[title size=”1 to 6″ style=”options: default, sidebar”]Grade: D[/title]

Cold War Kids’ new EP, Tuxedos starts with the strongest of the six songs which is, of course, “Tuxedos.” The track is similar to their previous work (Cold War Kids’ previous album was released just six months ago.): Nathan Willett’s wailing voice helps construct the sort of edgy, strung-out, modern soul-rock sound they seem to be going for. This song achieves that aim but the rest of the songs do not satisfy near as much.

I am biased because I do not like Willett’s voice and frankly don’t care for Cold War Kids’ music. Willett’s voice is unique, sure, but that doesn’t mean it is good. It certainly does not deserve to be such an aural spotlight of every single Cold War Kids song as it prominently is in Tuxedos. Think about it this way: A band’s music should still be good music if you take out the glorified lead singer’s vocals. Do that with Cold War Kids, at least in the case of Tuxedos, and you are literally left with some very simple solo electric guitar riffs and some piano. The EP certainly is raw, but not in a good way. There is not even drums or percussion in this music! Again, take this as you may, because I am likely not to like music without good vocals and drums–or at least a beat of some sort.

Basically what I’m saying is that Cold War Kids would have been better off releasing “Tuxedos” as a single instead of an extended play with the other tracks as it is the only really good track from the six. Overall, Tuxedos is relatively simple and boring. It doesn’t reach out in very many creative directions. Tuxedos likely won’t hurt the success Cold War Kids is experiencing but it won’t help them, either.  But I’ve gotta give the guys props for staying on the map by producing a full album and an EP all within the same year and staying relatively true to their sound all the while.