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Formation and Evolution of Cold War Kids

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Cold War Kids is an American indie rock band formed in 2004, known for their raw blues rock sound and narrative lyrics. With albums like 'Robbers & Cowards' and 'L.A. Divine', they've undergone stylistic shifts and lineup changes, achieving hits like 'First'. Their music incorporates themes of politics, philosophy, and personal growth, reflecting their adaptability and influence in the indie genre.

Formation and Origins of Cold War Kids

Cold War Kids, an American indie rock band, was formed in 2004 in Long Beach, California. The founding members included Nathan Willett (lead vocals, piano, guitar), Matt Maust (bass guitar), Jonnie Russell (guitar, vocals, piano, keyboards, percussion), and Matt Aveiro (drums, percussion). Over time, the lineup has evolved, with David Quon (guitar, backing vocals), Matthew Schwartz (keyboards, backing vocals, guitar, percussion), and Joe Plummer (drums, percussion) joining the band. The band's name, inspired by Maust's experiences in post-Communist Eastern Europe, particularly reflects the stark cultural landscape he observed, such as a Budapest park devoid of its former statues.
Four-piece musical group performs on an illuminated stage: singer, guitarist, bassist and drummer immersed in the performance.

Breakthrough with Debut Album

The band's early work was released through the independent label Monarchy Music, beginning with the 'Mulberry Street' EP in 2005. They followed this with two more EPs, 'With Our Wallets Full' and 'Up in Rags', both in 2006, which were later combined into the compilation 'Up in Rags/With Our Wallets Full'. Their first full-length album, 'Robbers & Cowards', was released later in 2006 under Downtown/V2 Records. The album, which sold nearly 200,000 copies, was praised for its raw blues rock sound and narrative lyrics, though it faced some criticism for perceived overuse of Christian imagery and uneven songwriting.

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00

The band known as ______ was established in the year ______ in ______, ______.

Cold War Kids

2004

Long Beach

California

01

Originally, the group consisted of members such as ______ and ______, with ______ later joining the ensemble.

Nathan Willett

Matt Maust

Joe Plummer

02

The imagery of a ______ park missing its statues is a reflection of the ______ that inspired the band's name.

Budapest

cultural landscape

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