The Walkmen

Hear 'In The New Year'

If familiar with ‘The Walkmen’ then you will undoubtedly remember the first time you heard ‘The Rat’. The crashing drums and spine tingling vocals of the chillingly dramatic hit makes it one of the tracks of our time. Many are not aware of the consistent professionalism of ‘The Walkmen’ however, who have released well received albums every two years since 2002, with new record ‘You & Me’ being the fourth.

The band consists of Hamilton Leithauser (vocals, guitar), Peter Bauer (bass, organ), Paul Maroon (guitar, piano), Walter Martin (organ, bass) and Matt Barrick (drums). The band is actually a combination of previous NY rock bands ‘Jonathan Fire*Eater’ and ‘The Recoys’. It was left over money from the disbandment of ‘Jonathan Fire*Eater’ that funded the Walkmen’s flash recording studio, culturally named ‘Marcata’. A studio which is now used by many label mates like ‘French Kicks’ and ‘Arto Lindsay’.

The success of their first album ‘Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone’ struck a positive chord within the indie crowds and saw the band embark on an extensive world tour. Follow up album, ‘Bows & Arrows’, was one of the best albums of 2004 and really painted the trademark emotional temperament of their music. ‘A Hundred Miles Off’ finally saw the band shrug off their New York garage labelling which had haunted them since their previous exploits and single ‘Louisiana’ was regarded as one of their best ever pieces.

With new album ‘You & Me’ now out after an early pre-release in aid of a local charity, the band have pursued a much more personal level of songwriting. Leithauser’s raw vocal sound has remained and Matt Burrick’s legendary drumming has returned to the forefront of many tracks.

Listen to ‘In The New Year’ by The Walkmen below –

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