2017's Grammy Award-winning A Deeper Understanding served as The War On Drugs' highly anticipated follow-up to 2014's universally acclaimed Lost In The Dream and their Atlantic Records debut. For much of the three and a half year period following the release of Lost In The Dream, frontman Adam Granduciel led the charge for his Philadelphia-based sextet as he holed up in studios in New York and Los Angeles to write, record, edit, and tinker - but, above all, to busy himself in work. Teaming up with engineer Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, Weezer), Granduciel challenged the notion of what it means to create a fully realized piece of music in today's modern landscape.
Calling on his bandmates - bassist Dave Hartley, keyboardist Robbie Bennett, drummer Charlie Hall and multi-instrumentalists Anthony LaMarca and Jon Natchez - continuously throughout the process, the result is a "band record" in the noblest sense, featuring collaboration, coordination, and confidence at every turn. Through those years of relocation, the revisiting and reexamining of endless hours of recordings, unbridled exploration and exuberance, Granduciel's gritty love of his craft succeeded in pushing the band to great heights.
Pitchfork proclaimed that, "Granduciel's influence has become omnipresent in the indie world" and NPR hailed A Deeper Understanding's crystalline lead singles "Thinking Of A Place" ("epic, mood-shifting guitar jam") and "Holding On" ("a pulsing jam that sounds deeply inspired by '80s-era Bruce Springsteen").
Deluxe Edition colored vinyl 2LP reissue released as part of Atlantic Records' 75th Anniversary vinyl collection.
LP1Up All Night
Pain
Holding On
Strangest Thing
Knocked Down
Nothing To Find
Thinking Of A Place
In Chains
Clean Living
You Don't Have To Go