The Walkmen - You & Me

Artist: The Walkmen
Album: You & Me
Label: Gigantic Music

This is an album I had to listen very closely to. It isn’t the sort of pop music I’m usually attracted to, and it isn’t an album of singles, so it took a close listen for me to enjoy. I am so glad that I took that direction, though; this album sounds beautiful and is quite special. Because these songs lie somewhat outside of my ear, I have disconnected thoughts, rather than a coherent description, to describe You & Me.
1. There is an interesting contrast between the vocals on this album and the rest of the orchestration. Hamilton Leithauser’s voice often sounds rough and strained, and pleasing in the same way that Carrie Brownstein’s is both raw and exciting on all the Sleater-Kinney albums. Unlike the pushed vocals, the instruments feel very relaxed and natural. None seem (at least to my ears) to be played to their limit. Instead, they pulse with the sway and breath of the players. This is remarkable to hear especially in moments when the songs explode. I wonder how instruments can sound so loud while still retaining a natural, easy tone.
2. I hear Bob Dylan throughout this album: big folk-rock sounds along with Leithauser’s strong voice. Dylan plays in the epic mode, though; his lyrics must be listened to, and they are filled with slogans, quotable shouts, politicized quips, and clever turns of phrase. Leithauser is in the lyric mode. The words aren’t concrete; one can enjoy the lyrics by listening to the sound of Leithauser’s voice and letting a stray word or phrase string up images and emotions. In general the songs are about personal situations and crises, not about the troubles of the world around.
3. There are pop hooks on this album—it’s true—but for the most part it is hard to intuit what the next few moments of any song will be. This does not mean that I feel worried of being thrown into something chaotic and shocking; it is just refreshing and surprising to hear what each moment will bring, and interesting not to have such a marked song structure (“Take it to the chorus!”).

The Walkmen – “Four Provinces”

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Great layered percussion, a fantastic pulsing flow, and do I hear a prominent bass line? It’s a winner. It is no surprise that the song I feature is the poppiest, but I don’t care: it has a great sound and somehow enlivens the album.

The Walkmen – “In the New Year”

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I love how in that moment when the intro kicks into the thick of the song, it is the bass that leads, beating under a really great vocal performance from Leithauser (“I know that it’s true!” is perfect). This is a perfect song for those great, blurry, drunken moments at the end of a New Year’s Eve party.

For more information, check out the band’s site and their myspace. And of course buy the album.

Technorati Tags: Sleater-Kinney, The Walkmen, Bob Dylan, bass line

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