New Walkmen album bends genres, shows versatility

By Gabrielle Reyes     9/23/10 7:00pm

Formed in 2000, New York City- based indie-rockers The Walkmen have created an eclectic piece of work with their sixth studio album, entitled Lisbon. As a whole, the album shines; its varied influences and thoughtful lyrics result in a delightfully enter- taining experience.An album of astonishing range, Lisbon in many ways seems undeni- ably modern and yet in even more ways seems to evoke the charming melodies and musical techniques of yesteryear. For instance, on "Torch Song," The Walkmen produce a doo-wop throwback - think Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, minus Frankie's superhuman falsetto, with a little bit of Vampire Weekend's New York swagger thrown in for good measure.

Not quite flawless, Lisbon takes the occasional misstep. "All My Great Designs" drags on for far too long and leaves the listener with an im- pression similar to that of a cute girlhe has been dancing with at the club and has finally sat down to talk with - pretty but boring.

In addition, while Lisbon's multi- ple musical influences largely work to its advantage, lead singer Hamilton Leithauser's voice sounds, at times, terribly influenced by early Bob Dy- lan. This inspiration infiltrates cer- tain tracks, such as "Victory," to the extent that the listener often wishes that he was hearing Leithauser's ac- tual voice and not his solid but tired Dylan impression.

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Despite a few mishaps, however, there are plenty of gems on Lisbon. "Angela Surf City," a song about alaid-back beach town, immediately transports the listener to a sandy SoCal hangout with its loose guitars and Leithauser's unpolished, practi- cally Dylan-free wail. Anything but melancholy, "Woe Is Me" works an airy, lighthearted melody and a ridic- ulously catchy chorus; I dare you not to have this song stuck in your head for days.

Without a doubt, "Blue As Your Blood" sets itself apart from the rest of the tracks as the strongest song on the album. Could this song, with its lyrics about a dark-eyed, Spanish-

speaking beauty, be an ode to a par- ticular Iberian princess, perhaps? After all, the band's recent visit to Portugal did inspire the name for the album and its title track. Regard- less of the lyrics' significance, this track stands out not only because it displays Leithauser's vocal talents (really, why must he insist on cov- ering them up with that ludicrous Bob Dylan nonsense?) better than any other track on the album - sul- try, wounded, restrained and, as a result, incredibly sexy - but also because of its simplicity. The simple driving drumbeat and minimalist guitar complement Leithauser's subdued singing.

With inspiration drawn from multiple genres and a willingness to experiment with sounds new and old, The Walkmen demonstrate a tremendous breadth of musical taste on their most recent album. Indeed, living and creating music in such a diverse city has had an undeniably positive impact on The Walkmen, one that Lisbon captures perfectly. This album's musical ver- satility translates to a practical one as well: Put it on in the car, and it goes along for the ride, a chilled out and surprisingly melodic passenger; play it at a party, and it will provide you with some tunes that are down- right danceable. It even happens to be great music to have on while studying - its low-key vibe meshes great with some Faulkner.

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