The Walkmen - New Years Eve
20 08 2008
This track is taken from their forth studio effort titled, “You & Me”. If you’ve picked up their previous albums, be sure to pick up this release — has more of the crooning, pop, and rock influences you’ve come to love from their previous releases.
Bio from last.fm:
The Walkmen are five New Yorkers who have played rock music since they were 10 years old. All five originally hail from Washington, D.C. where they attended the same high school and played in several bands. Over the years, and in their many ensembles, they’ve experimented with punk, noise, a lot of “garage” sounds, ska, and rock.
After Jonathan Fire*Eater imploded, Walter, Matt, and Paul rounded up enough investors to rent a Harlem industrial space, and convert it into a 24-track analog recording studio. Dubbed “Marcata Recording”, the new space became the birthplace, home, and virtual sixth member of the Walkmen. Joining with ex-Recoys, Walter’s cousin Hamilton and his friend Peter (who had for years been slaving away in the East Village for spots at the Continental and Luna as The Recoys), the lineup was complete by the summer of 2000. Over the course of the next year the band sedulously wrote and recorded late in the evenings after work. It was hot in the summer and cold in the winter. While adjusting to their new space and equipment, the band engaged in much experimentation with sound.
Their first show took place at Joe’s Pub in the East Village in September of 2000. Onto the tiny stage the band lugged an upright piano, a bass cabinet that was taller than the bass player, three amplifiers, an organ, a lap steel, two tape machines, three guitars, and a set of drums. The show was a great success, so they decided to stick together. Since then the boys have remained dedicated to their instrumentation, and even got their hands on an over-sized, rotting upright in London which nearly ruined the trip (one show was on the third floor).
Initial press for their debut EP gave the Walkmen positive reviews but focussed mainly on the former notoriety of three of its members, all of whom played in the much hyped, short-lived Jonathan Fire*Eater. The band began to be judged on their own merit with the release of their debut album, Everybody Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone (2002).
It was with the release of their second album Bows + Arrows in 2004 that they truly came to the fore, after The Rat received heavy airplay on alternative radio in both the US and the UK.
The Walkmen’s third album, A Hundred Miles Off was released in the US on 23rd May 2006 and in the UK on 26th September 2006.
The band’s influences include, Bruce Springsteen, The Pogues, The Cure, Björk, The Smiths, Joy Division, Neil Young, and New Order. Primarily piano and organ provide the basis for each song, with dashes of a variety of guitars and tapes. The bass holds a steady, booming foundation, and the drums fluctuate from minimal to down right furious. The vocals range from strong and long-held highs to reserved falsettos and lazy lows. The songs can be light and playful, or huge and atmospheric.
Categories : Pop, Rock
