THE WAR ON DRUGS

Live Drugs Raw retro-rockers attain the addictive.

Drawn from multiple shows and sequenced to convey how an idealised The War On Drugs set would sound, this album captures both what is lauded and decried about the band. On the one hand they sometimes loosen up and rock out so much that the Dire Straits/Crazy Horse comparisons are undeniable, with a “Woo! Yeah!” from Adam Granduciel on Under

The Pressure, twitching like an over-excited Bryan Adams. On the other, the curious brittle magic that usually lifts them above such pitfalls is prevalent. If anyone’s made the time-honoured ‘Get ready here comes the escalating guitar solo’ moment thrilling again, it’s these guys. Only an ice-hearted puritan could resist cranking up the volume when they take off into their controlled airspace. They’re the E Street Band on Eyes To The Wind, while admirably restrained when covering Warren Zevon’s Accidentally Like A

Martyr. Bottom line is that live they sound life-affirming.