It’s been ten years now since Cold War Kids released their debut album Robbers & Cowards on Downtown Records–an album that introduced their soulful indie-rock sound with vocals by Nathan Willett (who kind of sounds like a strungout version of Nate Ruess from the Format via Dog Problems on these tracks), and overall is a prime example of SoCal rock that’s of course scratched up, bent a little, and of course doused with energy. It’s on this album that you can hear their hit single “Hang Me Up to Dry.” But their whole album doesn’t stick right there. Songs like “Robbers” and “Pregnant” takes back the force just a bit, showing the band’s versatility and just how beautiful and interesting their slower songs can be (even if their targeted hotspot is to play songs that are more bluesy and seductive).

Cold War Kids released Loyalty to Loyalty next–an album that continues to show the band’s shake-up of sound, going from something dark and intriguing as heard on “Against Privacy” and “Every Man I Fall For,” and then going to the complete opposite side of the spectrum with songs that are funky and whimsical, as heard on “Something is Not Right With Me” and “Welcome to the Occupation.”

And they just haven’t stopped. The song “First” off their fifth album release is the band’s most popular single to date, and this year they will release their sixth studio album called L.A. Mystical.

*To go to this in-store performance you must pre-purchase the album at Rough Trade, for sale on April 7. Record signing to follow.

Rough Trade

4/10

7 p.m. (followed by signing)

Entry with Album Purchase

Info here