The Walkmen - Heaven

[Necromancer Beth]

The Walkmens new album is coming out on June 4th and it is titled "Heaven". Is anyone else really, really excited to hear this record? Lisbon was the perfect follow-up to You & Me and hopefully Heaven is every bit as good as their previous two records. Can't wait!

 

[Necromancer Beth]

Not that anyone seems really interested in The Walkmen around here, but here is a link to listen to the entire new album

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/20/152853333/first-listen-the-walkmen-heaven

 

[Eddie Dingle]

Tell us a bit about them?

 

[Necromancer Beth]

Tell us a bit about them?

Sympathy post, thank you

They are a seriously good rock 'n' roll/indie band that have been around for about 10 years or so. Got a ****load of critical acclaim ( as seen in the link below ) but have never really sold a whole heap of records for whatever reason.

http://www.metacritic.com/music/lisbon/critic-reviews

Each one of their records is very distinct and different. I have listened to the new album Heaven and it sounds like their best yet . The new album is definitely their most optimistic and upbeat album yet, as their past albums have been a mix of anxiety, anger, desperation and nostalgia. Here are a few of their songs from previous albums:

Angela Surf City ( This performance is ****ing brilliant )

[YOUTUBE]JwIEA7zYtho&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

I Lost You

[YOUTUBE]wZ4b1HjlwtA&feature=relmfu[/YOUTUBE]

The Rat

[YOUTUBE]aWR1h-5EzUo[/YOUTUBE]

Red Moon

[YOUTUBE]NJEW3U63HB4[/YOUTUBE]

 

[CURVE]

I'm a fan, have all their albums and will purchase Heaven the moment it hits the shelves. Can't go past 'The Rat', it's one of my favourite songs from the last decade, but the entire catalogue is top quality.

I refrained from posting earlier because it's so uncool being the first to reply. It's like being the first to show up at a party.

 

[Eddie Dingle]

I'm a fan, have all their albums and will purchase Heaven the moment it hits the shelves. Can't go past 'The Rat', it's one of my favourite songs from the last decade, but the entire catalogue is top quality.

I refrained from posting earlier because it's so uncool being the first to reply. It's like being the first to show up at a party.

You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties.

 

[CURVE]

You'll always find me in the kitchen at parties.

A truly terrible song. My wife found the "best of" Jona Lewie at a second hand store for $2.00 a few months back. She brought it for a laugh but was crying before the end of the first song.

 

[driver 8]

Love The Rat
Love In the New Year
Love The Walkmen

Saw them at Harvest festival last year... weren't amazing but I put that down to having to play at 2pm in the middle of November dressed in suits.

Had a few listens to Heaven. Really like Heartbreaker and We Can't Be Beat. Need more listens.

 

[Necromancer Beth]

Love The Rat
Love In the New Year
Love The Walkmen

Saw them at Harvest festival last year... weren't amazing but I put that down to having to play at 2pm in the middle of November dressed in suits.

Had a few listens to Heaven. Really like Heartbreaker and We Can't Be Beat. Need more listens.

We Can't Be Beat is one of the best songs I have heard in a long time! Great way to open the album. Loving The Witch, The Love You Love and Nightingales a whole heap as well

 

[mansize rooster]

really strong album.
was pretty late to the party (only got into them through lisbon)
but from what i have heard they just keep getting stronger at their craft with each LP. A bit like Spoon..

 

[mansize rooster]

for those who are already missing the walkmen



the whole album is terrific

 

[Lyttelton Ranger]

Saw the video to "The Rat" years ago on Rage and was immediately intrigued by the video of the band and especially the lyrics. I had this impression form in my mind of a man on a downward spiral - or I could have just completely misinterpreted the song's message. Is any of their other material just as good, or is "The Rat" their Magnum Opus?

 

[JD11]

Saw the video to "The Rat" years ago on Rage and was immediately intrigued by the video of the band and especially the lyrics. I had this impression form in my mind of a man on a downward spiral - or I could have just completely misinterpreted the song's message. Is any of their other material just as good, or is "The Rat" their Magnum Opus?

"When I used to go out, I would know everyone that I saw
Now I go out alone if I go out at all"

The Rat is, you'd say, their Magnum Opus, but they have heaps of great music over a lot of albums. I'd start with Lisbon or You And Me and then go back to their first couple of albums.

 

[Silent Alarm]

"When I used to go out, I would know everyone that I saw
Now I go out alone if I go out at all"

The Rat is, you'd say, their Magnum Opus, but they have heaps of great music over a lot of albums. I'd start with Lisbon or You And Me and then go back to their first couple of albums.

Isn't the Rat about losing a girlfriend and losing some of your friends in the process? I don't actually know, I never thought anything but the lines you quoted were terribly engaging lyrics. It was originally called Girls at Night. That just muddles the meaning even more.

I think it's impossible to sit down and not try and air drum the first 15 seconds of this song. It's just incredible. I was reared on this mid-2000s post-punk and the older I get the more I think The Rat was the best of it at all: it pulsates and broods, total breakneck speed the whole time, the words are angry and the drums are too. It's one of the most emotionally charged songs I've heard where the lyrics and instrumental mirror. It's just the best. Apparently back in the early 2000s they used to play it twice during a set.

Unfortunately I just can't get into anything else of theirs. I really struggle to like it, maybe I need some time, but it's a shame they never had a Silent Alarm, Bright Lights, or Is This It – not even a Capture/Release – to fit that song on.

I do love Heaven, the song, though. Nice melancholia.

 

[mansize rooster]

I think they got better over time and maybe even peaked at the end.
But i think you & me is highly regarded as their classic.
These guys slowly crept up on me and now i think its plain obvious to hear that their sound has the most timeless feel out of any of the new york bands to come out of the 2000's.

Their sound got even more rough around the edges over time instead of going for that Big Blockbuster sound with album 3-4. Albums like First Impressions of Earth, our love to admire, it's blitz.. how overlaboured do these albums sound.

it's effortless songwriting, straight from the heart.
the songs always come first with this band and that's why i think they will be greats

 

[Silent Alarm]

First Impressions is just no good but I thought It's Blitz was a great idea from YYYs. It suited them well. I got into them in high school around that period and as cool as the jagged, muddy New York guitar sound was, KO sounded really good with pop sounds behind her. The singles were great, Hysteric was the most beautiful song they ever wrote that didn't have the lyrics "they don't love you like I love you" in them, but the rest was frustratingly below par. But the production was the best, smartest thing about it.

Also I like to think Interpol broke up in 2003 after releasing Slow Hands, C'Mere, and Evil as singles. Our Love won't register with me.

 

[mansize rooster]

would have to disagree
that YYYs album was a boring turd. should of been a KO solo album.