Train - Calling All Angels
I need a sign, to that blonde girl from Bleecker Street, Red Lion Sat 12:34 we had a moment...
Out to LA
Radiohead - High and Dry
💙 For That Someone Who'll Know It's for Them “I'm not putting their name here because they'll know exactly who they are when they hear it!!!
Michelle
Foo Fighters - Times Like These
🖤 For Anyone Having a Rough Week “To anybody who's had one of those weeks where nothing seems to go right...
Cold War Kids brought soul, blues and piano to 2000s indie rock. Nathan Willett’s raw, yearning vocals and the band’s clattering, gospel-tinged sound made them stand out from the skinny-tie guitar bands of the era. Nearly two decades later, songs like “Hang Me Up to Dry” and “First” are alternative radio staples.
| Formed | 2004, Fullerton, California |
| Founding members | Nathan Willett (vocals, piano, guitar), Matt Maust (bass), Jonnie Russell (guitar), Matt Aveiro (drums) |
| Genres | Indie rock, alternative rock, blues rock |
| Breakthrough | Robbers & Cowards (2006) |
Willett and Maust met while studying at Biola University in Southern California. Practicing in a Fullerton apartment, they built a raw, live-sounding style that drew on blues, soul and gospel as much as rock. A string of EPs and enthusiastic music blog coverage led to a deal with Downtown Records.
A striking debut full of character-driven songs. “Hang Me Up to Dry,” “We Used to Vacation” and “Saint John” made them indie favorites.
Darker and moodier, with “Something Is Not Right with Me.”
A more polished, anthemic sound produced by Jacquire King.
Introduced keyboards and new members, including “Miracle Mile.”
The commercial breakthrough. “First” topped Billboard’s alternative radio chart and became their biggest song. “All This Could Be Yours” and “Hot Coals” followed.
L.A. Divine was a love letter to Los Angeles, with “Love Is Mystical.” The New Age Norms series of three albums continued their evolution.
A self-titled album that brought the band’s sound full circle.
Willett’s voice, part soul singer and part rock howl, is the band’s defining feature. His lyrics often tell stories of struggle, faith, family and redemption.
Cold War Kids showed that indie rock could draw on American soul and gospel traditions, influencing a wave of piano-driven and soulful alternative bands. “First” in particular remains one of the most-played alternative songs of the 2010s.
The Airborne Toxic Event, The National, The Black Keys, Kings of Leon, Spoon and The Revivalists.
In 2004 in Fullerton, California.
Nathan Willett.
“First” (2014).
Yes. Their most recent album is the self-titled Cold War Kids (2023).
“First” and “Hang Me Up to Dry” are two of the most-played indie anthems in our modern rock rotation. Catch it on The Modern Rock Radio Show, check the radio show schedule, or press play on the live stream. Want a specific song? Send a request or dedication.
About this article: Written and fact-checked by The Alternative One editorial team, the programmers and music writers behind the station’s on-air shows. Official artist website: www.coldwarkids.com. Last reviewed October 2, 2026. Read our editorial standards or tell us about a correction.
We are “The Alternative One!” – your go-to modern rock radio station featuring the best in grunge, modern rock music and underground tracks since the 1990s! Modern alternative rock combines rock, grunge, Alt pop, and electronic elements to deliver a unique, catchy, and introspective sound. #modernrockradio #alternativerock #grunge
