With a desire to buck convention – and also to follow latterday Kanye’s cavalier approach to releasing records – Cold War Kids here unveil the first instalment of a proposed three-album trilogy. On the surface, New Age Norms 1 is a shiny, slinky salvo of funk-pop, but if you dig a little deeper, it’s also a cerebral, politically charged powderkeg.

Despite the loss of Murder City Devils guitarist Dann Gallucci from their ranks, Cold War Kids are a band at the peak of their powers. They set their stall out strongly with the funky ‘Complainer’, which doffs the cap to Har Mar Superstar and utilises a school-kids choir to excellent effect. Elsewhere, the likes of the Elton John-style ‘4th Of July’ and the gospel-flecked ‘Beyond The Pale’ also impress. Star of the show, though, is the Motown-inspired ‘Fine Fine Fine’, with the irresistible number leaving us ravenous for the second part of the trilogy.

https://open.spotify.com/album/5DNTeZkF2jQFW6Kfgt2Jki