I adore The Walkmen. They’ve always been comfort music for me. I can put on any album and know exactly what to expect. You & Me isn’t much different. I’ve been listening through the collection for some time…and it never gets old. I’d say that’s a sign of a good album…or maybe a good Walkmen album. As noted, You & Me isn’t that unlike its predecessors (Bows + Arrows/A Hundred Miles Off) and yet it has a flavour that is captivating.
I was first introduced to The Walkmen through Bows + Arrows and the first single “The Rat.” Immediately I was taken by its veracity and roughness. Before long, that track was on repeat everywhere I went. Soon after that I invested in the complete album. If I’m sincere, I was a bit sad. I was expecting more of the same intensity throughout the LP but the vast majority of the songs were slower and much less ferocious. Nevertheless, the album started to grow on me…albeit slowly.
I was first introduced to The Walkmen through Bows + Arrows and the first single “The Rat.” Immediately I was taken by its veracity and roughness. Before long, that track was on repeat everywhere I went. Soon after that I invested in the complete album. If I’m sincere, I was a bit sad. I was expecting more of the same intensity throughout the LP but the vast majority of the songs were slower and much less ferocious. Nevertheless, the album started to grow on me…albeit slowly.
Then along came A Hundred Miles Off. This disc took my heart by storm. It seemed a more complete, refined work. There was less of an indie feel (in my mind) and a tighter song-writing process. A Hundred Miles was played constantly for many months here in Korea. When I heard, then, that The Walkmen had finished another project (You & Me) I promptly searched it out. I then hastily read through the reviews on pitchfork before giving it a listen.
As I’m sure you’ll guess - I loved it. The first track “Dónde Está la Playa” caught me right on the chin. The first half of the disc carries on with the same loose, characteristic rock sound. There’s a bit of a slow down closer to the middle – but this doesn’t bother me. For me, Walkmen albums are meant to be played through – as though one art piece. Skipping a track would only hurt the flow of the album. Their first single “In The New Year” is a standout track, but there’s many other songs that are equal or superior on this amazing collection.
Some quick trivia: The Walkmen are from New York City. Also, they prefer the sound of vintage musical instruments, particularly the upright piano – which you can notice. The Walkmen made You & Me available for $5 at AmieStreet.com/thewalkmen, with all the proceeds from each sale being donated to a cancer center. During its first week of sales, the album charted at #29 on Billboard’s Top Digital Albums.
1 comment:
NIce - I enjoyed reading this - and good use video/pics - I was obsessing on the Walkmen for like a month recently. They have great dynamics and a really organic sound without being folky - I got to see them live at some point.
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