The Walkmen @ Skylight Studios, NYC 4/20/06
Mark your calendars, kids: 5/23 is the release date for The Walkmen's third full length, A Hundred Miles Off. Last night Skylight Studios played host to the Filter Magazine Music Appreciation Party, a mix of free booze and industry schmooze. But where I come from -- and aside from a blazing Duke Spirit opening set -- it was "The Walkmen show." Over twelve songs (and the din of gabby unacquainted socialites) the band delivered a set of party starters and promising new cuts.
Though the new stuff was bound to be the focus, The Walkmen avoided a scenester riot and threw us a bone with past anthems "Little House of Savages," "Thinking of a Dream I Had" and "The Rat." Hamilton Leithauser's got a bit of a boozed up croon himself, so you can't blame the flavored-vodka fed hipster set for joining him, note for drunken note. The difference between the lit-up crowd and Hamilton, of course, is that Hamilton sounds great.
In interviews with Pitchfork and Spin, Ham spoke to a lighter, "groovier" sound, attributed to changing roles and band instrumentation. For each new song last night, with titles like "Lost In Boston" and "Emma Get Me A Lemon," Walter Martin would escape his keyboard and don the bass, with Peter Bauer grabbing a shekere for some shaking. All the while, Hamilton did his part, center stage, belting Dylan-esque melodies with easy confidence. Enjoying every second of it. Sounds like A Hundred Miles Off is gonna make the mark.
Stream "Louisiana," the lilting lead single from the album: QT | WMV
Some pics from last night's party:
Posted at 12:28 PM in Concert
Tags: The Duke Spirit | The Walkmen
the philly show was just as amazing....
their new album will drop in godly fashion.
long live the walkmen.
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please. please. i beg of you. find us some leaked tracks. i've grown tired of waiting.
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i thought the sound last night was TERRIBLE. just mud. ugh.
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Got the next best thing Matt. Enjoy the stream! It's a good one.
Jim - agreed. The sound was horrendous everywhere but up front (and even then it required some maneuvering).
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At last, a band that's actually worthy of pre-release blogger hype. I bow to the Walkmen.
The new Church CD is really good too!
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Yes.
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agreed - the sound last night was atrocious
however, i heart the walkmen
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the walkmen sure have beautiful guitars.
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anyone else see resemblance in pic 2 to keanu reeves? anyone??
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these dudes don't know louisiana from linen sports coats, and for all the walkmen ain't a dog and pony show talk, the track sounds pretty gimmicky to me (mariachi horns?!).
incidentally, as they've decided to bittersweetly exploit the sense of loss surrounding the south, i wonder how much of the proceeds are going to hurricane relief.
maybe that's unfair. i dunno. if the song didn't have mariachi horns i'd probably be more forgiving.
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if you did any research, or even emailed the band for that matter, you'd discover that "Louisiana" was written before that shit even happened, and has absolutely nothing to do with a natural fucking disaster. sorry, nbomb.
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yeah you on some gay shit, nbomb
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fairly played, but i still think its a) a gimmicky song and b) in kind of awkwardly poor taste.
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I saw Duke Spirit open for Ted Leo a couple of weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised enough to buy the disc afterwards. It's been in solid rotation since.
Glad to hear they're still hitting it live.
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You actually enjoyed the Duke Spirit? I saw them open for Ted Leo at Univ. of Richmond and it was less than sub-par. Maybe because there was no booze at all...
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By%20all%20means%20marry
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10/6/06 saw the walkmen play last night at axis/boston. they rocked my socks off! im in love with the whole band! absolutely amazing. music great, cant wait to see em again sometime!
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