War Party – To Love Is To Fear (Album Review)

According to Cameron Smith, the singer of Texas’s War Party, their album “To Love Is To Fear” is about paranoia and compulsion amid your own head while rejecting outer influences. This concept accurately describes the current state of the country in recent times. Yet, with the band’s sound is uplifting and buoyance as a driving force, this collection of songs is the best distraction to have from this conjuring political mess that is about to explode or already has.

War Party’s sound is a thick mixture of garage, surf-pop, a little reverb and orchestral keys mixed with the attitude of post-punk. “Chinese Handcuffs” enters the album with a luminous and catchy bang of guitar riffs. It turns into a gummy garage rock that sticks into your shoes as you run up and down the halls in jubilation. “Stoned Not Stupid,” which can be an anthem for the aspiring youth, has a chanting effect that is difficult not to follow along after a couple of listens. “The Aurelian” has a grungy riff and song structure that is nostalgic and in tribute. Smith’s voice has a little raspy delivery to add the nineties texture as well. The bridge has an excellent drum rhythm and it’s a highlight.

“Jellyfish” moves into indie pop territory guided by a static and spacey synthesizer sound. The instrumental is passionate and personally resonated. This guarantee to shrug a couple of heartfelt nerves in your body. The song “To Be Young Again” and “Happiness is a Warm Dress” brings in a hint of brass into the clamorous instrumentation of the band’s assonant. This is heard throughout the album.

“Pieces Together” is a favorite of the album and it’s where the listener clearly hears the surf-rock influence. The guitar sounds blends with the thumping bass and the song is leaning toward a garage rock molding flavor. The organ leaves a psychedelic layer gentle simmering on the bottom. War Party has successfully blended a handful of genre of creating an intriguing intonation. One that stays crisp after multiple listens and a great album is exactly what we need during these times of cerebral entanglement. We may be going mad as we shout to our TV sets but at least we can enjoy some great music.

Best Tracks: Chinese Handcuffs, The Aurelian, Jellyfish, Pieces Together