The Walkmen - You & Me [album]

fierce panda

November 26, 2008, 12:33 AM

The Walkmen are truly a unique group. In a society where the charts are currently cluttered with a lot of bland indie bands, it's always refreshing to check out The Walkmen's innovative twist on the genre, and what they have to bring to the table. Their new album - You & Me is no exception.

Packed full of mesmerising chord combinations, entwined perfectly with atmospheric production, You & Me takes a few listens to really fully appreciate, but once you’re there, the album is a joy to listen to, with each song leaving you complete with a sense of fulfilment in a different way.

Hamilton Leithauser’s passion for the music his New York band creates, as always, comes through with the intensity of his vocals. In songs such as I Lost You and the epic On The Water, it comes across that he shares Thom Yorke’s ability to create a strong impression that he is at one with his music and totally infused in the moment. In some of the more laid back points You & Me has to offer, such as the verses of opening track: Donde Esta La Playa, Leithauser adopts a more relaxed vocal style, in a manner not dissimilar to Lou Reed. (The Velvet Underground have been hailed as an influence before by the band, and this is evident in much of the album)

Combined with the strength of the melody Leithauser’s voice brings, the angular harmonies of Paul Maroon’s guitar and other occasional supporting instruments generate such an imaginative sound, very distinctive of The Walkmen, that so many of today’s indie bands lack as they strum away with simplistic chords.

A particularly vital part of The Walkmen’s sound in the album is the percussive detail, especially since a lot of the songs are in 3/4 – a time signature less common in popular music, and more of an obstacle for drummers who are used to a typical 4/4 rhythm. Matt Barrick pulls these rhythms off tremendously though, creating a batch of extraordinary drum compositions, which could be easily recognisable in their own right, such as the military style of Seven Years Of Holidays (for Stretch). The often extensive use of toms throughout the album are also put to great effect, such as the tribal percussion of Donde Esta La Playa. Some of Barrick’s most successful moments, however, are where the light touch of some of his less complicated, simpler drum sequences carry the songs steadily (Red Moon) – the ancient case of less is more!

The production of the album creates quite an impression. Some of the eerie guitar tones used help successfully create a blend of pop conventions and supernatural effects, with the ambience sounding particularly grand, as if recorded in a large hall of some sort. Just the right amount of reverb is added to Leithause’s vocals too, showcasing his voice to an even greater extent.

You & Me is a terrific addition to The Walkmen’s already impressive line of work, which becomes more enjoyable each time you listen to it, noticing something new about it each time. While their sound may not be quite easy enough to digest to appeal to the masses – the album peaked at #71 in the US album charts, making it the band’s most successful release yet, so it’s looking like the band are on their way up, and rightly so!