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Photo by Charlie Anastasis

Peter Matthew Bauer (of The Walkmen) has returned with his single “Skulls” taken from his new album, Flowers, which is out on September 23 via Fortune Tellers Music.

The track instantly takes you back to that signature early The Walkmen organ sound with some ripping psych guitar work and a melancholic vocal performance that brings it all together in a passionate manner. There is a raw and gritty nature to the track that is an absolute knockout and homerun.

Speaking on the track, Peter adds:

“‘Skulls’ came out of a really strong period of writing music without thinking. I had stumbled onto this new style of guitar playing that brought me a lot of joy. I started using a distortion pedal for the first time in my life and discovered I could play all these riffs. ‘Skulls’ came out of this kind of endless waterfalling soloing I played for hours and then cut down to what you hear on tape.

I’d written a record called Mount Qaf and the magic mountain in the song is sort of looking back at that. It’s a song about how what is strange and small and human is more gratifying than any sort of spiritual escape.

It’s the most collaborative single on the record. Matt Barrick (The Walkmen, Muzz, Fleet Foxes) played the drums and mixed it. I had my friend Charlie Anastasis (Liily) who’s band I manage play the bass. He’s like a young Flea. Then my wife Marisa and our friend Hillary sing alongside me throughout. Most of it was recorded down in my basement and then finished in Philadelphia at Silent Partner.”‘

Enjoy a listen to “Skulls” now below.


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