Photos of Cold War Kids at iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL
QRO’s review of Cold War Kids livestream on October 10th, 2020
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2018 Float Fest in San Marcos, TX
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2018 Firefly Festival in Dover, DE
Photos of Cold War Kids at SXSW 2018 in Austin, TX
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2017 Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, LA
Photos of Cold War Kids at Central Park SummerStage in New York, NY on September 13th, 2017
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2016 Hinterland Festival in Des Moines, IA
Photos of Cold War Kids at Terminal 5 in New York, NY on March 20th, 2015
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2015 Radio 104.5 Winter Jam in Philadelphia, PA
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2014 Fashion Meets Music Festival in Columbus, OH
QRO’s review of Cold War Kids at The Vogue in Indianapolis, IN on September 29th, 2013
When a long-running act decides to do the ‘multiple linked EP releases’ thing, it can throw up some warning signs, as, like a double-album, it indicates that they just didn’t know how to separate the wheat from the chaff, giving you filler plus killer (it also brings to mind the dreaded ‘concept album’ concept). But the COVID pandemic hiatus from real life ended up been the best time to do it, and Cold War Kids did it pretty well with their first two-of-three EPs, bringing their indie-soul with 2019’s New Age Norms 1 (QRO review) and going more disco-dark for last year’s New Age Norms 2 (QRO review). New Age Norms 3 does feel like they’ve reached the end of this thread, but is still enjoyable.
Photos of Cold War Kids at 2012 Catalpa Festival in New York, NY
Photos of Cold War Kids at Highline Ballroom in New York, NY on May 5th, 2011
Photos of Cold War Kids at Koko in London, U.K. on February 23rd, 2011
Photos of Cold War Kids at Terminal 5 on April 3rd, 2009
QRO’s live review of Cold War Kids at Prospect Park Bandshell in Brooklyn, NY on June 27th, 2008
One aspect of the first two Ages that worked was keeping them at eight tracks and about thirty minutes each, which let each do what they did without becoming repetitive. Unfortunately, 3 doesn’t have quite that strength to keep it up, as the uplift that goes through it does wear thin a bit. It’s great that singer Nathan Willett is so happy about his love & marriage on “Nowhere To Be”, but it’s a bit much that late on the record (even if it’s just an EP). And the band’s big soul on closer “Wasted All Night” is marred by then adding a second half meander to make it a seven-and-a-half minute piece.
Still, there are good times to be had on New Age Norms 3, like the opener “I Can’t Walk Away” or the funkier following “What You Say”. So, be happy that they’re happy, and hopefully they can bring all their New Age Norms on tour soon.
