REVIEW: The Walkmen 'Heaven'

THE WALKMEN remain one the archetypal indie rock bands of the 21^st century. Ever since we first heard them playing ‘What’s In It For Me?’ on The OC, The Walkmen have kept us captivated, mouths agape- whether whilst listening to their succession of brilliant albums, or thrashing around violently when we watch them live. The Walkmen have chutzpah and a real staying power on the indie scene.

Their seventh LP, Heaven, starts out real soft, real quiet, real contemplative, real moody. Hamilton Leithauser’s deep and textured vocals project over the song, ‘We Can’t Be Beat’ filled with sweet acoustic guitar and harmonies. The song ends on a high note; Leithauser’s powerful wail will stop you in your tracks as the album begins to hit a more positive, even empowered place.

The strength of vocals continues on ‘Love is Luck.’ Musically, Leithauser remains unrivalled. He holds a note for as long as all the top pop women can, but with added angst and vivacity. The lyrics border on melancholic, the vocals are anguished, the sound of the guitars is resoundingly upbeat in contrast. This feel continues with ‘Heartbreaker’ reflecting on music itself. And it’s simultaneously super danceable. I found myself grooving in my office chair.

And then come the organs. Oh organs, you underrated instrument, you. ‘Witch’ is a tender, dark and tense track, owing to those organs giving things a little bit of a sinister overtone. This is definitely an album highlight.

Tracks get quieter again. By the time ‘Song for Leigh’ is under inspection, the album has an almost shoegaze tinge to it. He sings himself sick and his fractured vocals embody this. It’s almost sweet to chill out and get a bit romantic, a bit emotional, as you cruise on through. ‘Nightingales’ returns to a fast fast fast tempo: back to upbeat, back to strong vocals. And then plummeting down into the moody depths for ‘Jerry Jr.’s Tune.’

And back to Leithauser’s groaning savage vocals for ‘Love You Love.’ The drums slam, guitars jangle away, and the sound gets expansive, filling the room with groovy indie vibes. ‘Heaven’ follows. And no, the changing tempos throughout this album are not distracting. They add to a textured polished feel. It’s almost beautiful by the time we arrive at ‘No One Ever Sleeps.’ The finale, the lulling and lovely ‘Dreamboat’ bids us a bittersweet adieu. Oh The Walkmen can we play it again?

Have a listen yourself over at NPR.

Words by Hannah Story.

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