My plan to save space by returning charity shop compilations after culling the better songs isn't quite working.
It has been leading me to buy albums from some of the artists who grabbed my attention.
Last week it was the turn of The Beauty Shop
This time around it is another American indie band The Walkmen.
I was quite taken by Lost in Boston on a Now Hear This! compilation from October 2006.
On the back of this I then picked up a copy of A Hundred Miles Off the album from whence it came.
On the first listen I wasn't too sure about it. After a second listen I'm pretty much hooked. The splendidly named singer Hamilton Leithauser has an interesting vocal style; shouty on some occasions, Dylanesque on others.
Seven albums released between 2002 and 2012 with the band currently on hiatus pursuing solo careers.
And indeed a splendid racket on occasions. More exploration clearly required.
The Walkmen -Good For You's Good For Me
The Walkmen -Don't Get Me Down (Come On Over Here)
I agree with your shouty and/or Dylanesque summary if these two tracks are anything to go by - I come down on the Dylan side incidentally. This touches on something I think about as I listen to my own collection. If the band/artist you're listening to reminds you of (or more pertinently, sounds like) someone else and that someone else is especially high up in your estimation then why bother with second best? It'd certainly trim your music library to manageable proportions! It sounds logical but unfortunately there are too many variables.......
ReplyDeleteBig fan of these guys, and I think this is their second-best album. When on your charity shop dives, pick up Bows + Arrows if you see it.
ReplyDeleteI'd totally endorse Brian's suggestion; the problem I've always found with The Walkmen is that once you've heard 'The Rat' you want everything they do to be as balls-out brilliant...and nothing can be.
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