The War On Drugs Lost In The Dream Songs

[Annegret Haldiman]

Lostin the Dream is the third studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs, released on March 18, 2014 through Secretly Canadian. The recording session, which took place over a two-year period, was characterized by numerous rewrites. The album's lyrical themes were influenced by the loneliness and depression Granduciel faced after he finished touring. Musically, the record was inspired by 1980s rock, as well as Americana, with influences coming from Bruce Springsteen, Spacemen 3 and Neil Young & Crazy Horse.

The album debuted at number 26 on the Billboard 200 and received universal acclaim from critics upon its release, appearing on and topping numerous end-of-year lists of the best albums. Five promotional radio singles were released: "Red Eyes", "Under the Pressure", "Burning", "Eyes to the Wind", and "An Ocean in Between the Waves".

After The War on Drugs' second album Slave Ambient was released to much critical acclaim, primary songwriter Adam Granduciel spent much of 2011 touring. After the tour was finished, Granduciel had a hard time adjusting to everyday life, later recounting that such feelings "started to spiral into emotional distress and physical manifestations of depression and paranoia."[5] This depression and paranoia served as an inspiration to the lyrical theme of Lost in the Dream.[5][6]

Recording on the album began in the summer of 2012 and took place over a two-year period in Philadelphia, New York City, North Carolina, and New Jersey.[7] Granduciel wrote all the songs on the album.[8] The album's recording was characterized by Granduciel's anxiety and second-guessing, with Granduciel remarking "I started going off the rails a little bit in my own head, getting a little too sucked in."[9]

Songs on the album went through several versions. Granduciel scrapped the original demo for "An Ocean in Between the Waves" two weeks before the album was supposed to be turned in to the record company after spending a year writing the song, saying that "it wasn't the vibe of the song that I was searching for."[8][9] "Suffering" went through several variations before Granduciel decided to go back to the original demo.[9]

The music on Lost in the Dream is inspired by 1980s rock, as well as Americana and Krautrock.[10][11][12] Artists who have been cited as influences on the album's overall sound include Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, The Waterboys and Spacemen 3.[10][13][14] The album's sound is characterized by synthesizers, keyboards, horns and "ambient guitars".[13][15] Whereas the previous albums by The War on Drugs contained several instrumental tracks, Lost in the Dream only has one instrumental track, "The Haunting Idle".[16]

Critics have compared the song "Burning" to Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" and Rod Stewart's "Young Turks".[10][13][16] Fleetwood Mac's influence was noted on "An Ocean in Between the Waves",[2][13] while Pitchfork compared "Disappearing" to Tears for Fears' "Pale Shelter".[10]

The album cover features an image of Adam Granduciel standing in front of a window in his home. Granduciel commented on how the album's artwork was a reflection of his involvement in the recording process, saying "This wasn't a band record. This was a solo record. I knew that. They've all [The War on Drugs' albums] been solo records."[8]

The album was announced on December 4, 2013. That same day, the first single from the album, "Red Eyes" was released.[7] The band debuted the tracks "Under the Pressure", "Eyes to the Wind", and "Burning" during the band's December 2013 tour of Australia.[8][18] On March 5, 2014, a music video for "Red Eyes" was released.[19] The album was streamed in its entirety on March 10, 2014 on The Guardian's website.[20] On August 20, 2014, a music video for "Under the Pressure" was released.[21]

Lost in the Dream received acclaim from contemporary music critics. On Metacritic, it holds a score of 86 out of 100 based on 40 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[24] Pitchfork's Stuart Berman gave Lost in the Dream a "Best New Music" designation and remarked that the album is "loaded with songs whose greatness is revealed slowly, where the simplest, most understated chord change can blow a track wide open and elevate it from simply pretty to absolutely devastating."[10] AllMusic's Fred Thomas called Lost in the Dream "the War on Drugs' Daydream Nation or Disintegration" and wrote of the album: "It's a near flawless collection of dreamy vibes, shifting moods, and movement, and stands easily as Granduciel's finest hour so far."[13] Dan Caffrey of Consequence of Sound felt that over repeated plays of the album, one gradually realizes "that Granduciel is discovering the problems of his life, not figuring them out or even reflecting on them. This all makes for an album that truly sounds like it's coming to life."[16] Ross Horton of musicOMH called Lost in the Dream "a tender, inviting, consoling, comforting record that you'll play again and again (stoned or not)" and "perfect in every way".[14]

While stating that Lost in the Dream fails to consistently live up to its peak moments, Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune nonetheless concluded that Granduciel "is on to something with this more band-focused release, and that new dynamic deserves an even deeper exploration next time."[31] In a mixed assessment, Mike Powell of Rolling Stone felt that "seven-minutes-plus songs like 'In Reverse' and 'An Ocean in Between the Waves' have enough locomotion to go twice as long, while slower tracks like 'Suffering' are deadwood in search of a spark."[30] In an otherwise positive review, Mike Walmsley of The 405 criticized the second half of the album, writing "Unfortunately, as they pass the Midwest on their road trip, the Mustang appears to have run out of gas."[32] In 2019, Happy Mag placed Lost In The Dream at no.7 on their list of "The 25 best psychedelic rock albums of the 2010s", stating that it is "a shining example of starting a record with guns blazing."[3]

Lord, this was hard. 10 turned into 15 turned into 20 (and I could still swap in/out, add and stitch depending on what day you ask me.) But that's music for you - though we all have our favourites, it's not uncommon for our ears' (and our hearts)' disposition to wax and wane in response to even the slightest of newfound sonic detail. Do you ever hear a song the same way twice? The War On Drugs' sprawling canon has me asking myself this a heck of a lot.

Founded in Philadelphia in 2005 by friends Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile, The War On Drugs were born from a shared obsession with guitars and fervent love for Bob Dylan. Five albums in, frontman Granduciel serves as the sole constant member and primary songwriter, penning introspective, wistful lyrics against expansive layered guitars commanding more pedals than the Tour de France.

I'm fairly convinced the dictionary needs a new entry specifically defining THAT feeling I'll affectionately refer to here as a 'TWOD-rush'. You know the one, when Adam et al play as if they're ascending beyond the world's edge, simultaneously injecting their audience with a potent endorphin mix and a very capable dose of damp eye.

And so to the list, a selection of tracks (in no particular order) spanning the band's entire catalogue that for the most part pass the test of turning me into a seriously dewy (though hopelessly joyful) mess.

Outside of naming his baby son Bruce, Burning has to be Adam Granduciel's biggest homage to The Boss. At once familiar but at the same time totally new, 56 seconds in the song sets sail and carries you up and up until, approaching the 5-minute mark, you reach those euphoric "woo-hoos" that cause the chills running up your spine to erupt out your shoulder blades and part the clouds of heaven. A-friggin'-men.

The closer to Slave Ambient as well as the band's early era before Lost In The Dream released to universal acclaim and a major record deal. It's truly one of the gemstones in The War On Drugs' ramblin' crown, a beautiful folk song accompanied by a glittering instrumental pulse.

Despite their appeal and success, The War On Drugs don't have a whole lot of songs you can actually sing along to, but with album five's title track we find a glittering, cruising, 80s soft-rock stadium anthem that is crying out for congregation.

I best prefix this one by saying I consider A Deeper Understanding to be The War On Drugs' masterpiece and it was fairly bloody hard not to include the majority of its track list in this compilation. Pain is easily one of my most-played tracks (of any band) and has me weeping at live sets largely because of it's immense guitar rips, especially the one that kicks in at 3:44 and rides a massive crescendo into blissful transcendence. Cannot. Get. Enough.

Slave Ambient

Future Weather's Brothers evolves into an even better version on Slave Ambient that chugs alongs gloriously, gleaming and channelling an unrestrained sense of self. Pop it in your walkman and stroll contented.

Fun fact: The National (ft. brother pairs Dessner and Devendorf) used it as their 'walk on' music during their High Violet tour

Granduciel didn't include this on the original album as he didn't feel he could house it among the other songs. Having debuted the song live as early as 2020, it was still a core part of the IDLHA sessions and so, along with Slow Ghost, it was released on 7" as part of the Deluxe Edition box set in late 2022. Straight out the gates this is a massive foot stomper and heart thumper, garnished with gloriously gratifying shimmering guitars. Just when we didn't think I Don't Live Here Anymore could get any better.

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