The Walkmen - A Hundred Miles Off

I have to first admit that I may not be as 'au courant' as I once was because of the musical and cultural backwater in which I now live. I should have posted this review weeks ago.

The Walkmen's third studio album, A Hundred Miles Off, is fantastic. Much has been made of singer Hamilton Leithauser's voice and how he must have been studying Bob Dylan's pronunciation. It is true that what often annoyed people in the past about the Walkmen was his drawl, and he does sound a lot more like Dylan on this record, but the record is more properly an homage to Dylan's songmanship than his diction.

On the Walkmen's two previous albums, “The Rat” and “Little House of Savages” became their most popular cuts, due in large part to the promotion the band received thanks to the NBC show The O.C. Both tracks are thoughtfully included on my copy of the album (but this may only be for the Japanese version) and coupled with “Fly Into the Mystery”, give a nice indication of the direction the band has taken so far. There is even a festive Christmas song, “The Christmas Party”, which is really fun and quite sweet. This album is largely a departure from that trajectory though, and it's a good one.

“Good For You's Good For Me”, “This Job is Killing Me” and “Emma, Get Me a Lemon” give the best indication of the band's new sound: soaring melodies that scrap both ends of the singers vocal range, rhythms reminiscent of Animal Collective's Feels, and choruses that are worthy of not just Dylan, but any folk hero. The record does feel more like a rare find from some undiscovered 60's label than a 2006 release, but this is not a bad thing. I like 60's music.

“All Hands and the Cook”'s unrelenting beat and rhythm hammers its way into your subconscious, and gets lodged there. It's nice though. The song feels too short, but after repeated listens, it feels more natural. The swift and unexpected chord changes on a distorted electric organ give the song a sinister feeling that is dispelled by the pleasing chorus. The song is so good that it can block out all the negative-aura-creating-powers that Seoul can muster.

The best song on the record is “Lost in Boston”. It starts out with the slower tempo of many Walkmen songs, but is closest to what the uninitiated might call a rock song. By my count, there are three distinct bridges, each of which I eagerly anticipate every time I listen to it. In the throws of the most rocking part, the lines “Now, you can hear us shout, from miles around, somewhere uptown” are screamed over well-placed chord changes. It's enough to make you scream right along with it. Or go and drink rum and chocolate. “Brandy Alexander” is yet another great song; the kind of tune that should get regular play on college radio and lots of covers from earnest 18-year-olds trying to impress their girlfriends. The melody is simple, sweet and memorable.

This album has so far gotten me through the vomiting of children, the constant implied threat of dismissal, the incompetence of airlines that don't record who purchases a ticket, and one severe blow to the head. It's that kind of album. It's that good. Go out and buy or steal it right now.
-kit