amazing string of albums! This album does much to me (Under The Pressure! Red Eyes! Burning! An Ocean In Between The Waves!), but in another way, it is also full of filler material in my opinion. It's also not as perfect as the follow-up album.

Ja, dit is gewoon perfectie he. En het is niet eens hun beste album. 5.0

Similar to Still Corners but with male vocals.

3+ Stars (9/15)

Ezek a srácok is hallgattak valamennyi Neil Youngot. Meg Springsteent. Meg Dylant. 😆 Nem mintha panaszkodnék, nem rossz ez, de azt pl szeretném tudni, hogy miért teljesen ugyanaz a beat minden egyes szám alatt. Amilyen lelkes voltam az elején, olyan csalódott vagyok a végére, mert ez nagyonjó is lehetne, de így egy hallgatás után azt hiszem, hogy nem az.

Wasn't familiar with, The War On Drugs" and my pre-conceived idea of their sound was different than I thought. It was quieter and more thought provoking than I expected and overall I liked their sound and songs. A bit of a Wilco-vibe and even an Americana feel, so it was comfortable and easy to listen to. I thought though, the songs became a little "samey" as it wore on and it did drag and became less interesting towards the end. Good, but not great (or essential), but worth the time and worth a future dive into their album catalogue.

Day 36: Lost in the Dream - The War on Drugs. War on Drugs album 1/1. I can hear a potential influence coming from 1970's rock music. However, it does not feel as authentic or nostalgic. It's somewhat difficult to remember what happened in the album at all after listening to it. Bruce Springsteen is a significantly more interesting artist form the Heartland rock scene. The music seemed to fade into the background. It's a lot better than some of the mainstream pop music that came out around the same time, but this album still isn't too impressive. I find the selection of new albums in "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" to be quite arbitrary. There are so many more important albums that came out more recently. Unless I am mistaken, this album only survived in the 2016 edition of "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". While a lot of great albums suffered the fate of removal from the list purely for being newer albums, I do believe that it was an appropriate action to take for this album. Personal Enjoyment: 3/5. How Much It Belongs Here: 2/5.

Amazing album, inspired thoroughly by Bob Dillon but with the energy of the killers.

This is basically Wire Train.

Top album. Love this.

Under the Pressure 4.3 Red Eyes 3.8 Suffering 4 An Ocean in Between the Waves 3.7 Disappearing 3.6 Eyes to the Wind 3.4 The Haunting Idle 3.2 Burning 3.4 Lost in the Dream 3.8 In Reverse 3 Score: 3.62

Real elegant stuff. I loved this album when it came out.

Fantastic album

honestly kinda mid. nothing stood out.

-this wasn’t too bad. maybe a bit indie contemporary for my taste, and damnnnn some of those songs could’ve been cut down -some of them were absolutely beautiful and captivating though. i LOVE the lead singer’s voice and the 80s / 90s rock influence -Favorites are Suffering and An Ocean In Between The Waves

I have always liked The War on Drugs but I have never, and I mean never, understood the comparisons to Heartland rock, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp. It doesn't sound like them at all. Even reading the reviews of other listeners I see a couple of Don Henley and Bryan Adams references. I don't hear it at all! I often feel like they could be one of my favorite bands, yet they are just missing something and I can't put my finger on it. I really like them and feel like I could love them. Sometimes the music is too long and sleepy for me. I really need someone to explain the Bruce Springsteen and Heartland rock thing to me though. I can't hear it no matter how hard I try. Otherwise, I like the album and there are quite a few jams. Can the songs sound similar? Yeah, probably. Under the Pressure is a good way to start the album (even if it is 3 minutes too long, potentially), Red Eyes is just an absolute jam, Suffering is the closest to Bryan Adams/Don Henley I hear, Ocean Between the Waves is another great track, Eyes to the Wind is the closest I hear to Springsteen or Heartland rock, Burning and Lost in the Dream are all really good songs. I wish I understood the comparison of The War on Drugs to other bands but this is a very worthwhile listen.

The music that plays during a dramatic scene in a teenager focused drama on the CW.

I liked this... Easy listening and inoffensive, however, it didn't excite me and is very "background friendly"

I like the style of music and lyrics and could easily listen to 2 or 3 songs in one go, but listening to the whole album in one session was a bit too much

Decent album, not my vibe though

Definitely a slow burn, but a pleasant one. The songs go on and on, and then you realize you’re kind of into it. An Ocean In Between the Waves has a very slow build up and rocks for the last few minutes. I’m enjoying it as an album, but so far there are no singles I would stick on a playlist. Songs are more introspective and long. 3.5 ⭐️

really dreamy I like it

Nice, not really special

I liked my wife didnt

This is good, but I like there other stuff more.

Perfect album from one of my favorite bands.

a little bob dylan, a little bruce springsteen, honestly not good enough to be either, but hard to fuck up when you’re primarily drawing from two influences like that

It was pretty music but it just didn't really captivate me like I would have liked. Ethereal sounding with a touch of new wave, synth-pop. Light melodies. It was a fine album but didn't really invoke enough emotion from me.

Both this album, and the individual songs on this album, are too long. If something was going to happen in these songs, it would have happened within 3 minutes or so, but nothing ever does. These songs are the equivalent of sitting in a dentist’s waiting room. And when someone lets out a weird high-pitched “WHOow!!” in a dentist’s waiting room, it doesn’t make me think that the dentist’s waiting room is exciting, it just makes me think the guy yelling is nuts.

Not bad, maybe a little tedious. "We have Bob Dylan at home" set to the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Dit is hem toch net niet

Good stuff. A little repetative and boring, but I appreciate the heady Greatful Dead/Folk Rock. If this is something you're interested, I implore you to consider the various other 2010's folk rock revival bands. Shakey Graves, Houndmouth, Lumineers, Mt. Joy, and Dawes. Kudos tho the War on Drugs was featured on a Greatful Dead tribute album in 2016 called "Day of the Dead" they did a brilliant cover of Touch of Grey.

Drömmigt och sorgset. Lite för mycket domedagskänsla. Gränsen mellan tråkig och ljuv är hårfin och det lutar lite för ofta mot det förstnämnda. Bäst en kväll i en stuga någonstans i fjällen, alltså kommer aldrig lyssna igen.

About halfway through, this album is super boring. It's pretty much been the same song for the whole first side. It continues through the second half as well. I mean it's got some great guitar work, and great sounding guitars, but it's just not engaging at all. Pretty sure the drummer played one beat the entire album. It is super atmospheric, all the reviews saying to play it during a rainstorm or while driving through the woods are spot on. But that doesn't mean I would want to play this again. Even if it was raining or if I was driving through the woods. I was happy when it was over. 2/5

Pretty good

I have never heard of this band, but i liked the album. Seems to be my style of music

for some reason i accidentally gave this a 5 star rating despite never hearing this a day in my life so i'm listening and editing my rating 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 - 4/5 The Haunting Idle - 1/5 (zzzzz) Burning - 4/5 Lost In The Dream - 4/5 In Reverse - 4/5 Average score: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ok I thought it started interesting enough. But then the songs, chord progressions, drums and even the "weird" noises don't sound original to me. I wanted to like this music but I ended up bored as fuck. It's all the same long boring crap. Where the fuck comes all the praise for this set of 10 dog turds???. Well sorry, I'm being too harsh. I'm sure this is someone's baby. But I'm still looking for the "goosebumps factor". Haven't found anything yet and, certainly, this is not it. What I can say is that I find this album less unbearable than the Wilco album I got a few days ago. So it's an improvement!. Still I'm not giving it more than 2 stars because this is not music I would listen again except for background music when I set my IPod to shuffle. Omg I just tried to listen to this album again. It's... So... Damn... Boring! :( and I hate that I feel this way about it because I need to see the positive side of life. But this is too much for me.

all sounds v similar. didn't enjoy heaps, not very interesting or emotional - just has a nostalgic feeling too it

All I know about this band is that Mark Kozelek wrote “The War On Drugs Can Suck My Cock.” Anyway, I put this on while I emptied out my shed and reorganized it a bit, and it was all fine until the wind started blowing during the last four tracks or so. And then, that’s when this record really started to piss me off. It sounds sort of like The Church at some points, but not as energetic or catchy. Apparently, what they’re going for is some sort of Heartland Rock revival (which I found out after listening to this), which it doesn’t really sound like. It sounds more like a Captured Tracks band made an AOR album. I don’t know, the vocalist seemed like he was kind of going for the affect that Bruce Springsteen or Tom Petty has, but sexless and barred out.

This one was good. The sound of it was nice. 4 stars

S - really like the War on Drugs and have been a fan of this album for some time now!

Hij was eigenlijk wel beter, maar gewoon een beetje saai.

Can’t believe I just found this band last year. Instantly became a favorite of mine. So good

Dinged a star because the drum tracks are all sooo flat and clearly drum machine.

It’s like Bryan Adams with a pedalboard

Kinda boring I’m sorry.

an album full of the 7 minute songs i play on new works hour when i need to stall to think of some actually good songs

It’s ok as a background music, I guess… very bland It’s like a mix between bob Dylan’s vocal style, arcade fire-ish melodies and the most basic indie rock sound. Not one song stood out to me, an hour long kick-snare-kick and lots of reverb

Great album! Took a while to grow on me but I like it on a summer Sunday afternoon

We kick off with an eight-and-a-half minute track that goes absolutely nowhere. It’s downhill, or rather, level ground with no ups or downs from there. I forgot about the existence of this album halfway through listening to it.

Great album. 4.3/5 Many stand out tracks … under the pressure, red eyes, an ocean between the waves, burning.

да че за залупа нахуй томная

this album was just an absolute beauty. it mixes sort of that classic indie rock sound with elements of post-rock, ambient, psychedelic, glitch, grunge, singer-songwriter, and many more. Probably one of my favorite albums I've heard this year.

The beauty of this one is high up there.

Fand es war die perfekte Autobahn Musik und ab und zu auch mitgenickt. "An Ocean in between the Waves" war sehr chillig. 4 Sterne

Als Hintergrundmusik war es in Ordnung. Das Album scheint ja eher heavy zu sein, da müsste man nun mehr auf die Lyrics achten um es besser bewerten zu können ggf. So, aber 3 Sterne für mich.

Great album. The band really feels like they have come into their own here.

Okayish

A warm fuzzy blanket of sprawling, melancholic rock music

classic sound

Quite enjoyable but I'm not convinced it's essential listening.

Really liked this.

Really enjoyed this album. IMO the 2010s were the best decade for alt Rock and I love being able to here the 90s alt rock influences

Not my taste

Not good. So much reverb!

Boring and bland, not really gripping song writing. Great band and sound, but I have plenty of vanilla in the cabinet

The War On Drugs sounds like everyone other than an original band. Coldplay, Springsteen, OK Go, some 80’s yacht rock. It’s a solid album, great musicianship, vocals are decent, songs are bland. Maybe they should have tried drugs? I dunno.

I’m a big TWOD fan and I think this, along with the album A Deeper Understanding, is their best work. The close out track “In Reverse” is a perfect end to a truly fantastic album and, while I would (and do) listen to it in isolation sometimes, it always hits harder when listened to as part of a whole album start to finish listen.

I like it. Good background music to listen to while working or just chilling.

bleh

Bojack type-shi Love it Depressing and sad On a journey

I’m with drugs in this one.

Fahrstuhlmusik.

This is indeed a great album. Sonically, it was to me like chicken pot pie, but in a good sense. Kind of heavy, and kind of soupy, but punctuated with some bright peas and carrots. Very comforting.

Really Fantastic! Five stars.

Really really really liked this. Under the pressure is of course stand out but every song was good in my eyes. Very excited to see them live soon with Sam Fender

A few individual songs I ADORE, but overall it didn't capture me. I'll probably come back to it though, and may like it more.

Not my thing when the vocals sound like this

Groovy. Enjoyed this one more than I imagined I would.

This album was exactly what I needed after a very bad weekend. My best experience with a new album yet, I think.

Very nice but the songs are a bit long. Standout tracks: Under The Pressure, Red Eyes

This was fine. At times it felt between a cross between Bryan Adams and Bob Dylan.

Classic arena rock with ambient dream pop tones, distorted vocals and swirling guitar solos. Sounds like a heavily reverbed Paul Simon collaborating with M83, with some interesting sonic textures, warm and repetitive, strumming and pulsing! A more accessible Bob Dylan style vocals echo in such a way that lyrics are rendered obscure, hooks are incidental. At other times it sounds like Bruce Springsteen being produced by Phil Spector, or a less memorable My Morning Jacket. "Burning" transcends the pleasant pulsing familiarity that otherwise makes this album generic indie rock from the early aughts and twenty-teens, though it does remind me of Dancing in the Dark. Considering I associate the War on Drugs with an internet mediated feud with Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters and Sun Kill Moon (that was mostly Kozelek being an aging curmudgeon and tangentially related to competing performance slots at a music festival where Kozelek complained about the volume of their music), but never felt inspired to listen to The War on Drugs before now.

Soft mild vibes, a good part was just instrumental, occasionally there were some mumbly vocals. Good background music, suitable for post-credit nothingness. 3.5 rounded down for length. Stand-out: Suffering

This was a pleasant surprise. A cool chill album to ease into 2025.

Not unpleasant, I rarely find music unpleasant, but just a bit bland

Poor man’s Bruce Springsteen. This band is close to being great, but something is missing. I can’t put my finger on it, but maybe it’s because I could play drums for this band - so basic. The songs just don’t go anywhere. I want to go on a ride and they don’t do it for me.

никакое

Easy listening rock with some light synth sounds sprinkled within. Highly boring and lame. Not a single song stood out to me. More synth sounds would have made the album a bit edgier. I doubt I will listen to the album again.

Muy bueno. Crea un ambiente de gradualismo lindo mientras pasan muchas cosas

it was okay. the album all kind of sounded the same. 3 stars

I really kinda like this album quite a bit. There is a lot of this album that sounds inspired by that transition 70/80s rock i get vibes of Straits, Floyd, Petty, Springsteen influence with a glimmer of Millennial sheen. One thing this album does well which can be a land mind for be is extendeding an ending a few minutes after the song is done. In the right hands if find it enjoyable and I think they hit that sweet spot. (8.4) ★★★★

A few really good tracks, but most of it is boring and one dimensional. 3.5 stars

I like the overall sound, and I think there's some good tunes here, like "Red Eyes" and "An Ocean Between the Waves", but I feel like it's just too samey overall. By the end, I kind of knew when the next song was gonna sound like before it came on. I thought 4 might be too generous, but knowing the other music that came out in 2014, 4 stars seems appropriate.

A smoggy shoegazey Springsteenish spectacular for a good hour span, this starts off so spiffingly with supercharged widescreen epics like Under The Pressure and Red Eyes. And whilst it is generally strong throughout it does get deeply samey with all the constant smoggy, shoegazey widescreen Springsteenish epics. Still one of the standout releases from 2014 though.

High 4 stars

Psych rock qui prend son temps

I was surprised to see this on here and was originally excited to listen and learn more about the band. While the production is great and the songs are well written and executed, reading more about Granduciel and his view of the album / band has left a bad taste. I like the use of guitar and harmonized melodic sections to confer working through the depressed / anxious states, and the general uncertainty of it all. Difficult to tell at times if it is more prideful or vulnerable and the integrity of the music vs the obsessiveness Granduciel had with it.

Cool.

Started off strong, and I enjoy the Springsteen vibes, but every song is too long, and there's too much ambient noise filler.

Read their pretentious Spotify profile and try to give this more than a 3

Brilliant

Sure it’s not the most groundbreaking original sound, but I enjoyed listening to it a lot. And in the end, isn’t that what it’s about?

This is vibe. 10 out of 10! When I turned on the first track, I thought it was kind of normal, but somehow it doesn't catch on. He didn't turn it off. And then by minute 10 of listening, it hit me like it came from a bong. I've rethought my whole life. It's like a psychotherapy session or a good smoke break.

First album after an almost 2 week hiatus has found me unfocused and unserious. I can’t fairly judge this album as I barely functioned as my weekday self/in my weekday routine today. The vibes were cool, I think I’ll circle back at some point because I enjoyed it more than not, but I think it’s a combo of my brain being at 60% and this album being super chill that it blurred together for me. It’s a nice sound, and I think if I had had coffee before the album I could’ve told you which songs or lyrics I liked, but as it is, and within the constraints of the info I retained from listening, it *feels* cool. I liked what I heard and aside from the double sided coin that is a constant and chill vibe, I have no complaints.

I listened to this album on a car ride on Friday and then three times on an international flight over the weekend. Grant, on that flight I was pretty heavy into Stardew Valley on the switch, but this album did nothing for me. It was fine as background music, but honestly I could discern where tracks started or stopped. Pretty unforgettable, but not deserving of a one.

It was an enjoyable indie rock album! His voice kind of gave me bob dylan vibes. Nothing super spectacular to make me come back probably.

I actually liked it. Mood music with a few fun melodies. Very dreamlike, per the title.

When your friends ask you to play some background music for the hangout so you put on Lost In The Dream because you’re a chill guy.

I've actually heard of this band prior to starting the list. I was studying at the library in college when I first heard "Red Eyes". I was listening to a random local radio station based out of Portland Oregon on the iHeartRadio website when it came on. I liked it at the time, but never really followed up with the band. They're sound is right up my alley especially at the time. Perfect music to listen to while studying. I'm glad I did a full album, and I'll keep them in the rotation. The War On Drugs has the most mid 2010's sound, and I discovered them in the most mid 2010's way.

I had heard a few from the album before. I found myself really enjoying the album- their sound is mellow and understated but still captivating. I found that sometimes the songs seemed to meld into each other. Still- I found myself enjoying a lot of the songs. Overall- probably 3.5/5, but not quite a 4

This album sounds like when you're at an outdoor stadium concert and it's the opening song and the band really stretches out the intro and there's an anxious lull as you're waiting for the first verse to properly start... that feeling, but extended for 60 minutes. The instrumentation doesn't deliver the spontaneity you'd expect from a jazz band or jam band - The War On Drugs is heartland rock not dissimilar from The Killers albeit with inexplicably greater hype - so the overall sensation is basically akin to edging.

Best band since the 70s. Brilliant. I love this.

No skips. This is the porchetta of albums—so velvety rich! At times Rod Stewart’s full-bodied sound, at others Dylan’s weary lyricism, plus some Springsteen-y sad harmonica. These guys reallllly take the time to let a moment land, which is forgivable when the product is this good.

kinda chill

Very generic, quite inspiring. Every song kind of felt the same.

I just wish the vocals were a little louder on some of the tracks.

Mellow high level background music for me. Like enough words to actually listen to but can also just tune out and enjoy

A modern day dire straits - not a good thing nor a bad thing - needs a bit more war and a bit more drugs

Not feeling this one at all really

I really wanted to like this more. The final track shows the potential.

I love this band. They are kickin it in the background of life, and remind me so much of another band like them, super talented, great songwriting, solid sound of musicians playing tg for more than 20yrs, Turin Brakes/UK - hopefully they'll be on this 1001... so much quality and a soothing sound - War on Drugs are consistent in their sound and I was happy to discover them thru headphones on an LIRR train to Garden City w a friend from 7th grade, years ago (thanks Vicki!) I happily listen to them any day, always glad they're around.

I haven't listened to this before, and I'm hooked. It's so beautifully performed. Emotional. The songs are hypnotic.

Luminous. Intricately detailed. Grandiose. Brian Wilson by way of Springsteen. The craft is undeniable. But it also moves you. This album started a run as impressive as any in the modern rock sphere - such that it is. A true album that ebbs and flows as a single piece. They manage this trick as a live act as well as any band I have ever seen - each crescendo building and retreating, adding layers with each revolution until they achieve lift off - only a few feet off the ground but defying gravity nonetheless.

I enjoyed some things on this album like 3 tracks listed below which leaned more into the indie rock side of things. However, the majority of this album more resembled Explosions In The Sky-esque wonderous film score vibes. While that's not always a bad thing (I do love Explosions), I would have preferred the indie side to have been more relied upon. Not an all-around bad record, just meandered a bit for my liking. Notable Tracks: - Red Eyes - Eyes To The Wind - Burning 5/10

Was cool

Really good album. Easy to put on and play all day.

3/5

Kind of easy listening, doesn't hurt the ears but not memorable either. 3.2

Optimistic indie with infectious melodies.

It's not bad and unlisten-able, but its really boring and nothing I would voluntarily listen to. 2/5

Instantly forgettable - not bad by any stretch but not something I am ever going to listen again, or recognise if it plays.

Don’t think I’ve heard this before. I saw them live and felt like every song was somewhat repetitive and dragged out. I felt similarly about the album. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t vary enough to keep things interesting. Burning is a great song still.

For an 80s kid, this feels like slipping into an old familiar sweatshirt ... preferably with D.A.R.E on the front. One of my favorite Onion headlines of all time is: Stoners Declare Victory in the War on Drugs. Yes, the good guys won, and this album is perfect for driving fast on the highway or ripping down the slope on your shred stick on a bluebird day ... with nowhere to go and nowhere to be ...

With Lost In The Dream, Adam Granduciel and co. have managed to bring Springsteen-esque heartland rock back in style. The more upbeat tracks sound like the perfect accompaniment to a road trip, while the slower cuts lean towards a more somber and contemplative mood. Some of the atmospheric segments may overstay their welcome, but at the same time add to the overall dreamlike vibes of the record. This isn't complicated music, but it does a great job of capturing a feeling of equal parts nostalgia and hopefulness. Highlights: -Under The Pressure -Red Eyes -An Ocean Between The Waves -Eyes To The Wind Lowlights: -Suffering -The Haunting Idle

great atmosphere

Had never heard of them. Enjoyed it...pleasing sound but never dull.

Never heard this album before. First listen is really enjoyable, great chill vibe that still moves and sounds interesting. I certainly hear a lot of 80s influence in the music. Will have to listen to it again to see how it resonates, but a solid album I'm glad I've heard.

This one really grew on me. It’s way more than the sum of its parts. Perfect album for driving through snowy woods.

Really apt album title.

Reminds me a bit of arcade fire or the national, bands that I feel like I should like more. Beautiful instrumentals but I mostly found them boring. I liked the build-up in some of these songs, but I often just struggled through. 3

A very chill and dreamy alternative rock album that was perfect for an evening drive yesterday, but ultimately one I find quite forgettable as soon as it’s over

I’ve never really taken the time to listen to The War on Drugs (even though I love the song “Pain”) and have always felt that I would like them a lot if I did. And after listening to this album, I do! “An Ocean in Between the Waves” really stood out to me, but there’s quite a few great tracks here with some excellent driving guitar riffs and thoughtful vocals. This is a mellow, almost longingly lonely record, but it really encapsulates an “indie” sound that I do enjoy. A great album to listen to while driving, with some definite influence from Bruce & Bob Dylan. A happy new discovery of music I enjoy and an album that I’ll certainly listen to again.

Liked the album opener "Under the Pressure" but it kind of went downhill from there for me. The songs have a dreamy feel to them where all the instruments work together but seldom really stand out. And that's the formula throughout albeit with varying tempos. Additionally, the songs are pretty long averaging around 6 minutes give or take. So if you love this, you are definitely getting your money's worth. I found myself looking forward to the album ending about 45 minutes in... Overall it's not a bad album. There just aren't any songs that moved me. It's a solid 5 out of 10 for me.

Brandon Flowers core

I really like this one. Initially I wasn't getting what it was going for, but then it became obvious it was supposed to be larger-than-life Springsteenian rock but for intimate venues rather than arenas. I do love larger-than-life rock music. Key tracks: Under the Pressure Red Eyes An Ocean Between the Waves