Customer Reviews

Bows & Arrows

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

On The Walkmen's attention-getting debut, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone, lead singer Hamilton Leithauser often sounded like a slightly inebriated but infinitely cooler-than-thou New Yorker sidling across the bar to seduce your girlfriend. But on Bows and Arrows, their sophomore effort, it is clearly Leithauser's girlfriend that has been snatched away -- and the palpable frustration, desperation, and ultimately resignation that this twist generates plainly makes Bows and Arrows the bolder statement of the two.

Leithauser sings with a much more seething edge here, a trait that is showcased the most on the record's two most immediately striking tracks: the rampaging testiment to overwhelming loneliness that is "The Rat", and the jagged crescendo of the stunning "Little House of Savages." Despite how stellar the rest of this album is, these two songs can't help but be the standouts of the collection -- in fact, they may end up selling the other tracks fatally short upon the first listen. But revisiting the music shows that primarily, Bows and Arrows is a work of subtle undercurrents and quietly effective songcraft, and some of its most showstopping moments may drift past inattentive ears.

The album's most effective characteristic is its near-perfect sense of time and place. It's tough to think of another album that puts the listener so vividly in the haze of early morning in the city that never sleeps. "My Old Man" plays out like the singer's bitter ruminations as he stumbles drunkenly home at 3:00 in the morning from watching some dirty schmoozer grope his girlfriend all night at a smoky New York bar. When he tells you it's 4 o' clock in the morning on the tender "Hang On, Siobahn," you're right there across the table from him, sipping cheap wine and sharing his defeated heartache. In "Thinking of a Dream I Had," you can all but taste his indignant jilted angst as the subway trains rush by. The entire album is filled with these vivid moments, created by the dreamlike production, the subtly effective vocal performances of Leithauser, and most impressively the incredibly intuitive drumming of Matt Barrick. It may take a few repeated listens to grasp the riches of this record, but once it's found its way into your psyche, it's tough to find another record this year that has matched it in the particular qualities that it excels at. It is the ultimate alienated New York record of 2004.

"Bows & Arrows" doesn't stray far from the first album by the New York-based (and D.C.-spawned) Walkmen, but it stays on firm ground. It has some duller moments (such as the plodding closing track) but manages overall to provide some good solid rock with a few alluring flourishes.

A slow, reverberating riff opens to the mournful question, "What In It For Me?", before kicking off into a round of solid rock songs (the vaguely new-wave "Rat," the rather strange "House of Savages"), melancholy laments ("No Christmas While I'm Talking," the music-box ballad "Hang on Siobhan") before winding up with the soaring rocker "Thinking of a Dream I Had" and the unexceptional title track.

Perhaps the biggest problem with "Bows & Arrows" is the hesitant quality -- nothing ever breaks loose. It may please you, but it won't blow you off your feet. But the unpolished atmosphere of it will make your spine tingle at times, and it hints that the Walkmen may get even better.

The guitar work tends to range from good to outstanding, especially when it erupts in "Rat" or twangs in "My Old Man," with a backdrop of thunderous percussion. Twining through it all is an undercurrent of piano and organs, a shivery wall of synths that are twisted every which way. At times, the synths even sound a bit like a string chorus.

Frontman Hamilton Leithauser has a sort of raw, hoarse voice, a bit like a very desperate Bob Dylan. At times ("My Old Man") the music drowns him out, but most of the time he adds to the atmosphere. Not to mention the raw emotion he gives to lines like "You've got a nerve to be asking a favor/You've got a nerve to be calling my number/I know we've been through this before ."

It's easy to lump the Walkmen in with other "the" bands, but their moody brand of rock is a good, solid listen. Despite a few sub-par songs, "Bows & Arrows" hits the bull's eye.

The Walkmen may be a young band, and "Bows And Arrows" their second album, but they definitely have their feet planted firmly in an earlier time. With their occasionally messy working-class rock sound and reflective lyrics, these guys sound a lot like they're trying to become this decade's equivalent of the Replacements. Indeed, on a few tracks I think I can hear frontman Hamilton Leithauser straining to replicate Paul Westerberg's raspy croon. And it's when they come closest to matching the Replacements' anthemic style that the Walkmen are at their best.

Making the most immediate impact on "Bows And Arrows" are the hard-driving uptempo rockers "The Rat," "Little House of Savages," and "Thinking of a Dream I Had," where Leithauser's impassioned howl is backed by walls of jangly guitars and Matt Barrick's whip-smart drumbeats. With Leithauser intoning his longing lyrics in an aching croak, "My Old Man" and the post-breakup story "The North Pole" manage to be both depressing and defiant at the same time. Slower, atmospheric, almost elegaic songs like "What's In It for Me," "No Christmas While I'm Talking," and the piano-driven "Hang On, Siobhan" may take a little time to warm up too, but they're worth the wait. However, the band doesn't really stretch out until the concluding title track, a five-minute plus number that burns slowly and builds steadily through some insistent drumming and twisted guitar work. It's a little weirder than the rest of what's found here, but that winds up being a good thing.

While the quality of the songwriting and musicianship is generally good, I still have to say I was a tad bit disappointed in this album. While it certainly beats almost everything that gets played on the radio these days, "Bows And Arrows" still marks the sound of a band trying to find its own way. That said, if these guys can continue maturing and start cranking out more great songs like "Little House of Savages," there's a great deal of hope for them. I for one am eager to hear the next album from these guys.

It's too bad that the Walkmen will endlessly be compared to The Stokes. I would think such a comparison results from a shallow first listen, and on this record a listener so quick to make such a judgment must not have even made it past the second song, "The Rat", which certainly invokes the sounds of The Strokes, but hardy as a simple form of imitation of style. I would say the more just comparison is early U2 (say October), both vocally and because The Walkmen have almost mastered the art of subtlety, though I think their first record serves as a better example. The Walkmen express what most bands today lack, Strokes included, and that is strong sense of melancholy, an understanding of solitude, and the need to hold on to some form of meaning; yet they do this not only lyrically but through a layer of noisy guitars, piano and keyboards, all while eschewing any remnants of pretension. I think this is an outstanding record in part because it is able to capture a mood. Unlike many bands from this New York scene, the songs vary in tempo giving the record some depth--it's not a straight forward rock record at all. With this album, I think, the Walkmen, have solidified a sound and a mood that distinguishes them from the rest of the pack of NY kids; it's not all about semblance.

as you may already know the rolling stone review of this new walkmen record was less than positive- something about being too lethargic and "new york retro rock" being on the way out. first of all, how could anyone listen to a song like "the rat" or "little house of savages" and say this record has no energy?? did the reviewer even listen to the record? these songs are as urgent and desperate as the band has ever sounded and an utter joy to hear. also i think the rolling stone review missed the point entirely- i don't think this band is even concerned with riding the recent trend of retro late 70s/80s rock- they are taking these influences and crafting a lovely fresh sound. the walkmen work much more with texture and atmosphere to create a sound that i can only describe as haunted (much unlike a band like the strokes). if you enjoyed their previous record, or even if you didn't, you should know this one is more energetic, more focused, and more confident. and please see them live. i saw them for the first time last oct and it was a blast. it's a pretty great thing to watch hamilton sing.

This is better than their first album. The songs sound tighter and they just seem more into their element.
It's a great CD and I'd suggest anyone who's either a fan or semi fan of their previous work to check this one out!

Everything, to be exact. If you purchase this album, you will not be disappointed. There is not one bad song here. If you liked The Walkmen's previous album, this one is a little more raucus, a little more urgent and Hamilton sounds a little more tormented. It really makes me wonder how a band this good is not more popular on modern rock radio, not that they need to be. I'm just curious...

On their second LP "Bows and Arrows" The Walkmen haved established themselves as one of the best bands on the New York scene. This album does what sophomore efforts are supposed to do, it IMPROVES upon their first album. The album goes back and forth from hypnotic to furious, and it does so seemlessly. The sedate opener "What's in it for me?" is followed by "The Rat", a frenzied declaration of frustration. Hamilton Leithauser sings like he's trapped at the bottom of a well, mad at everything and everyone, but mostly at himself. Drummer Matt Barrick's attack on his snare carries the excellent "Little House of Savages". It cna be easy to overlook the rhythm section sometimes, but not on this album. Pete Bauer's bass playing is as tight as Barrick's drumming. The most outstanding aspect of "Bows & Arrows" is how melodic it sounds. You can think the songwriting, guitars, and keyboards for that. On some of the slower songs, such as "138th Street", the guitar playing is dreamlike. Leithauser's voice at times sounds like a young Rod Stewart, (forgive me for that, but you'll see what I mean) like it does on "The North Pole". At other times I hear a little Shane McGowan (on "Hang on, Siobhan"). It all seems to fit in very well, and, like Interpol's "Turn on the Bright Lights", the album invokes a New York city feel that is unmistakeable. That is exactly what it should do.

This album is fabulous. Melodic, Too Cool For school, sincere, passionate, and semi-garage. Seems to describe life in New York City from a gentlemen in his mid twenties. relationships, scene assimilation, heartbreak, growing up,. Sounds like Frank Sinatra meets the Strokes with a more passionate overall sound. Singing voice heavily influenced by Lou Reed and the replacements, seems to come out crooner-esque. fast picking and innovative Guitar technique combined with subtle and chiming organ melodies gives the music a strong dramatic feel.

In Tower Records Tokyo I stumbled across The Walkmen's first release "Everyone..." and bought it purely because I liked the cover. Sometimes impulsiveness has its rewards and I've been hooked and transfixed ever since. As corny as it sounds, when one gives time to this record one enters into a secret club that not everyone but those that GET IT wish to join.
When I heard that their new record "Bows and Arrows" was out I picked it up- plugged it into my CD Walkman and expectantly went out into a cold January night. The first track was slow, atmospheric (not altogether unexpected) and I continued to keep walking. But when track 2 kicked in ("The Rat")with all its guitar surging, hair standing on end magnificence- well all love for this band went to a new place.
Other particular goodies on this record "My Old Man", "The North Pole" and "Thinking of a Dream I Had". The latter will always remind me of standing on a Subway platform- something I used to do a lot.