A Deeper Understanding

A Deeper Understanding is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band The War on Drugs. It was released on August 25, 2017 through Atlantic Records. The album was mixed by engineer Shawn Everett. The album won Best Rock Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

A Deeper Understanding
Studio album by The War on Drugs
Released	August 25, 2017
Genre	Heartland rock[1] synth-pop[1] Americana[2] psychedelic rock[3]
Length	66:13
Label	Atlantic
Producer	Adam Granduciel
The War on Drugs chronology
Lost in the Dream (2014) A Deeper Understanding (2017) I Don't Live Here Anymore (2021)
Singles from A Deeper Understanding
"Thinking of a Place" Released: April 22, 2017 "Holding On" Released: June 1, 2017 "Strangest Thing" Released: July 18, 2017 "Pain" Released: August 3, 2017 "Up All Night" Released: August 15, 2017

Reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.6/10[4]
Metacritic	81/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
The A.V. Club	A−[7]
The Guardian	[8]
The Independent	[9]
NME	[10]
The Observer	[11]
Pitchfork	8.7/10[12]
Q	[13]
Rolling Stone	[1]
Uncut	8/10[14]

A Deeper Understanding received acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 81, based on 33 reviews, indicating universal acclaim.^[5] According to Marcy Donelson of AllMusic, A Deeper Understanding "reclaims and explores the distinctive soundscapes, vastness, and haunted psyche of Lost in the Dream, and that in itself is significant."^[6] On the same site, in a readers' poll by users it was ranked as the #1 album of 2017.^[15] Mark Richardson of Pitchfork noted similarities with mid-'80s rock, stating it is "also a fascinating study in influence; it’s hard to think of a band with more obvious touchstones that also sounds so original."^[12] Michael Bonner of Uncut Magazine described it as "some of the richest, most compelling and least lonely-sounding music of Granduciel’s career".^[16]

In a less enthusiastic review for Slant Magazine, Josh Goller noted "the album's lyrics, however, can’t match this same level of musical precision, and Granduciel too often repeats the same vague sentiments using threadbare imagery."^[17] The album's title was influenced by Kate Bush's song with the same name.^[18][19]

It was nominated for International Album of the Year at the 2018 UK Americana Awards.^[20]

At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, A Deeper Understanding won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album.^[21]

Accolades

Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Drowned in Sound	Favourite Albums of 2017	96	[22]
Exclaim!	Top 20 Pop & Rock Albums of 2017	9	[23]
The Independent	The 30 Best Albums of 2017	29	[24]
NME	NME's Albums of the Year 2017	39	[25]
Pitchfork	The 50 Best Albums of 2017	11	[26]
RIOT Mag	RIOT's Albums Of The Year 2017	9	[27]
Stereogum	The 50 Best Albums of 2017	6	[28]
Uncut	75 Best Albums of 2017	2	[29]
Vinyl Me, Please	The 30 Best Albums of 2017	12	[30]

Track listing

All words by Adam Granduciel. All music by Granduciel, except where noted.

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	"Up All Night"		6:23
2.	"Pain"		5:30
3.	"Holding On"	Granduciel Robbie Bennett	5:50
4.	"Strangest Thing"		6:40
5.	"Knocked Down"		4:00
6.	"Nothing to Find"		6:10
7.	"Thinking of a Place"		11:10
8.	"In Chains"		7:20
9.	"Clean Living"		6:28
10.	"You Don't Have to Go"		6:42
Total length:			66:13

Personnel

The War on Drugs

• Robbie Bennett – Prophet 12 (tracks 1, 7), piano (2–4, 8, 10), celeste (3, 9), backing vocals (4), Hammond Organ (9), Rhodes (9), Baldwin Organ (10)
• Adam Granduciel – vocals (all tracks), LinnDrum (1), samplers (1), Yamaha CS-5 (1), piano (1, 2, 4, 5, 7–9), electric guitars (1, 3, 5, 8–10), Wurlitzer (1, 4, 5, 7, 10), Mellotron (1, 5), Hammond Organ (1, 6), E70 Organ (2), Nashville guitars (2), acoustic guitars (2–4, 6–10), lead electric guitars (2, 4, 6, 7), vibes (2, 5, 7), celeste (2, 7), Juno 106 (2, 7), synthesizers (3, 6), bass guitar (4), Korg Trident (4), harmonica (4, 6–10), percussion (4, 8), Arp Solina (4, 8, 9), Prophet 5 (4, 9, 10), PolyKorg (5), drums (6, 8), Vox Jaguar (7), Roland Juno-60 (7–9), organ (8), tape loops (8), Vox Organ (9)
• Charlie Hall – drums (1, 2, 7, 8), percussion (1, 2, 7, 10), backing vocals (4), electric guitar (4), vibes (8)
• Dave Hartley – bass guitar (1–4, 6, 8), glockenspiel (3), acoustic guitar (4), backing vocals (4), fretless bass (5, 7, 10), Höfner bass (9)
• Anthony LaMarca – electric guitar (2, 4, 8, 9), slide guitar (3), backing vocals (4), drums (5), acoustic guitar (7)
• Jon Natchez – baritone saxophone (1, 2, 8–10)

Additional musicians

• Patrick Berkery – drums (3, 9), percussion (3, 8, 9)
• Michael Bloch – electric rhythm guitar (3, 7), electric guitar (6, 9)
• Meg Duffy – slide guitar (3, 9)
• Max Hart – Prophet 6 (3), Oberheim Expander (3), pedal steel (7)
• Otto Hauser – drums, percussion (10)
• Darren Jessee – drums, percussion (4)
• Michael Johnson – Arp Odyssey (1, 10)
• Josh Kauffman – amplified voice (8), electric guitar (8, 10)
• Parker Kindred – percussion (9)
• Sterling Laws – drums, percussion (6)
• Lucius (Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig) – backing vocals (2)
• Carter Tanton – acoustic guitar (5)
• The Dove & The Wolf (Louise Hayat & Paloma Gil) – backing vocals (7, 10)

Technical

• Adam Granduciel – production, recording
• Shawn Everett – recording, mixing
• Nick Krill, Daniel Schlett, Nicolas Vernhes, Gabe Cox Wax and Jeff Zeigler – additional recording
• Greg Calbi – mastering at Sterling Sound Studios

Artwork and design

• Adam Granduciel – art direction
• Rob Carmichael – art direction, design
• Shawn Brackbill – center booklet photograph
• Dusdin Condren – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2017) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[31] 5 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[32] 13 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[33] 1 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[34] 9 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[35] 8 Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[36] 36 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[37] 10 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[38] 2 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[39] 9 French Albums (SNEP)[40] 50 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[41] 12 Irish Albums (IRMA)[42] 4 Italian Albums (FIMI)[43] 85 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[44] 6 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[45] 6 Portuguese Albums (AFP)[46] 5 Scottish Albums (OCC)[47] 2 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[48] 9 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[49] 6 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[50] 11 UK Albums (OCC)[51] 3 US Billboard 200[52] 10 US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[53] 2 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[54] 2

Year-end charts Chart (2017) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[55] 10 Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[56] 50 US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[57] 76 Chart (2018) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[58] 22 Chart (2019) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[59] 102 Chart (2020) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[60] 182

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Belgium (BRMA)[61]	Gold	10,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[62]	Gold	20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[63]	Silver	60,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.