Exclusive Album Stream: The War On Drugs – Slave Ambient

After what seems like a painfully long wait, especially here at TLOBF, The War On Drugs will finally drop new album Slave Ambient on 15 August via Secretly Canadian. It’s one of the most anticipated releases of the year, and we’re extremely proud to have an exclusive stream of the album for your listening pleasure.

If you’re not familiar with the work of the Philadelphia band, headed by Adam Granduciel, try to imagine a sonic autobahn being built straight through the middle of Springsteen’s Nebraska, and you’ll be heading in the right direction. There are the obvious blue-collar Americana references and also the rock and roll of the E Street Band and Tom Petty, but underneath the surface there’s a whole lot more going on. Granduciel experiments with ambient noise and synths, the motorik grooves of Neu! and the hazy drones of Spacemen 3, yet never forgetting the power of a killer melody and the joys of glorious guitar lines.

Whether it’s the hazy insouciance of ‘Best Night’ and ‘Brothers’, the driving, anthemic rock of ‘Your Love Is Calling My Name’, the Dylan-meets-The Byrds heartbreak of ‘Blackwater’ or the out-and-out pedal to the metal of ‘Baby Missiles’, Slave Ambient is never less than a thrilling and attention-grabbing listen.

With Slave Ambient, The War On Drugs may well have just produced their defining glory.

Order your copy of Slave Ambient via Rough Trade or alternatively through the Secretly Canadian online store.

The War On Drugs on tour:

August
18 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s
19 Brooklyn, NY – Cameo Gallery
20 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
21 Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
23 Montreal, QC – Casa del Popolo
24 Toronto, ON – The Drake Hotel
25 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
26 Chicago, IL – Schuba’s
27 Milwaukee, WI – Club Garibaldi
28 Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
30 St. Louis, MO – Billiken Club at St. Louis University
31 Lexington, KY – Cosmic Charlie’s

September
1 Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
2 Washington, DC – Red Palace
8 Lisbon, PT – Terraza Hotel Regency
9 San Sebastian, PT – Club Victoria Eugenia
11 Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso w/ Megafaun
12 Tilburg, NL – Incubate Festival
13 London – Cargo w/Alexander Tucker **VENUE CHANGE**
14 Leeds – Brudenell Social Club w/Alexander Tucker
15 Sheffield – DiS Presents @ The Harley w/Alexander Tucker
16 Brighton – Green Door Store
17 Brussels, BE – AB Club
19 Berlin, DE – NBI Club
20 Copenhagen, DK – Loppen
21 Stockholm, Se – Lilla Hotelbaren
22 Malmo, SE – Debaser
23 Hamburg, DE – Reeperbahn Festival
24 Cologne, DE – King Georg
25 Venlo, NL – Perron 55
26 Paris, FR – Point FMR

October
14 Pensacola, FL – DeLuna Festival