Live Drugs

By the time of their fourth album, 2017s A Deeper Understanding, the War on Drugs had grown from critically adored indie favorites to a major-label rock phenomenon, taking their place in a lineage of blue-collar tunesmiths who followed classic rock icons like Petty, Dylan, Springsteen, and many others. The bands hard touring roots never fully left them as their audience grew, and they embarked on months of touring in support of A Deeper Understanding, traveling the world almost nonstop for over a year and capturing audio of the performances as they went. Live Drugs represents a curated cross-section of those shows, arranged to replicate the flow of the live sets. The groups tendency to express volumes through relatively straightforward means translates well from the studio to the stage throughout Live Drugs, with meditative explorations like Lost in the Dream opener Under the Pressure stretching out past its already epic studio rendering with a protracted ambient guitar intro and the ten-minute-plus electric piano groover Thinking of a Place serving as a centerpiece to the live experience much as it did in A Deeper Understanding. Singer/guitarist/songwriter/bandleader Adam Granduciel taps into a meticulously selected combination of familiar reference points for his songs, and these influences rise to the surface a little more clearly in these less-polished concert documents. The distant, mysterious raspiness in his voice is a perfect midpoint between Tunnel of Love-era Springsteen and Infidels-era Dylan, and his guitar playing takes on more of the epic qualities of Pink Floyds 80s output when removed from the studio. The band even perform a faithful cover of Warren Zevons sad-hearted 1978 ballad Accidentally Like a Martyr, paying direct homage to the FM radio glory days they take multiple cues from. Live Drugs doesnt offer a radically transformed take on the War on Drugs sound, but songs that can sound somewhat subdued in their album versions vibrate with a new electricity. Pain leans more into the backbeat and energetic organ, giving the tune a more visceral bar band feel than the studio original. Neil Young-informed guitar solos pop up occasionally as well, rising above the grounded air of mystery the band often cultivate on album. Though the set list sticks mainly to selections from A Deeper Understanding and Lost in the Dream, theres a surprise throwback from the groups 2008 album Wagonwheel Blues with a steadily building rendition of Buenos Aires Beach. Comparing the rousing, full-bodied live take on the song with its shambling, nearly lo-fi studio counterpart drives home just how far the War on Drugs have progressed in between the two. Live Drugs isnt essential for casual listeners, but for fans (especially those who have been following as the bands sound grew more complex) its another testament to their unassuming but powerful songwriting. ~ Fred Thomas