Cold War Kids
Encyclopedia
Cold War Kids are an American
indie rock
band from Long Beach
, California. Band members are Nathan Willett (vocals, piano
, guitar
), Jonnie Russell (guitar
, vocals, keyboards), Matt Maust (bass guitar
), and Matt Aveiro (drums, percussion).
in guitarist/vocalist Jonnie Russell's apartment above a restaurant called Mulberry Street, whose name they would eventually use as the title of their first EP
. The band relocated to Whittier, California
and began recording their first demos, which Monarchy Music released as the Mulberry Street EP in spring 2005. Between tours, the band released two more EPs: With Our Wallets Full
and Up in Rags
, in 2006. In summer 2006, Cold War Kids signed to Downtown Records
and released their debut LP Robbers & Cowards
that fall.
After two years of non-stop touring around the world, and relocation to Long Beach, California
, Cold War Kids went back into the studio spring 2008 with the producer of their first record, Kevin Augunas. Nathan described the record making process: “Throughout the record making process we would write songs in our own little practice studio then we’d go into the studio for like two days and record three or four songs, then go back into our own practice studio for like a few weeks. So really it was over the span of four months or something. Actual studio days probably like 15 days. We don’t love being in a studio; we focus more on the writing.”
The band's second album, Loyalty to Loyalty
, represented a departure from their debut in featuring a lot of narrative storytelling, as well as political and philosophical references. In an interview with Blackbox Magazine, Nathan described the record as “Being a little darker then the first." "The title, 'Loyalty to Loyalty,' comes from the philosopher Josiah Royce
. He said people need to live in community with each other, and he was reacting to Nietzsche who came before him, saying people need to rise above—you need to be the strongest individual you can and rise above the masses. But this guy Josiah Royce is saying that you need to not rise above the masses, that you need to embrace your community. His paper was called 'Loyalty to Loyalty.'”
The band spent the end of 2008 and most of 2009 on the road touring the record, highlighted by a national tour with Death Cab for Cutie
. In between touring, the band returned to the studio to record what would become the Behave Yourself EP
. Willett describes the album, “These 4 songs were recorded sometime between “Loyalty” sessions and now. They didn’t belong there but they kept hanging around, starting trouble, made friends and insisted their story be heard.” Like their most recent releases, Behave Yourself was released on Downtown Records.
The band went back into the studio in February 2010. Nathan speaking to Filter Magazine, “Album three is in the works now. We are working with a producer named Jacquire King
. He has a sweet and eclectic roster of Modest Mouse
, the last Norah Jones record, Tom Waits
’ Mule Variations
, the last Kings of Leon record
...So, he is going to work miracles with us. All of our music has always been written entirely by us without any influence, so to have him step in and help us with the direction is tremendous. I was just watching the Wilco Documentary again and I think that in many ways Wilco is to country/Americana as Cold War Kids is to soul/punk. We are taking what we do to the next level on this record. The EP is the final reminder of the good old days of quick and fun, minimal Cold War Kids recording."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, California. Band members are Nathan Willett (vocals, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
), Jonnie Russell (guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals, keyboards), Matt Maust (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Matt Aveiro (drums, percussion).
History
Cold War Kids started in 2004 in downtown FullertonFullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
in guitarist/vocalist Jonnie Russell's apartment above a restaurant called Mulberry Street, whose name they would eventually use as the title of their first EP
Mulberry Street (Cold War Kids EP)
Mulberry Street is the debut EP by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was released in 2005 by Monarchy Music. The name of the EP refers to an Italian restaurant, , located in historic downtown Fullerton above which guitarist/vocalist Jonnie Russell's apartment was situated.-Track listing:# "The...
. The band relocated to Whittier, California
Whittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
and began recording their first demos, which Monarchy Music released as the Mulberry Street EP in spring 2005. Between tours, the band released two more EPs: With Our Wallets Full
With Our Wallets Full
With Our Wallets Full is the second EP by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was recorded in November 2005. The title of this EP is taken from the lyrics of "Hair Down" - "Man, we were still just babies / Dressing up in rags with our wallets full."...
and Up in Rags
Up in Rags
Up in Rags is the third EP by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was recorded in January 2006. The title of this EP is taken from the lyrics of "Hair Down" - "Man, we were still just babies / Dressing up in rags with our wallets full."-Track listing:...
, in 2006. In summer 2006, Cold War Kids signed to Downtown Records
Downtown Records
Downtown Records is a record label owned and operated by Downtown Music LLC. Music on the Downtown label is distributed by Universal Music's Fontana Distribution and, for certain releases, as a joint venture with Atlantic Records and also for select releases, by Alternative Distribution Alliance...
and released their debut LP Robbers & Cowards
Robbers & Cowards
Robbers & Cowards is the debut album by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was released in 2006 on Downtown Records, and contains the single "Hang Me Up to Dry," which received airplay on both XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio in the USA, CJZN-FM in Victoria, BC, Canada, on BBC Radio 1...
that fall.
After two years of non-stop touring around the world, and relocation to Long Beach, California
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, Cold War Kids went back into the studio spring 2008 with the producer of their first record, Kevin Augunas. Nathan described the record making process: “Throughout the record making process we would write songs in our own little practice studio then we’d go into the studio for like two days and record three or four songs, then go back into our own practice studio for like a few weeks. So really it was over the span of four months or something. Actual studio days probably like 15 days. We don’t love being in a studio; we focus more on the writing.”
The band's second album, Loyalty to Loyalty
Loyalty to Loyalty
Loyalty to Loyalty is the second album by Cold War Kids. It was released on September 23, 2008. The song "Something Is Not Right With Me" was made available as a low-quality free download on Cold War Kids' website prior to the album's release, and was later used in the movie Cirque du Freak: The...
, represented a departure from their debut in featuring a lot of narrative storytelling, as well as political and philosophical references. In an interview with Blackbox Magazine, Nathan described the record as “Being a little darker then the first." "The title, 'Loyalty to Loyalty,' comes from the philosopher Josiah Royce
Josiah Royce
Josiah Royce was an American objective idealist philosopher.-Life:Royce, born in Grass Valley, California, grew up in pioneer California very soon after the California Gold Rush. He received the B.A...
. He said people need to live in community with each other, and he was reacting to Nietzsche who came before him, saying people need to rise above—you need to be the strongest individual you can and rise above the masses. But this guy Josiah Royce is saying that you need to not rise above the masses, that you need to embrace your community. His paper was called 'Loyalty to Loyalty.'”
The band spent the end of 2008 and most of 2009 on the road touring the record, highlighted by a national tour with Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
. In between touring, the band returned to the studio to record what would become the Behave Yourself EP
Behave Yourself (EP)
- Personnel :* Nathan Willett – vocals, piano, guitar* Matt Maust – bass guitar* Jonnie Russell – guitar, piano, vocals* Matt Aveiro – drums...
. Willett describes the album, “These 4 songs were recorded sometime between “Loyalty” sessions and now. They didn’t belong there but they kept hanging around, starting trouble, made friends and insisted their story be heard.” Like their most recent releases, Behave Yourself was released on Downtown Records.
The band went back into the studio in February 2010. Nathan speaking to Filter Magazine, “Album three is in the works now. We are working with a producer named Jacquire King
Jacquire King
Jacquire King is a record producer, mix engineer, songwriter/musician, and artist manager. Some of the artists he has worked with include Tom Waits, Modest Mouse, Kings of Leon, Mutemath, Cold War Kids, Norah Jones, Tim Finn and Buddy Guy. He is a multiple Grammy Award winner and nominee...
. He has a sweet and eclectic roster of Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
, the last Norah Jones record, Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
’ Mule Variations
Mule Variations
-Related promo CD:As a promotional limited offer, an EP titled Hold On was later released with two of the tracks from the Mule Variations album plus two previously unreleased tracks...
, the last Kings of Leon record
Only by the Night
-Critics:The album was met with mixed reviews. Metacritic's average rating settled on a 63/100, counting a drastic range of ratings between North America and UK press. The U.S. online publications Pitchfork Media, PopMatters and JustPressPlay gave the album a 3.8/10, 2/10 and 4/10 respectively,...
...So, he is going to work miracles with us. All of our music has always been written entirely by us without any influence, so to have him step in and help us with the direction is tremendous. I was just watching the Wilco Documentary again and I think that in many ways Wilco is to country/Americana as Cold War Kids is to soul/punk. We are taking what we do to the next level on this record. The EP is the final reminder of the good old days of quick and fun, minimal Cold War Kids recording."
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Alt. Billboard charts The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine... |
US Ind. Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
AUT Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
BEL Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995... (Fla Flanders Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp... ) |
CHE Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
FRA Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
NLD MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
||||
| 2006 | Robbers & Cowards Robbers & Cowards Robbers & Cowards is the debut album by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was released in 2006 on Downtown Records, and contains the single "Hang Me Up to Dry," which received airplay on both XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio in the USA, CJZN-FM in Victoria, BC, Canada, on BBC Radio 1...
|
173 | — | 15 | — | — | 43 | — | 79 | 96 | 35 | ||
| 2008 | Loyalty to Loyalty Loyalty to Loyalty Loyalty to Loyalty is the second album by Cold War Kids. It was released on September 23, 2008. The song "Something Is Not Right With Me" was made available as a low-quality free download on Cold War Kids' website prior to the album's release, and was later used in the movie Cirque du Freak: The... |
21 | 6 | 3 | 20 | — | 29 | — | 48 | — | 68 | ||
| 2011 | Mine Is Yours Mine Is Yours Mine Is Yours is the third album by Cold War Kids. It was released on January 25, 2011.-Track listing:All lyrics written by Nathan Willett; all music composed by Cold War Kids.# "Mine Is Yours" – 4:16# "Louder Than Ever" – 2:44# "Royal Blue" – 3:33... |
21 | 5 | — | 9 | 56 | 54 | 85 | 128 | — | 84 | ||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||||||
Extended plays
| Year | Album details | US Ind. |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mulberry Street Mulberry Street (Cold War Kids EP) Mulberry Street is the debut EP by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was released in 2005 by Monarchy Music. The name of the EP refers to an Italian restaurant, , located in historic downtown Fullerton above which guitarist/vocalist Jonnie Russell's apartment was situated.-Track listing:# "The...
|
— | ||
| 2006 | With Our Wallets Full With Our Wallets Full With Our Wallets Full is the second EP by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was recorded in November 2005. The title of this EP is taken from the lyrics of "Hair Down" - "Man, we were still just babies / Dressing up in rags with our wallets full."... |
— | ||
| Up in Rags Up in Rags Up in Rags is the third EP by indie rock band Cold War Kids. It was recorded in January 2006. The title of this EP is taken from the lyrics of "Hair Down" - "Man, we were still just babies / Dressing up in rags with our wallets full."-Track listing:... |
— | |||
| We Used to Vacation
|
— | |||
| 2007 | Live from SoHo
|
— | ||
| 2008 | Live at the Paradiso
|
— | ||
| Live at Fingerprints
|
— | |||
| 2010 | Behave Yourself Behave Yourself (EP) - Personnel :* Nathan Willett – vocals, piano, guitar* Matt Maust – bass guitar* Jonnie Russell – guitar, piano, vocals* Matt Aveiro – drums... |
48 | ||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | ||||
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Alt. |
BEL (Fla) |
NLD |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||||
| 2006 | "Hair Down" | — | — | — | — | — | Robbers & Cowards | ||
| "We Used to Vacation" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| 2007 | "Hang Me Up to Dry Hang Me Up to Dry "Hang Me Up to Dry" is a single by indie rock band Cold War Kids, taken from their debut album Robbers & Cowards. It was released on January 29, 2007 by V2 Records, charting at #57 in the UK. The song was re-released on July 9, 2007, but failed to break back into the chart... " |
122 | 26 | — | — | 57 | |||
| "Hospital Beds" | — | — | — | — | 140 | ||||
| 2008 | "Something Is Not Right with Me" | — | 39 | — | — | — | Loyalty to Loyalty | ||
| 2009 | "I've Seen Enough" | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Audience" | — | 39 | — | — | — | Behave Yourself | |||
| 2010 | "Louder than Ever" | — | 31 | 81 | — | — | Mine Is Yours | ||
| 2011 | "Skip the Charades" | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Finally Begin" | — | — | — | 99 | — | ||||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||||||