Coming off a supporting slot in their tour with Tears For Fears, indie rock veterans Cold War Kids are back with “Run Away With Me,” the second single off their tenth full-length album out Nov. 3.
Nearly 20 years later, they’re taking it back to their name by self-titling the upcoming album, a fitting return to form for a band consisting of frontman Nathan Willet, bassist Matt Maust, guitarist David Quon, multi-instrumentalist Matthew Schwartz, and drummer Joe Plummer, with Willet and Maust being the two constants since the band’s inception. And as was the case with their first single, “Run Away With Me” reaffirms their withstanding place in today’s indie rock stratosphere.
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Jumping at your face with Willet’s shouts, the track relaxes and embraces a distinct funk infliction in the bass filtered through a pop-rock approach. It’s an odd mixture, but the band finds a good middle ground between the two styles without devolving into an all-out tug-of-war. The chorus is the main proof of how effective they manage to keep the funk and pop-rock combo going, where both styles combine amid Willet’s catchy melody sure to make someone like Alex Turner jealous they didn’t come up with it before.
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Interestingly, the song didn’t always sound like a tasteful blending of genres. “We started ‘Run Away With Me’ with Carlos de la Garza (Paramore, The Linda Lindas) as this Sly Stone type of funky soul song that evolved into a more soulful pop tune about two desperate, down-and-out lovers,” said Willet. Considering the title is similar to Sly Stone’s “Runnin’ Away” single, it’s unsurprising the classic soul-funk singer was the genesis of the single. Luckily, Cold War Kids do enough to make it their own.
Around the two-minute mark, everything quotes down and gives Willet the floor to build the song back up. First, it’s the percussion, then the drums. Next thing you know, all five come together and close it up just as quickly as they started. Brief? Sure, but the band offers just enough in a matter of minutes to prove they still have it in them.
Words: David Sosa
“Run Away With Me” by Cold War Kids is out on all streaming services. For more on live shows and their upcoming album, follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
