Cold War Kids, Shepherds Bush Empire, London

When they first arrived in Britain last year, Californian band Cold War Kids sparked a frenetic bidding battle, before independent V2 emerged victorious.

Tonight supporting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, the four-piece who this month released their debut album Robbers & Cowards, justify their hotly anticipated return to the UK.

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Singer Nathan Willett resonates, eyes-closed, as he howls soulfully like Jack White, sliding his hands along the keyboard in "We Used to Vacation" or picking melodic guitar hooks. Jonnie Russell and Matt Maust stagger towards each other chaotically, mirroring the jagged swagger of their rhythm guitar and bass and the constantly evolving time signatures akin to Flaming Lips.

Drawing influences from Sixties and Seventies psychedelic rock and blues, their songs recall The Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan. Their catchy single "Hang Me Up To Dry" stomps along with a heavy heart to the backdrop of a shimmering bluesy guitar riff while "Hospital Beds'" simple piano chords and soulful vocals against sparse percussion is most affecting.