All great artists garner inspiration from their predecessors. Pollock and Matisse drew ideas from Van Gogh, Disney pulls its narratives from Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, and of course rock music wouldn’t exist without early blues pioneers like Blind Willie Johnson and Son House. However, no one would mistake “Number 8, 1949” for “Starry Night”, and the White Stripe’s cover of ““Death Letter”” is a far cry from Son House’s version. That’s because great artists establish themselves not solely through their inspiration, but also through the original spin they put on the old masters. That “mark,” that telltale sign of creativity and ingenuity on an established genre, is what’s missing in Cold Warrior.

At a cursory listen, Grandchildren's album could be mistaken for a lesser Animal Collective work. Experimental noise and other-worldly sounds are layered on top echoing, far-out vocals. Acoustic instruments are simultaneously played alongside keyboards and synthetic blips. Lyrics take a back seat to the musical atmosphere, which shifts from warm to cold, from light and playful to deep and morose. If Cold Warrior had been released in the late 1990s, it would have been a mind-blowing album. However, Grandchildren have the unfortunate occurrence of coming after Animal Collective and all their ilk, and therefore have the burden to improve on the genre if they are to raise their heads above the musical water.

There is a sprinkling of uniqueness in Cold Warrior. The title track begins with an industrial sound, a touch of goth before it turns into a more lighthearted tune. “Heartbreaker” introduces the prog-rock element that pops up again in “Little Big Ones.” The most interesting track is “Saturn Returns,” because of its grand flamenco style and Spanish guitar influence. Sadly, the band doesn’t push this concept far enough. Perhaps a more international approach to the album would have set Grandchildren apart, as would have further layering and a thicker texture to the sound. Cold Warrior aches to be taken a step further. The hand clapping beats, cutesy xylophone playing, and ghostly vocals are nothing new – so why not push everything further and create a deeper sound? Maybe Grandchildren just aren’t up to it: the wildness and energy of Animal Collective is missing from this Philadelphia sextet.

On its own, with all traces of similar albums aside, Cold Warrior isn’t terrible, but it fails to be great. There’s a sense of loneliness throughout album, especially with track titles like “Toss and Turn” and “Heartbreaker.” To my personal dismay, there’s a strong progressive rock vibe as well. If you’re a fan of Rush, this will be a good thing. Otherwise, fans of traditional song structures: tune into “Anthill,” Cold Warrior’s only truly melodic track. For everyone else, standouts include “Toss and Turn” and “OK I’m Waiting.” “When You’re Not Looking” is a disappointing ending to the album; it starts with boring guitar picking, features surprisingly beautiful siren singing, but is ultimately too dissimilar and anticlimactic when set against the previous eight songs. Their last track sums up the entire album: close, oh so close, but no cigar.

Track List:
1. Cold Warrior (3:41)
2. Winterlude (3:40)
3. Heartbreaker (3:38)
4. Saturn Returns (3:59)
5. Toss and Turn (3:12)
6. OK I’m Waiting (5:01)
7. Little Big Ones (5:04)
8. Anthill (5:53)
9. When You’re Not Looking (3:31)