A band like The Walkmen makes music that needs more than one listen to do it justice. They make music that needs multiple listens to truly get an idea of what they are going for, and trying to say. The Walkmen make music that has mood and passion. If you rush through this stuff, you may miss what Hamilton Leithauser’s dark crooning vocals have to say. The Walkmen’s first two albums were critically acclaimed through, while their last release ‘A Hundred Miles Off’ got a more mixed reaction. They came back with ‘You & Me’ a little over a month ago, and it is back to form for them. Their early work . They concerted the clamant of rockers with the softer reflective ones that have their own ability to pack a punch. It is both them re-defining their sound, but keeping the same signature Walkmen sound that defines them.
Opener ‘Dónde está la Playa’ sets the mood for the album perfectly. ‘On The Water’ shows the overlying darkness and romantic troubles that surround this album. “Oh you know I’d never leave you/No matter how hard I try/You know I’d never leave you/And that’s just how it is.” The album really hits into it’s groove with the single ‘In The New Year’. This is another classic Walkmen track. It has multiple different sounds, sharp guitars, synths, and a buildup of atmosphere. The amount of layers on this song only make it all so much more impressive. The true beauty of the Walkmen is the buildup of the instruments. They don’t get louder and louder, but Hamiltons voice will take it to the next level. This atmosphere wraps around your mind.
Postcards from Tiny Islands is one of the stand outs. Consistant bass drum, then kicks into a frenzy of frantic guitars. It weeves in and out of this in order to give Hamilton some time to calm it down, only to dive right back in it. ‘Four Provinces’ is another Walkmen classic with a deep bass line and more reverbing guitars. The lyrics are quite sincere. As the album passes on you realize the theme of the album is the changes that we go through in life. They are maturing as people and musicians.
Each and every song displays what the Walkmen do best, create an atmosphere. Hamilton has one of the best voices in indie rock today. He screams without truly screaming. It is a characteristic that distinguishes the Walkmen. They use vintage equipment along with a great production staff that make all the sounds use create something beautiful. This album is full of love and regret. All the spaces are taken up with different sounds. They crafted a gem.
It is true that there is no “standout” song like The Rat (which is one of the best songs of this decade without a doubt). However what we do have here is a consistent set of songs that are cohesive and create a very solid album. They proved they can do it all. The Walkmen are establishing themselves as one of the best bands of this decade.
Rating: 8.7
1. Donde Esta La Playa – 4/5
2. Flamingos (for Colbert) – 3.75/5
3. On the Water – 5/5
4. In The New Year – 5/5
5. Seven Years of Holidays (For Stretch) – 4/5
6. Postcards from Tiny Islands – 5/5
7. Red Moon – 4.75/5
8. Canadian Girl – 4/5
9. Four Provinces – 4.75/5
10. Long Time Ahead of Us – 4/5
11. The Blue Route – 4.5/5
12. New Country – 4/5
13. I Lost You – 4.25/5
14. If Only It Were True – 4/5
The Walkmen – In The New Year (MP3)
The Walkmen – Postcards from Tiny Islands (MP3)
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