Review: War Poets - Hot & Cold: American Relationships

Minneapolis, MN-based War Poets are on a mission and they’re not taking any prisoners. Ever since the release of their expansive, two-disc revelation Dulce Et Decorum Est, the band has continued to churn out new music, wrapping their passion for social justice and equality together with an equal passion for great music. Further supporting that sense of mission is their new label home, Rock the Cause Records, whose efforts go toward creating community involvement through concerts, workshops and releases, a perfect fit for the mission minded band.

For the uninitiated, that band is composed primarily of lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter, Rex Haberman, and bassist/vocalist, Jenny Case, who also serves as musical director. Both artists have had their histories with other bands and recording opportunities but combined have proved to be a force to be reckoned with, their musical talents forming a cohesive unit, cemented with their shared sense of justice as well. The result thus far has been a growing collection of albums that echo with sentiments of protest and a need for change, framed over sounds reminiscent of bands and artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Fleetwood Mac, supported by some of the Midwest’s finest session players.

Hot & Cold: American Relationships is the second installment in the duo’s “American Trilogy,” following hot on the trail of American Police State which explored the ideas of gun violence, Native American rights, and the plague of income inequality. This record takes a slightly more personal view, looking into the ups and downs of modern relationships, exploring everything from finding the right person to the unique joys and difficulties shared with love and relationships, something that evolves far beyond an American label.

Tracks like the Case fronted “Bits and Pieces” provides that classic sense of longing, that “sense of mystery waiting for me,” that so many folks find themselves wanting, Haberman’s rich guitar chops cutting a friendly swath through the track, letting Case’s warm and soulful vocals take hold. Haberman carries the rest of the lead vocal load throughout the rest of the record, with “Know the Way” offering up a rambling rhythm and a lyric of promises and commitment, a touch of horn providing some added texture.

“Ones Who Love” is a better fit for Haberman all the way around, letting his vocals express their rich grittiness and his guitars to blast out with some solid crunchiness while “Perfect One” taps into some old school vibes, a strong percussion section laying the foundation for bright guitars and a hopeful lyric. Rich 80s rock gets a solid nod on “Say No More,” Haberman and Case trading vocal duties and harmonizing beautifully while singing of difficult relationship elements before giving way to the rousing questions of “Upside Down,” smooth B-3 fills and churning guitars hammering home the lyric.

On Hot & Cold: American Relationships, War Poets continue to march their multiple messages ahead. This time that message is more of a picture, shining the light on the multiple facets found within relationships, pointing to the hopes, the fears, the pain, and the joy found by all. In those themes, War Poets appeals to a large audience and their solid musicianship just makes the listening all that much easier.

Review: War Poets - American Police State EP

When we last encountered the Minneapolis, MN-based pop rock outfit, War Poets, they’d just released their two-disc opus, Dulce et Decorum Est. Boasting seventeen songs, that project saw the band staying true to their messages of social justice and equality and matching it with solid musicianship throughout. However, the sheer breadth of the record presented some problems, showcasing some chinks in the armor which resulted in a record that was certainly good, but not great.

With their latest release, the American Police State EP, War Poets seem to have really taken those early criticisms to heart and have really worked at filtering their vision into a much more accessible space, in this case five solid songs of pop-rock intensity. The powerful lyrics and messages are there, this time finding the band tackling issues like income inequality, Native American rights, and gun violence as is the strong musicianship, these arrangements continuing in line with their signature sound that’s earned them comparisons to Fleetwod Mac and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Things get off to a rocking start with “Better Place,” Rex Haberman taking lead vocals right off which he holds throughout the whole of the EP, as a thoughtful rhythm presses the song along while he sings, “I look to my left/I look to my right/I close my eyes and see a better place/Take me there, baby/To a better place/It doesn’t matter/I don’t know the way.” Rolls of rich electric guitar fills lend bonus emotion as do Jenny Case’s soulful backing vocals, leading into the staccato rock of “Closing In.” Haberman seems to chew off the lyrics, raging guitars roaring around him, even mimicking a siren of sorts as he tells a tale of forced insanity and of those forced to a place of self-medication in order to simply get through the day. The frenetic arrangement is rocking and serves the song’s lyric well.

“8:05 On a Saturday Night” is a surprising track, opening things up with a mid-tempo jam, fueled with a swelling horn section and a killer groove that eventually flows into a spoken word/hip hop flow that closes out the track, ending things on a note that carries the song to the next level. It also deals with the topic of gun violence, which Haberman and company are passionate about, sharing, “What is a gun really for? It’s for killing people. I realize I have strong opinions on gun violence, but we’re musicians, not politicians. We put our views out there by singing so people can think about this.”

The next track asks a poignant question, “Where Has Love Gone?,” bridging into multiple issues while a rocking arrangement carries things forth. It’s a solid message that is buoyed by a great guitar and saxophone solo, showing some strong musicianship that undergirds the lyric while “Red Lake” closes out the record with more simmering angst and rock although it’s the least successful of the bunch, the lyric a bit too wordy throughout, losing its overall punch.

With American Police State, War Poets continue to beat their drums of protest and outrage but do so in a way that is much more concentrated and controlled than with previous efforts. The result is a more consistent set of tracks that are much more accessible which serves both the listener and the message equally well and that leaves one wishing for just a bit more, which is a good thing.