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The War On Drugs, I Don’t Live Here Anymore: A Foreword
On The War On Drugs’ 2017 album A Deeper Understanding, Adam Granduciel sang about wanting to “find what can’t be found.” In a way, the history of this band has been a chronicle of their frontman’s ongoing search for greater meaning. Along the way, they’ve grown with each record. In the aftermath of A Deeper Understanding, they won a Grammy for Best Rock Album. The New Yorker called them “the best American ‘rock’ band of this decade.” Even The Rolling Stones recognized Granduciel’s talents, inviting him to remix their long lost collaboration with Jimmy Page, “Scarlet,” which was previously an unreleased gem from Goats Head Soup.
By any metric, The War On Drugs have made it. They are now firmly embedded in the classic rock lineage. And yet the quest for that ineffable something continues. In practical terms, Granduciel was facing a familiar quandary as work began on the new War On Drugs album, I Don’t Live Here Anymore, in early 2018: What next?
Looking ahead, he was staring down his 40th birthday. He was on the verge of starting a family. And then there was the extended brotherhood of The War On Drugs, who had just spent many months on the road gelling into an excellent live act, as documented on 2020’s Live Drugs. In the 2010s, they had put out three classic studio albums in a row. But now it was time for a new statement for a new decade.
When he reflects on the making of I Don’t Live Here Anymore, Granduciel is quick to talk about the contributions of his bandmates as well as his trusted co-producer and engineer, Shawn Everett. That doesn’t exactly square with how we normally talk about this band. Granduciel typically is portrayed as the loner studio genius diligently pursuing the creation of heartland rock masterpieces. Think back to the cover of their 2014 breakthrough Lost In The Dream, in which we see the band’s leader standing in profile, looking pensive but determined.
But the moments that stand out most from the creation of I Don’t Live Here Anymore aren’t the solitary ones. For Granduciel, the new songs brought him back to the very community he had forged with his band.
“It just reminded me of all the things I love about making music,” he says, “collaborating with my friends, and letting everybody shine.”
As Granduciel sings in “Harmonia’s Dream” — one of the most anthemic tracks from an album positively bursting with them — “sometimes forwards is the only way back.” For The War On Drugs, the path forward started with paring back to the core of Granduciel, bassist Dave Hartley, and multi-instrumentalist Anthony LaMarca. As winter turned to spring in March of 2018, the trio retreated to upstate New York to jam, demo new songs, and deepen their bond.
“Sometimes you have to just get away from the predetermined roles that each member plays in the live setting,” Granduciel explains. These sessions proved highly productive, turning out early versions of some of the catchiest and most immediate songs on I Don’t Live Here Anymore, including the jangly “Change” and the pop-banger-in-waiting “I Don’t Wanna Wait.”
It was the start of an odyssey that lasted about three years. I Don’t Live Here Anymore was made in New York City and Los Angeles from 2018 through the early part of 2021, and included stopovers at iconic studios like Electric Lady in Greenwich Village and Electro-Vox in Hollywood. (Granduciel, as always, is a loyal patron of some of rock’s greatest sonic workshops.)
One of the most memorable sessions occurred in May 2019 at Electro-Vox, in which the band’s entire line-up — rounded out by keyboardist Robbie Bennett, drummer Charlie Hall, and saxophonist Jon Natchez — convened to record the affecting lead-off track and first single from I Don’t Live Here Anymore, “Living Proof.” Typically, Granduciel assembles War On Drugs records from reams of overdubs, like a kind of rock ‘n’ roll jigsaw puzzle. But for “Living Proof,” the track came together in real time, as the musicians drew on their chemistry as a live unit to summon some extemporaneous magic. The immediacy of the performance was appropriate for one of Granduciel’s most personal songs to date.
The songs on I Don’t Live Here Anymore were not written specifically about the pandemic. But at a time when we’re all starting to finally reunite with friends and family members, this record feels extra resonant. Who doesn’t feel right now like they’re entering a new phase of life? Who isn’t looking toward the horizon with a mix of fear and excitement?
The joy of this album is that The War On Drugs aren’t just exploring these themes lyrically. The sound of I Don’t Live Here Anymore also captures the exhilarating uncertainty of dusting yourself off and taking your first steps into a larger world. Musically, this is the most rousing and upbeat War On Drugs album yet. The kind of music you want to play with your friends, arm and arm, as you steel yourselves against whatever’s coming. It’s medicine.
Of course, there are also the sort of introspective ballads the band is known for, like the folkie “Rings Around My Fathers Eyes” and the gorgeous “Occasional Rain,” which Granduciel considers his personal favorite. But the bulk of I Don’t Live Here Anymore unfolds like a collection of future greatest hits. “Victim” is an electro-pop killer that could put The War On Drugs in dance clubs. “Wasted” slams like a lost Born In The U.S.A. outtake. The title track, which is littered with Dylan references, sounds like it was designed in a lab to shake the rafters in an arena.
As always, Granduciel is a master of crafting singular moments that take your breath away. The guitar solo in “I Don’t Wanna Wait.” The mammoth synth hook in “Harmonia’s Dream.” The stunning piano coda from “Change.” The sultry backing vocals from special guest stars Lucius in “I Don’t Live Here Anymore.”
And then there’s “Old Skin.” I don’t want to spoil it for first time listeners, so I’ll just say this: Wait for when the drums come in. It’s the best and most uplifting moment on the record.
Or maybe it’s the final verse of “Old Skin” that deserves such a distinction. It’s where Granduciel seems to find that special something:
Well there’s a price for everything
That tries to pull us all apart
So take control of anything
That tries to kill you from the start
But I ain’t sure of nothin’ babe
Till I can feel it in my heart
“I keep coming back to it as a record of movement,” Granduciel concludes, “of pushing forward, of trying to realize that version of our most fulfilled life, in spite of forces at every turn pushing down and trying to break you.”
Sometimes you hear a record that makes you feel — if only for an hour or so — that nothing can break you. I Don’t Live Here Anymore is that kind of record.
— Steven Hyden, June 2021
The music was good but every time he did any solo, he turned away from the crowd. It became a little repetitive and he didn't speak to the crowd. He just said thank you once in a while. I saw the foo fighters 4 days earlier and that was amazing. I'm happy I saw this band but won't go see them again unless I see that they become a more engaging band. Listening on spotify or watching youtube videos is better than live.
This was fun. A friend has extra tix. I got there early and when he showed we ended up about 10 rows back. I felt like I could cheers the whole band from where we sat. Things kicked a off and right away I noticed two things. The sound was really really good (I’ma former event producer and professional drummer) and the lights were pretty cool. Then things got interesting. The songs picked up, the vibe deepened and the lights got intense. The next thing I know I started cheering for the lights and the band. Yeah they both were THAT good. But it didn’t stop there and the lights got even better as did the music. By the end everyone was out of their mind with the lights and the band and the whole thing together was just nuts. The best show I’ve seen in 5 years was Tame Impala at the Hollywood bowl and this matched it. I’d never seen or even listened to these guys before. They made a new fan this night.
They oversold tickets, there was no room anywhere, and we could not even glimpse the band. We spent the first two songs in the adjoining bar watching the band on an antique big screen TV and then left. I don’t know why good bands like War on Drugs would even play here with so many decent venues in the area. The Revolution is a firetrap waiting for a disaster.
The show was amazing, sound was good and the band was incredible. Great venue, we came from out of town and it was our first time at the Van Buren. We would love to come back to this venue. This was the second time we saw the War on Drugs this tour, the other time was in LA, both were some of the best live music we have seen all year.
Loved it! They opened with my favorite song and rocked out all night long. Really great light and effects as well, especially the rainbow number at the end.
Love the venue. The band felt free to let loose. They jammed. It was definitely one of my top two favorite shows. And I can’t even remember what my number one is. They were better here in Tucson then in Chicago.
They played for a solid two hours and gave an encore. I just got to know this band back in 2017 and I have enjoyed their music so much. It speaks to my joy and my pain, having love and losing it. It's like they know just the right words and music to speak to those deeply intimate emotions. I hope to get to see them again in the future.
Love the group, but the sound was so distorted, too loud, couldn't enjoy the songs; lighting was a disappointment and dark; never any lighting on the singer.
I finally had the privileged to see The War On Drugs live -- and I am so thankful I did. This was my first concert since June 2021 and they helped remind me why live music is so important for the soul. It was a Monday night show, but they brought energy like it was a Saturday night. Each song was perfection and an experience I will remember always. I've been a fan since discovering them about 7 years ago, and this concert was worth the wait. Anyone who has the opportunity to see them should absolutely go. I can't wait to see them again. This was also my first show at The Van Buren and was pleased with the layout, the staff and the view. I'll be going to future shows for sure.
Awesome show. They killed it. First time seeing WOD live. Will not be the last!
The first time I heard War On Drugs when my son played their newly released album "Lost in the Dream" for me, I fell in love with their music. I have been a fan ever since. I thought at that time if they ever came in concert near me i would love to see them. I knew with their unique yet ominously familiar sound coupled with the instrumentals during some of their introductions, transitions and finales would make a live performance exactly the experience i had been so familiar with growing up listening to bands from the decades of my youth when instrumental sections where more the standard rather then the exception in a performance. Dave Matthews provides a similar experience in concert.
This is the 5th time I’ve seen them, going back to 2014 at the Crescent Ballroom. They are just an amazing live band. On this tour they did a good job mixing up the songs from Lost in the Dream forward, and one nod to Slave Ambient with “Baby Missiles”. Their encore added “In Chains”, which seems to have replaced “In Reverse” as a closing song, which tbh I have mixed feelings about, since 5:10-6:20 of “In Reverse” represents their finest work imho. Spectacular musicians, at the top of their game. Couldn’t be happier to have gone.
They sounded so good!! Really great performance! What an amazing singer and guitarist!! Great band performance all around! I will definitely go and see them again next time they come to town! My only problem was that I didn’t bring ear plugs and was a little too close to the speakers! But that’s not on the band!
I love the band so much but was upset with their concert. My biggest thing was that there was little to no fan interaction by the band themselves.
Band was Amazing. All band members synced together Sound Quality was perfect. Loved as the night continued the band got better better
Adam Granduciel is a guitar god. Not in the grand, loud, showman style of say, Angus Young, or the blistering ferocity of Stevie Ray Vaughn, but he's a virtuoso nonetheless. A producer of unparalleled psychedelic, smooth, spirited, super sonics. For two solid hours on a gorgeous October evening in The Nation's Oldest City, in a venue (The Amp) that deserves the War On Drugs' immense sound to be spread lushly and lovingly - and precisely, Granduciel's guitar(s) poured forth mesmerizing chords which echoed throughout the building, and all was absorbed by a joyous crowd. Me among them. Damn good stuff. Thanks, W.O. D.!!
Amphitheater in St. Aug is a great venue. Seating was great, open air, all sight lines perfect. War on Drugs is the best live band to go see. The first group (Advertisement) was decent and the War on Drugs came on at around 8pm. Every one of the seven band members were very talented and got a chance to shine. They group played sixteen songs and most of the audience was standing, singing and dancing after about the sixth song. The crowd was evenly distributed between folks over thirty and those younger. Sound system and light show was excellent. Adam, (the band’s leader) is a very talented guitarist and great lead singer. Our only slight disappointment was that the group did not play an encore or our favorite song (Eyes to the Wind). Perhaps they needed to catch a plane to Austin that night. Hope to see them again soon.
The show was outstanding as well as the venue. The music was very clear and high quality and the band put on a great show. Everyone who works at the Amphitheatre is so helpful and friendly too.
Wonderful venue, great sound, awesome band! Perfect concert experience
Will definitely be back sound and entertainment was fantastic!
