The Walkmen- You & Me

"Oh I'm still living...I know that it's true. It's gonna be a good year." Such is the wisdom of Hamilton Leithauser on standout single "A Good Year." The trick is, he sings it with such conviction you can't help but buy in. It is precisely this brand of downtrodden optimism that permeates the entire disc. You & Me manages to strike a perfect balance between muddied underachievement and moody atmospherics. The album is packed with deceptive simplicity and like a good portion of those desert island albums we always return to, it comes off relatively unimpressive after the first listen. 

However, it is all in the details. It can be found in the casual horns on "Red Moon," or the soulful, swelling jangle of "Canadian Girl" with its woodblock fills. These guys maintain a sort of effortless cool that just can't be ignored. Songs like "Four Provinces" and "Long Time Ahead of Us" conjure a type of introspective sway that manages to relax and engage concurrently. This is not an album to be relegated to the background, nor is it by any means a party disc. This is ideal "grower" material, meant to be appreciated after a few casual familiarizing listens and a few glasses of wine. And when it does hit, boy does it deliver. If I were to point to any sort of legitimate contemporary comparison it would have to be Spoon. The Walkmen manage to project the same sort of underdog aesthetics and deceptively straightforward melodies that made the Austin standouts such indie darlings. Almost all of these songs are peppered with subdued, motivational nuggets. These are lyrics we can all relate to, so when Leithauser implores us to"Drive on," as he does on "I Lost You," we have no choice but to heed his command. When he assures us in his aching, confident croon that "The highway's bright and long," we can't help but revel in a sense of camaraderie. These are words of support meant to offer a reaffirmation of confidence, a reenforced sense of purpose and independence. You & Me is a rallying cry for those perpetually down on their luck. And it is not to be missed.

-Don't miss The Walkmen at The Metro tomorrow night!