American indie rock band Cold War Kids took to the small stage Wednesday night at the legendary Apogee Studios in Santa Monica in front of an intimate crowd of less than 200 for a recording session for KCRW radio show, Morning Becomes Eclectic.  

The show is in support of their upcoming album "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts," which comes out April 2. The band, perhaps best known for their 2007 single “Hang Me Up To Dry,” sang mostly new tracks, with a few oldies speckling the mix.

The band began the set with a new song, which they didn’t name, that had a catchy hook and all the punch and energy that characterizes their music, with a touch of electronic pop. They followed with “Miracle Mile,” the only track on their new record that has been released to radio stations, and three more new songs entitled “Jailbirds," “Fear and Trembling,” and the only ballad on the new album, “Tuxedos.” 

The crowd, though small for a live gig, packed the intimate space with palpable energy and delighted approval of the new songs.

An eclectic mix of producers, music journalists, editors and other music industry folk, the crowd hung on to the band’s every word, dancing and cheering to the charged tunes. The acoustics in the studio were fantastic; the sound seemed to reverberate from every corner, and the lead singer’s voice sounded impeccable. 

Following the first set, which lasted just under half an hour, KCRW radio host Jason Bentley took to the stage to interview the lead singer, Nathan Willett, and the bass player, Matt Maust. The interview and live session will air on KCRW March 22.

When asked about the title of the album, "Dear Miss Lonelyhearts," Willett told Bentley that he had been reading a book entitled Miss Lonelyhearts, by Nathanael West, about an advice columnist at a newspaper having a spiritual crisis about how to give helpful advice to people. “It made me think about artists and why they do what they do,” said Willett.

Bentley then asked if he feels that same sort of connection fans that could be likened to an advice column, to which Willett replied, “I like to think so, but you just never know.” Maust then piped in, cheekily adding, “I run our Twitter feed, so I like to think that I’m the one connecting with the fans.”

Willett told Bentley that this album is different than any album they’ve ever recorded, filled with songs with a distinctly “electro, dancier vibe.”

The song “Miracle Mile,” however, which was the last song the band recorded, was important for them, he says, because it represented their more traditional, original style. “That song really connected our former and our future self,” said Willett. 

After chatting for about 10 minutes, the band took to the stage again for their second set, which they inaugurated with another new song entitled “Loner Phase,” which was heavy on the bass and exemplary of their new “electro vibe.” Not surprisingly, bassist Maust told the audience that this was his favorite song to play.

They followed with “Minimum Day,” which they released as a single in 2012, and then “Relief,” which they released on their second album "Loyalty to Loyalty" in 2008. They then performed a passionate and heartfelt cover of the Antony & The Johnsons’ song “Aeon,” which they will release on their new album. They concluded with a rendition of their song “Audience,” which they released as a single in 2009 and “Rubideaux,” which was on their first album "Robbers and Cowards," released in 2006.

Read more of NT's show reviews here.