The Walkmen’s Walter Martin will release his debut solo album We’re All Young Together on May 13 via Family Jukebox. From what I heard from his intimate live show a few weeks ago, it’s a lovely album.
One of the songs he didn’t play at that show is called “We Like the Zoo (‘Cause We’re Animals Too)” and it features The National’s Matt Berninger on vocals. It’s a fun song, a novelty song, if you will. As Martin himself goes on to describe..
‘We Like the Zoo (‘Cause We’re Animals Too)’ is my tribute to the lost art of the novelty song,” Walter says. “Songs like ‘Poison Ivy” and ‘Yakety Yak’–all those Leiber and Stoller masterpieces–are a big part of my life. I didn’t want to put my name on an album that didn’t have room for that kind of song.
It’s cool to hear Martin team-up with Berninger on the track, whose deep vocals add an interesting aspect on this sort of song. It’s a delight all the way around.
Enjoy it below.
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