Cold War Kids

Cold War Kids might not be able to write a perfect pop tune like Coldplay, but they're a far more ambitious proposition. Where Chris Martin and pals remove the progressive tendencies from Laughing Stock-era Talk Talk, C.W.K. embrace them, even adding elements of Rapture-inspired post punk and funky indie boogie a la the Black Keys. Loyalty to Loyalty, like any record grand in scope, isn't a total success, but it is the sound of a band reaching beyond its limits while really going for something.