The Beat Surrender

The Walkmen are a band who for me have always hinted at greatness without really delivering the goods consistently, particularly when it comes albums.

They are onto album number four now and for me they still haven’t produced a great album to date and that sadly includes You & Me which was released today.

Anyone expecting them to be churning out new versions The Rat is in for a surprise as well, they’ve more than moved on from that derfining moment a few years back, insteadthey are now a less intense listen, Hamilton Leithauser still remains a bit of an enigma. A couple of the tracks on here his vocals sound world beating, in particular the tracks Donde Esta La Playa and On The Water, on others he sounds like someone trying to learn to sing.

As with past albums there is something slightly unsettling lurking musically in the background to the lyrics, this does add some real intrigue and mood, it’s just a shame that not all of the fourteen tracks stretch being being a little too odd and weird, with some of them feeling slightly weighed down by the band over thinking about some of the songs structures.