Album artwork for Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs
Album artwork for Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs

The War On Drugs conjure an ambling drone that conceals real pop-hooks and allows classic-rock colours to seep through. Main man Adam Granduciel gets plenty of Dylan comparisons, but Slave Ambient feels like a more back-alley Byrds filtered through a gauzier Spacemen 3 lens.

The chugging "Your Love Is Calling My Name" drives that road for six blissful minutes, but their best song, "Baby Missiles" - in a different version here than on 2010's Future Weather EP - overlays a synth aura, like '80s-era Springsteen, with a splash of Kurt Vile. It's vexing in exactly the right way.

The War On Drugs

Slave Ambient

Secretly Canadian
Album artwork for Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs
LP

$24.99

Released 08/16/2011Catalog Number

SC190lp

Learn more
Album artwork for Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs
LP +

$29.99

exclusive

Clear Purple Splatter

Rough Trade Exclusive
Limited to 700 copies
Released 09/15/2023Catalog Number

SC190LP-C2

Learn more
The War On Drugs

Slave Ambient

Secretly Canadian
Album artwork for Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs
LP

$24.99

Released 08/16/2011Catalog Number

SC190lp

Learn more
Album artwork for Slave Ambient by The War On Drugs
LP +

$29.99

exclusive

Clear Purple Splatter

Rough Trade Exclusive
Limited to 700 copies
Released 09/15/2023Catalog Number

SC190LP-C2

Learn more

The War On Drugs conjure an ambling drone that conceals real pop-hooks and allows classic-rock colours to seep through. Main man Adam Granduciel gets plenty of Dylan comparisons, but Slave Ambient feels like a more back-alley Byrds filtered through a gauzier Spacemen 3 lens.

The chugging "Your Love Is Calling My Name" drives that road for six blissful minutes, but their best song, "Baby Missiles" - in a different version here than on 2010's Future Weather EP - overlays a synth aura, like '80s-era Springsteen, with a splash of Kurt Vile. It's vexing in exactly the right way.