Cold War Kids have slowly, carefully, built up an imposing catalogue.
New album 'Hold My Home' is out this week, the band's fifth, and – some would argue – a defining document.
Encompassing each of the influences which have filtered through their career, it's a strident, confident return.
Very much an ensemble effort, each element of the band's artistry is in place: the muscular percussion, the often delicate arrangements and, of course, those wonderfully world-worn lyrics.
Clash caught up with Cold War Kids' Nathan Willett to find out what's on his bookshelf.
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What is your favourite book and why?
I just finished 'Ask The Dust' by John Fante and it feels like my favorite book ever.
What other authors do you like?
Dostoevsky, Tobias Wolff, David Foster Wallace, Flannery O'Conner.
What draws you to certain books?
I guess a dry sense of humor that is masking some spiritual longing. This book called 'Dogwalker' by Arthur Bradford. If someone described it to me, I wouldn't have even read it, but it's one of my favorite books.
Have you ever discovered a real lost classic? What is it and why?
Hmmm, I don't think so. For me, discovering Thomas Merton was kind of like that though. He's a legend, but a lot of people don't know his stuff. I used lyrics from his poetry for the French Style Furs album we made.
Do your literary influences have a direct impact on your songwriting?
Definitely. I write better songs when I have good stories running around my head. Our first album probably has the most narrative songs and that's when I was reading the most and living inside the stories the most.
What are you reading at the moment?
I just finished Murakami's memoir 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running'. I am also an amateur runner and this book made me want to do my first triathlon this year.
What is the first book you remember reading as a child?
CS Lewis' Narnia books. The movies ruined 'em for me.
Have you ever found a book that you simply couldn't finish?
There are a lot but I figure I'll get to them all some day.
Would you ever re-read the same book?
Yes! Salinger. He's the best to re-read. 'Raise High The RoofBeam Carpenters' and 'Franny And Zooey' I re-visit.
Have you ever identified with a character in a book? Which one and why?
I always identify with characters in books. It wouldn't be any fun if you didn't. I will say it again, 'Ask The Dust' for my personal pursuit of a creative life, this book spoke to me. I was reading it laughing and saying "this is me!" Do you read one book at a time or more than one? I started a book club with two of my friends from college who are big readers. Now I'm often reading more than one book.
The club is good because it forces me to read books that I wouldn't get on my own. We just read 'The Road to the Deep North' which is by a Tasmanian writer and I got to read it on our Aussie tour. It is a super violent WWII story which I wouldn't have picked up on my own, but I ended up loving it. It reminded of the movie 'The Proposition.'
We also read 'Inherent Vice' before the movie came out. It was really fun because my wife's parents are from the time and place in LA of this hippy weirdo beach culture and I felt like I was living all the stories they have told me.
Is there an author / poet you would like to collaborate with?
Maybe someday but I like to be inspired and have that distance between the people I look up to. Philip Levine just passed away. I discovered him just looking in the poetry section and he became the wisest poet of all to me.
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'Hold My Home' is out now.
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