The Walkmen have consistently and unaffectedly released some of the sharpest, cleanest indie rock of the past decade. After half a dozen or so albums, The Walkmen have pretty much perfected this sort of wearied, angular rock. And their past few albums have really highlighted the strength inherent in this kind of music when it's treated with respect and the sort of confident creativity that The Walkmen possess. Much like the justly celebrated Bows + Arrows and You & Me, Lisbon produces the kind of determined pessimism that has become a standing traditon for Walkmen albums. But where other bands tend to wallow in this perceived offense, The Walkmen take it as just another part of their day, nothing necessarily out of the ordinary. And this careless regard for what brings them down is what marks Lisbon as such a special kind of album. Songs like the surf-rock inspired romp of "Angela Surf City" or the uptempo beat of first single "Stranded" complete the forward progression of their last few records. The Walkmen have never shyed away from bitter, sarcastic songs and this set is no exception, except for a slightly dark humor about their misfortune, which has skittered around on all their albums. Lisbon shows The Walkmen playing to their strengths and continuing their run of challenging, yet familiar, records and allowing the expansiveness of these songs to inhabit a place all their own.
Tracklisting:
01. Juveniles
02. Angela Surf City
03. Follow the Leader
04. Blue as Your Blood
05. Stranded (listen to the mp3 below)
06. Victory
07. All My Great Designs
08. Woe is Me
09. Torch Song
10. While I Shovel the Snow
11. Lisbon
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