It’s a tricky business putting your finger on exactly what kind of music Philadelphia-based band The War On Drugs make.
The musical lovechild of guitarist Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile, the group (which has since undergone some line-up changes since its formation) has been climbing from strength to strength since the release of its debut record, 2008’s critically acclaimed Wagonwheel Blues.
Their latest, last year’s Slave Ambient, built on the sound of their debut. Filled with a merging of two distinct sound realms, soothing yet heavy, using electronic synths to jamming guitars and droning bass; all the while, Granduciel’s laid-back nature permeating through each track.
Partly recorded in Granduciel’s home studio, with the current lineup of multinstrumentalists Dave Hartley and Robbie Bennett, and drummer Mike Zanghi, Slave Ambient projects a hybrid aura of country rock, electronic pop soundscapes, and mellow shoegaze – all twisting together in an array of untamed shapes and colours.
Made up of equal parts harder rock, folk, Americana, and soul the one thing that each of the facets of the band’s sound has in common is a classic methodology.
Its nostalgia sounding like something beamed directly from the 70s, yet slipping effortlessly into today’s contexts of cutting edge electro and garage. No easy feat.
Making and amalgamating differing genres of music has seen the band be compared to many iconic American acts, including Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Sonic Youth.
It doesn’t come as a surprise then, that when Tone Deaf spoke with frontman Adam Granduciel, he was still reeling from the seeing the performance of another American music legend: Bruce Springsteen.“When putting the band together it wasn’t like we want to be this or that. [We] just wanted to be in a band which is guitar heavy.”
“Me and my girlfriend went to go see him last night at the baseball stadium in Philly,” he gushes. “I’d never seen him before so it was really awesome.”
Speaking of an artist that clearly had an effect on both him and his band, Granduciel’s love of The Boss is clear as he explains Springsteen’s relevance and influence.
“[His songs,] they’re just like next level songs. They’re so tangible and diverse…” and his favourite album? “Probably The River. It’s just really raw and the songs just have a different caliber.”
Raw is definitely one way to describe the band’s latest record, Slave Ambient and Springsteen’s influence, and moreover that of Americana rock a la Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, is evident on the album and in the band’s catalogue.
While Granduciel is proud to have such patriotic influences, he’s quick to point out that this was never the band’s intention.
“When putting the band together it wasn’t like we want to be this or that. [We] just wanted to be in a band which is guitar heavy.”
But don’t get them wrong, they’re flattered by the comparisons and one in particular which seems to keep cropping up is Tom Petty. Although the band are extremely appreciative of these sentiments, not all of the likeness is conscious.
“I mean, it comes across pretty heavily that we are in someway indebted to Petty. I like him a lot but I don’t really listen to him and immediately want to go make music,” the frontman admits freely.
So which artists inspire Granduciel to pick up his guitar and start strumming some chords?
“Musically, we are influenced by both American bands and British bands and all sorts of other weird electronic music and reggae music.”
While the instrumental side of things seems pretty much as eclectic as can be, Granduciel has a clear favourite when it comes to the lyrical side of music-making: “Lyrically, I am influenced by Dylan a lot. “
Once he says it aloud the likeness seems obvious with Granduciel’s songwriting often rolling on and on in a free-verse style. Like Dylan, his writing methods are also anything but typical.
“I guess I improvise when it comes to my lyric writing. The last 2 to 3 years when writing the last album. I spent a lot of time in my car listening to stuff I was working on and dissecting all of it.”“…my family is really blown away that I’m going to Australia.”
“I really loved the way it happened last time,” the Philadelphia musician says of the recording process for Wagonwheel Blues, but emphasises “I want to spend a lot more time on the lyrics. I think the most important thing is… it just needs to feel right.”
Continuing his line of thinking, Granduciel adds, “if you don’t like a song it’s not because of how the kick drum sounds. People sometimes forget that. It’s the feeling of the song, the vibe. If you are singing a sad song and it doesn’t sound sad – that doesn’t really work.”
His left field process paid off, with the band receiving stellar reviews for Slave Ambient and gaining acclaim for their live shows.
Speaking of his impending visit to our shores for Harvest Music Festival – where The War On Drugs will be sharing the bill with Beck, Grizzly Bear, and Sigur Ros – Granduciel admits his excitement and pride, “…my family is really blown away that I’m going to Australia.”
He also divulges that he’s lucky enough to have a bona fide tour guide while down under.
“Our bass player Dave lived in Brisbane for a year and he’s got a few friends around but I’m sure there are a million things I could do. Take a trip out on a boat somewhere. Go to some islands or something like that. I’m really, very excited”
Slave Ambient is out now through Secretly Candian. The War On Drugs will be performing at Harvest Music Festival along as playing sideshows in select cities.
