The creative vehicle for frontman Adam Granduciel, The War On Drugs isn’t the easiest band to categorize, but I often, and perhaps insufficiently, describe them as psych-Americana. Echoes of classic rock stalwarts abound: Bruce Springsteen (the anthemic “Come to The City”), Tom Petty (“Your Love Is Calling My Name”), Fleetwood Mac (“I Was There”), Bob Dylan, Neil Young, among others. Combine those influences with Grundiel’s celestial vocals and a kaleidoscopic array of textures ranging from 80′s-era synths to hazy waves of psychedelia and you’re somewhere in the band’s wheelhouse. It’s the melding of seemingly disparate elements that makes Slave Ambient so immediate. Out-there weirdness coexists seamlessly with Grundiel’s keen sense of melody. Folk songs manifest into atmospheric head-trips while shuffling drums and infectious bass-lines blend with ethereal soundscapes. Not to mention, the guitar tones sound fucking amazing. If there’s a complaint with Slave Ambient, it’s the inclusion of tracks “Brother” and “Baby Missiles,” a decision that seems a bit redundant considering they already appear on last year’s excellent Future Weather EP. Minor gripes aside, Slave Ambient is The War On Drugs at its broadest scope. It’s a visionary marriage of classic and modern and it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard all year.

Set for an August 16th release on Secretly Canadian, Slave Ambient is available for vinyl and CD pre-order here. Good news for those fans frothing at the mouth for a listen: all orders include an instant digital download code. — Capt. Obvious

Listen:

Come To The City.mp3

Baby Missiles.mp3