The Walkmen ‘Lisbon’ // First Listen

The Walkmen
‘Lisbon’
(Co-Op)

The title of The Walkmen’s new album says it all – ‘Lisbon’ is the main inspiration behind their latest record. Talking about the picturesque capital of Portugal, frontman Hamilton Leithauser said, “We named the record ‘Lisbon’ as sort of a ‘thank you’ and a small tribute.” A record doused in slow-burning scuzz riffs, Kezia Coleman sees guitarist Paul Maroon show off his newly taught trumpet and viola skills on The Walkmen’s sixth studio album…

‘Juveniles’
‘Lisbon’’s opener has a steady, gentle stomp with breezy guitar parts plucking behind Leithauser’s hoarsey croon. There’s a definite optimistic air to ‘Juveniles’, although lyrically, Leithauser’s trademark ennui shines through, as he sings “You’re someone else tomorrow night, doesn’t matter to me.”
 
‘Angela Surf City’
Energetic, pounding drums begin the stripped-down first verse of ‘Angela Surf City’, which quickly develops into a fast and roaring chorus. Leithauser’s typically confident vocals ring out, as Matt Barrick’s drums keep up the accelerating urgency.
 
‘Follow The Leader’
A short, awkward track, with a cluttered sounding viola part, and discordant, echoing drums. The vocals are drenched in reverb, making it sound like Leithauser is singing from a deep well, whilst it finishes as you’re just getting your head round it. Odd.
 
‘Blue As Your Blood’
The pacey tempo of the guitar and drums are at odds with ‘Blue As Your Blood’’s slow and auricular orchestral backdrop of strings – it makes for a wonderful contrast. ‘Blue As Your Blood’ has beautifully layered harmonies, and Leithauser’s lyrics are sublime, his declaration that “the sky above is blue as blood” at its centrepiece.
 
‘Stranded’
Inspired by New Orleans-style horn playing, ‘Stranded’’s mournful horns and solitary marching band-esque bass thump stands out from the rest of ‘Lisbon’.  The downbeat, drawn-out vocals lend it a sad, euphoric edge.
 
‘Victory’
Opening with shimmering, guitar plucking warmth alongside the rhythmic clacking of drumsticks, ‘Victory’ slowly builds up into its glorious, thumping chorus. Hamilton Leithauser’s hollered emotional tone sounds like a fevered Dylan.
 
‘All My Great Designs’
‘All My Great Designs’ is measured and moody, with a ragged, raw riff and an infrequent crashing of cymbals, the vocal melodies lullaby-esque. The last minute sees it breakdown into Fleet Foxes-esque harmonies.
 
‘Woe Is Me’
Guitar jangles drive the upbeat indie-pop of ‘Woe Is Me’. The short and blinding chorus is made up of the repetition of the title. It’s gloriously new wave and the abrupt ending is apt given its heartbreak-themed lyrics.
 
‘Torch Song’
Like much of ‘Lisbon’, it’s the simplicity at the heart of ‘Torch Song’ that makes it so bewitchingly endearing. The vocals drift in and around the ramshackle drums, the music resembling a dusty, country folk song.
 
‘Which I Shovel The Snow’
A slow-paced ditty, ‘Which I Shovel The Snow’ opens with quaint and lingering keys, which momentarily build-up behind the vocals. There’s a minimalist, stripped-down feel to it that gives the song gives a cold feel, Leithauser singing with all the bitterness he can muster.
 
‘Lisbon’
The title, and final, track, begins with an unhurried pace, deliberately downbeat and using shards of guitar to gradually build a little more ambience. It doesn’t really go anywhere in its six minutes, but, like many of the tracks off ‘Libson’, there is a fleeting burst of energy amongst its soporific meander. The Walkmen’s most soulful record to date – on First Listen, ‘Lisbon’ is varied and eclectic but flows effortlessly.