Lost in the Dream | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 18, 2014 | |||
Recorded | August 2012–November 2013 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 60:31 | |||
Label | Secretly Canadian | |||
Producer | Adam Granduciel | |||
The War on Drugs chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Lost in the Dream | ||||
|
Lost in 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]
"Under the Pressure" is based on Adam Granduciel and how he split with his girlfriend and was feeling alone and depressed after being back in the city. [17]
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]
As of August 2017 the album has sold more than 255,000 copies (including streaming equivalents), according to Nielsen; some 114,000 of those sales were physical. [22]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 8.4/10 [23] |
Metacritic | 86/100 [24] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
The A.V. Club | A− [25] |
The Guardian | [26] |
The Independent | [27] |
The Irish Times | [28] |
NME | 9/10 [2] |
Pitchfork | 8.8/10 [10] |
Q | [29] |
Rolling Stone | [30] |
Spin | 9/10 [15] |
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]
Based on 139 year-end top ten lists compiled by Metacritic, Lost in the Dream was the most critically acclaimed album of 2014, appearing on 54 lists and being named first on 13 of them. [33] Paste named Lost in the Dream as their album of the year, writing "from all the muck and malaise that midlife produces, something beautiful and permanent has been revealed—an enduring contribution to the canon." [34] Consequence named it their album of the year, writing "In tune with Granduciel’s way of evoking synchronicity, there’s a cosmic truth to Lost in the Dream triumphing this year. For one, Granduciel is personally seizing the crown off the head of his musical soulmate, Kurt Vile ... and, for Secretly Canadian ... it’s a poignant landmark following the year it lost its godfather, Jason Molina." [35] Other publications that named Lost in the Dream as album of the year included Uncut , [36] Q [33] and Under the Radar . [37] The album was ranked #2 on Mojo's, [38] American Songwriter 's, [39] musicOMH 's, [40] Stereogum 's [41] and The Guardian 's best albums of the year list for 2014. [42] The album was ranked the 103rd greatest indie rock album of all time by Melophobe in 2023. [43]
All tracks are written by Adam Granduciel, except "Disappearing" by Granduciel and Michael Johnson
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Under the Pressure" | 8:52 |
2. | "Red Eyes" | 4:58 |
3. | "Suffering" | 6:02 |
4. | "An Ocean in Between the Waves" | 7:10 |
5. | "Disappearing" | 6:50 |
6. | "Eyes to the Wind" | 5:55 |
7. | "The Haunting Idle" | 3:08 |
8. | "Burning" | 5:46 |
9. | "Lost in the Dream" | 4:10 |
10. | "In Reverse" | 7:40 |
Total length: | 60:31 |
The following people contributed to Lost in the Dream: [44]
Per the album liner notes: [45]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [64] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
The Cure is the twelfth studio album by English rock band of the same name, released on 25 June 2004 by Geffen Records. The album was entirely co-produced by American producer Ross Robinson and frontman Robert Smith and spawned the single "The End of the World".
Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is the seventh studio album by American band Bright Eyes, released on January 25, 2005 by Saddle Creek Records, the same day as their sixth album I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning. It peaked at number 15 in the US and 43 in the UK. In US it has sold 268,000 units. In 2007 it was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe. In contrast to the acoustic nature of I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning, Digital Ash in a Digital Urn is more electronic.
Recovering the Satellites is the second studio album by American rock band Counting Crows, released on October 15, 1996, in the United States. Released three years after their debut album, it reached No. 1 in the United States and was a top seller in Australia, Canada, and the UK as well. The album featured founding Counting Crows members Adam Duritz, David Bryson (guitar), Charlie Gillingham (keyboards), Matt Malley (bass), as well as new additions Ben Mize (drums) and Dan Vickrey (guitars). Multi-instrumentalist David Immerglück played on the album as a session musician as well. Counting Crows brought in producer Gil Norton for Recovering the Satellites. Three singles were released from the album, with "A Long December" being the best charting, reaching number 6 on the US Radio Songs chart and number 1 in Canada. The album itself peaked on the top spot of the Billboard Hot 200 album chart and has been certified double-platinum in both the US and Canada.
Make Believe is the fifth studio album by American rock band Weezer. It was released on May 10, 2005, by Geffen Records. The album was considered to be a return to some of the emotionally vulnerable lyrics of Weezer's previous releases, and due to the strength of the hit single "Beverly Hills", the album was a commercial success, peaking at number two on the US Billboard 200 and number eleven on the UK Albums Chart. In addition, "Beverly Hills" also earned Weezer their first Grammy nomination for Best Rock Song. Despite this, Make Believe received mixed reviews from critics and fans, although it has remained a consistent seller. The recording process of Make Believe began prior to the release of their previous album, Maladroit; however, it was prolonged compared to the recording of most of Weezer's previous albums, and lasted for almost three years. Rivers Cuomo's songwriting on Make Believe was described as "[a] return to musical, emotional bloodletting", although the lyrics were noticeably simpler than before.
Corinne Bailey Rae is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae, released on 24 February 2006 by EMI. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and has been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Four singles were released from the album: "Like a Star", "Put Your Records On", "Trouble Sleeping" and "I'd Like To". Corinne Bailey Rae has sold over four million copies worldwide.
The War on Drugs is an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 2005. The band consists of Adam Granduciel, David Hartley, Robbie Bennett (keyboards), Charlie Hall (drums), Jon Natchez, Anthony LaMarca (guitar) and Eliza Hardy Jones.
Kurt Samuel Vile is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is known for his solo work, music released under the name "Kurt Vile and The Violators," and as the former lead guitarist of rock band the War on Drugs. Both in the studio and during live performances, Vile is accompanied by his backing band, the Violators, which currently includes Jesse Trbovich, Kyle Spence (drums) and Adam Langellotti.
The Fall is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Norah Jones, released on November 11, 2009, by Blue Note Records. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 180,000 copies in its first week. As of August 2012, the album had sold over three million copies worldwide.
Slave Ambient is the second studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs, released on August 16, 2011, on Secretly Canadian. Recorded over three years, Slave Ambient is the final release to feature contributions from founding guitarist Kurt Vile and drummer Mike Zanghi, and the only album to feature drummer Steven Urgo.
Wagonwheel Blues is the debut album by American indie rock band the War on Drugs, released on June 19, 2008, on Secretly Canadian. Primarily a collaboration between founding members Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile, it is the only studio album to feature contributions from drummer Kyle Lloyd.
Adam Granofsky, better known under his stage name Adam Granduciel, is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer. He is the frontman and primary songwriter of the indie rock band the War on Drugs, with whom he has recorded five studio albums, and a former member of Kurt Vile's backing band the Violators.
Dream Your Life Away is the debut studio album by Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy. It was released in Australia on 5 September 2014 via Liberation Music. The album was released on 9 September 2014 in the US via Atlantic Records and worldwide via Warner Music. The album has peaked to number 1 on the Australian Albums Chart. A "Deluxe Edition" was released on 4 September 2015, consisting of two new tracks and five live tracks.
I Forget Where We Were is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Ben Howard, released on 20 October 2014 by Island Records. It was produced by Howard's drummer Chris Bond at Start Point Farm Studios in Devon, and recorded almost completely live.
Hand. Cannot. Erase. is the fourth solo studio album by English musician Steven Wilson. The album was released on 27 February 2015 through Kscope. Critics praised the album as a masterwork, and it entered the UK Rock Albums chart at number 1 in March 2015.
Distance Inbetween is the eighth studio album by the English indie rock band The Coral. It's their first album after a five-year hiatus, their first without guitarist Lee Southall and also the first with Southall's replacement, Paul Molloy. The album was released on 4 March 2016. The first single, "Chasing the Tail of a Dream", was released on 26 December 2015.
A Deeper Understanding is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs. It was released on August 25, 2017 through Atlantic Records. The album was mixed by engineer Shawn Everett. The album won Best Rock Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
Lux Prima is a collaborative studio album by American singer-songwriter Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Danger Mouse. It was released in March 2019 under BMG Records.
Imploding the Mirage is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Killers, released on August 21, 2020, by Island Records in the United States and internationally by EMI. To date, it is the band's only album without lead guitarist Dave Keuning, who took an indefinite hiatus from the band in 2017. Guitar parts are covered by Killers bassist Mark Stoermer, producer Jonathan Rado, and a variety of guest musicians, including Lindsey Buckingham and Adam Granduciel.
I Don't Live Here Anymore is the fifth studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs. It was released on October 29, 2021, through Atlantic Records. The album received widespread acclaim, with one of its songs, "Harmonia's Dream," receiving a nomination for Best Rock Song at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.
Crawler is the fourth album by British rock band Idles, released on 12 November 2021.