The Walkmen "Bows and Arrows" LP all over p2p -- download and dissect.

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Track #2, "The Rat," is more energetic than usual for the Walkmen (and lends more credence to early U2 comparisons).

Strongest section of the album might be the middle. "Little House of Savages," "My Old Man," "138th Street," and "The North Pole" would make a stellar EP.

The one dud might be "No Christmas While I'm Talking," but that's only because it's a mood piece pushed up to the front of the album (track #3). It might make more sense closer to the end.

In general, my high expectations have been met.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 7 December 2003 05:55 (twenty-one years ago)

this record is incredible. i LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE "no christmas while i'm talking" and i love it up at the beginning assaulting the listener with moodiness (same w/ the equally moody first track).

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:00 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't you think it sort of interrupts the momentum that should be carried over from "The Rat" though?

I wasn't even crazy about "No Christmas..." when they posted a live recording on their own site, so maybe I'm biased.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:02 (twenty-one years ago)

maybe we just like the band for different reasons.

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Score one for ILx diversity!

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:09 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry, that was very usenet of me

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:12 (twenty-one years ago)

i don't mind "the rat" where it is -- my only objection (and i think it's a great song) is that they're releasing it as the single. it sounds so much like a strokes song that it might actually be an impediment to them being taken at all seriously (and yeah, the fucking saturn commercial didn't help). excellent band, terrible career strategists.

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I have to wonder if "The Rat" should have been released as a stand-alone single. Sure, a portion of the album is really upbeat, but nowhere near the feel of that track. Does it set everything else off balance?

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i dunno, i like the contrast. but i wish they'd worked a little harder on making the songs' endings as good as the rest of the tracks... the songs are so intense and then they just end abruptly or sputter out. it was fine on the first album but this one's more songy and songy songs should have real endings.

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 December 2003 06:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Is it just me, or does this record sound a hell of a lot like winter? And I don't just mean the song titles (No Christmas, New Year's Eve, The North Pole), although they help.

But yeah, sweet album, at least from first impressions.

― Simon H., Sunday, 7 December 2003 14:10 (twenty-one years ago)

The first record felt wintery as well. The Walkmen have become my "winter band."

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Sunday, 7 December 2003 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Oooh. I have it queued up right now. Very excited. Thanks for the heads up.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Sunday, 7 December 2003 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

excellent band, terrible career strategists.

Well, yeah, more than half of the band were Jonathan Fire*Eater -that's their thing. It's what they do.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Sunday, 7 December 2003 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

exactly.

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Sunday, 7 December 2003 22:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Eh, I dunno, guys, sounds fucking bland as bread to me. I liked the first album OK, but I just downloaded "No Christmas...," "My Old Man," and even the supposed 'rock' track, "The Rat" and I'm bored shitless.

― roger adultery, Monday, 8 December 2003 06:49 (twenty-one years ago)

good for you.

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 8 December 2003 06:50 (twenty-one years ago)

The record is slowly growing on me right now. I don't like it as much as the first record, but it's okay. I'm really fond of "New Year's Eve" and "Little House of Savages," and there's nothing that I don't like.

I've got an mp3 of "New Year's Eve" over on my blog starting today, if anyone is interested.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 8 December 2003 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

When does this come out for real? My connection is too slow to download the whole thing, but I'm looking forward to this. Their debut was one of my favorites of last year.

― NA (Nick A.), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Early February, according to the Walkmen website.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 8 December 2003 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Got this one last night and won't think twice about slapping some cash down for it. The title track and "138th Street" are really doing it for me. I haven't spent enough time w/ it to know how it holds up against "Everyone Who Pretended..." but I'm definitely enjoying this, regardless.

― Alex Pittman (Alex Pittman), Monday, 8 December 2003 19:58 (twenty-one years ago)

what's doing it for me is the one-two punch of the last two tracks. it lends this really great dynamic arc to the album, especially that big soaring octave leap at the end.

― bad jode (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 8 December 2003 20:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I was listening to the album while I was out just now, and I noticed that the general dynamics of the sequencing is pretty similar for the first four songs of the two Walkmen records. Hmmm.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 8 December 2003 22:56 (twenty-one years ago)

anyone on kazaa with this? macs finally sux0rs.

― Dean Gulberry (deangulberry), Tuesday, 9 December 2003 02:08 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

"The rat" rocks the socks out of red hot chili peppers' cocks.

― 7438, Friday, 6 February 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

this album flattens every other rock band in sight

― justin (Justin M), Saturday, 7 February 2004 10:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't care for their first album, but I am liking this one. You can make Strokes comparisons, but at least the Walkmen try to mix it up a bit.

― christhamrin (christhamrin), Saturday, 7 February 2004 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"I didn't care for their first album, but I am liking this one."

I dunno, for me it's completely the other way around. I'm with roger on this one. "The Rat" happens to be the song on it that I particularly enjoy. Don't really hear a strong resemblance to the Strokes. SORRA.

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Sunday, 8 February 2004 00:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, I found them both pretty equally great so far, both the albums that is. I don't think they sound like the Strokes in general, but "The Rat" sounds a hell of a lot like them. Do you ever find that the reason you like a band is because there's something that makes them hate-able to other people? I can really see others hating the singing on the Walkmen album, and it's the kind of thing I normally can't stand, but I think he throws enough of himself into his singing for it to seem heartfelt as opposed to just showing off.

― NA (Nick A.), Sunday, 8 February 2004 01:46 (twenty-one years ago)

as for " the rat", i don't get the strokes comparison at all... it sounds more like bruce springsteen to me.

― justin (Justin M), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

'what's in it for me?'

― justin (Justin M), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Just keep listening...the album grows and grows. Soon you'll be hearing it in your head right before sleep.

― Yanni Dangerously, Tuesday, 10 February 2004 02:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I've only listened to it once but I'm definitely enjoying it more than the last one. It feels like they're really coming into their own, though the singer still rankles me occasionally in an Ian Astbury sorry-dude-your-voice-ain't-as-pretty-as-the-music-so-stop-moaning-over-it-please kinda way. But I'm definitely going to be playing this at LEAST a few more times (which is a few more times than the debut full-length, if not the EP which I kinda dug)

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 02:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Big compliment I can give them that I could never give Brian Johnston-era AC/DC: I don't wonder how the original guy could have improved the tracks anymore.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 10 February 2004 02:34 (twenty-one years ago)

This record definitely gets better with time. I was really looking forward to it and was very underwhelmed upon first listen. Now, I listen to it over and over again. The second half is 100% good, imo.
My favorite track is The North Pole both for the drumming and the organ sounding like a string section during the chorus. Looking forward to seeing them live again, as the rock songs rock hard live, esp My Old Man if memory serves.

― Mitchell (Mitchell), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 19:33 (twenty-one years ago)

This is the thread where we figure out how much this video cost to make.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 05:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the vid; it's very early '90s, something that might have sneaked into my consciousness during the 2nd hour of 120 Minutes while I was drifting off to sleep... it feels less retro-punk than it looks.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 06:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i think that this disc pales in comparison to their first effort. where is the piano?!?

― todd swiss (eliti), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 06:04 (twenty-one years ago)

It reminds me of any one of the 1966 films of the Velvet Undergound

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

"hang on, siobhan" and "new year's eve" are pretty piano-intensive. and practically every song has organ on it.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

i am just never satisfied, thats all.

― todd swiss (eliti), Tuesday, 17 February 2004 06:09 (twenty-one years ago)

this is easily the best album I've heard so far this year

― Michael B, Friday, 20 February 2004 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

im with todd, liked the debut much more.

― Chris V (Chris V), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Am interviewing Hamilton Leithauser tomorrow evening - any questions, great sages of ILM?

The Walkmen are a very recent discovery for me, I literally only heard them for the first time last week, but I'm loving the new album very much.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 4 March 2004 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I'd just like to take back my comment about the singer not annoying me anymore upthread. I listened tot his album again and he still does. I like the songs with beats (same as with the last album).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 4 March 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I started this thread raving about it. I'm already down to only liking about 50% of the record.

Hate when that happens...

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 4 March 2004 17:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I like all the songs (even the songs I glossed over at first are now among my favorites -- "My Old Man" holla), but "New Year's Eve" seems a little mismatched with the tone of the record -- they should have given it to the Fiery Furnaces.

I'm really loving "The Rat" more than ever; there's some very exciting movement going on in there.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 4 March 2004 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him what his fav. U2 album is and then ask him if he ever knew that his fly was down the whole time during the last show in LA.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 4 March 2004 17:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Dean, I was at that show! I was in the second row the whole time and I didn't notice! Maybe they should have introduced "The Rat" as "The Fly."

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 4 March 2004 18:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Ask him if they'll ever consider covering Echo And The Bunnymen's "Do It Clean"

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 4 March 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

ask him if they'd consider covering "Give Me Daughters."

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 4 March 2004 18:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Gulberry, SO OTM about Hamilton's fly being down the whole time at the Henry Fonda. I was SURE his donk was going to pop out. It was hard to take him seriously for a stretch when he was screaming. Great show, though.

Ask him why they never, ever play "That's the Punch Line" when it's so clearly one of their best songs.

And ask him why they always say "We're the Walkmen from Washington, D.C." at the start of their shows instead of NYC (as a D.C. native, I appreciate the repping, but it seems weird).

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Damn, sounds like it was an ILXOR party at that Walkmen show. I saw ELVISCHRIS but no one else looked familiar.

― dean! (deangulberry), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I was the one standing next to him. With the hair.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:38 (twenty-one years ago)

THat makes it sound like he had a bald girl on the other side of him...

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw ELVISCHRIS but no one else looked familiar.

Spazz! Why didn't you say hi?

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:49 (twenty-one years ago)

From http://ilx.wh3rd.net/thread.php?msgid=4318387 ...

Hey Dean, see you at the Walkmen show also
-- Elvis Telecom (chri...), February 21st, 2004.
--------------------------------
Yeah, I got free tickets! WOOT
-- dean! (dea...), February 21st, 2004.
--------------------------------
So Elvis/Chris ... how'd you enjoy the show?
-- dean! (dea...), February 24th, 2004

(silence)

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:00 (twenty-one years ago)

..at which point I would have said "Oh, you enjoyed it? Me too. I had seen you and was going to say hi after the show but was approached by Spike Jonze's brother and Ben Lee and then you were gone."

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I got strep throat walking from the show to the Frolic Room in the pouring rain.

You know, maybe there should be easily revivable threads for each big city -- a thread just called " * LOS ANGELES * " or something, for example -- and people can mention shows they're going to and people who post here who have never met in person can meet and have a beer or something. Is that too creepy? And people could announce shows on there that are region specific, in case you are visiting a different city one weekend.

Or not, but don't you think that'd be cool?

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Deerhoof tonight @ the Echo.

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:07 (twenty-one years ago)

We could always start a board, too ... to avoid the thread getting lost of c*lumed over.....

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

(silence)

hahaha. I wasn't really paying attention to that thread.

The show was pretty great, though I wasn't really paying that much attention to Hamilton so I missed the whole "fly incident". Their drummer is fantastic, which prompted my Echo And The Bunnymen comment above. On the whole I'm liking the new album more now than when I first heard it.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

This makes me nostalic for seeing the Walkmen at the Echo pre-renovation / pre-lame-hipster-injection.

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:11 (twenty-one years ago)

The Henry Fonda show made me nostalgic for the NYC Knitting Factory show a few months ago -- smaller stage, no security partitions, easier to see what all the band members are doing and what kind of gear they've got (although they're young and poor and their arsenal always remains pretty small and stable). But I just think they play better to smaller rooms; they don't seem to know what to do with themselves with that much space between them. That said, and in spite of a few mistakes/off moments, the HF show was really great.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The HF show before this one was terrible, imo. I don't know if you were there or not.

― dean! (deangulberry), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I was not. But they've been outfuckingstanding all the other times I've seen them.

― jody (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 5 March 2004 00:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Dean - You're talking about the one this past summer? When they played with Kaito UK? I thought they were pretty good then... how come you thought it stunk? I guess song-selection wise it wasn't nearly as good as this last one.

Okay, I am off to start the Los Angeles thread... we'll see if I get the dreaded (silence)!

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Friday, 5 March 2004 01:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Last call for Walkmen questions, folks. I've never seen them live, which would appear to be something of a fundamental handicap...but anyway.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Friday, 5 March 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

six months pass...

I don't know why I've avoided this record before, but "The Rat" is really very good. I'd heard it out at hipster clubs for months and finally asked the DJ (a Moving Units member) what it was and I was kind of shocked. The vocal is a little overwrought, but the music is perfect (and the drumming is excellent).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 23 September 2004 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Which Moving Unit was playing it, Spencer? Just curious. I wonder how their album is going to be, too, considering it was recorded like 2 years ago in the middle of dance-punk Ratpurefied MANIA. Kind of looking forward to it.

― Taxi Dancing in the Soft Prison (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 23 September 2004 18:04 (twenty-one years ago)

It was the singer, Blake. I'm curious to hear the record too, but yeah I'm thinking it's coming out too late (but "Between Us & Them" will always be great).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 23 September 2004 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

JEAN JACKET ROCK.

― La Monte (La Monte), Thursday, 23 September 2004 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Anyways, yeah, I think "Between Us & Them" is absolutely awesome, though I was sad to hear the album version, which changes the tricky off-time into of the drums... it's one of the coolest things about that song on the E.P. version. (They have an MP3 of the new one up at insound)

Oh, and is "Jean Jacket Rock" is meant to be derogatory?

― Taxi Dancing in the Soft Prison (Ben Boyer), Thursday, 23 September 2004 18:20 (twenty-one years ago)

eighteen years pass...

https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2023/september/play-the-rat-again

― mookieproof, Thursday, 21 September 2023 12:27 (two years ago)

oh nice will read that

was at a record shop a few days ago and paid probably too much for the “white” EP from 2001

― k3vin k., Thursday, 21 September 2023 13:26 (two years ago)

a headline show by the Strokes at All Points East, supported by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and, some way down the bill, the Walkmen

I was at that festival and The Walkmen were one of the bands I was most excited to see. The last time I had seen them was 20 years ago - 2003 also in London. They played The Rat early on - maybe 3rd or 4th song. You could see most people completely lose interest after that which made me sad. Hamilton was charming and they sounded fantastic. Closed with we've Been Had which is a fave of mine.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 21 September 2023 13:49 (two years ago)

Awesome, thank you for posting, mp

― brimstead, Thursday, 21 September 2023 15:04 (two years ago)

I just had a chance to read the whole thing. I lived in nyc from 96-99 there was def music happening lol. I loved JFE. I had an internship at a music PR company during that time and they were one of our clients. My mind was blown when, years later, I found out the walkmen were 1/2 of JFE.

― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Thursday, 21 September 2023 15:54 (two years ago)

everyone who pretended to like me is gone is my favorite rock album of the 00s and it’s not close. they ran circles around their peers while doing donuts

― brimstead, Thursday, 21 September 2023 16:20 (two years ago)

^^^ what he said. I still pull that CD out at least twice a year

― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 21 September 2023 16:40 (two years ago)

Bows and Arrows is also choice. Album #3 didn’t quite work for me and I drifted away from the band, but have been meaning to try it on again and check out the rest of the catalogue.

― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, 21 September 2023 16:41 (two years ago)

Love these guys, found that article a little weird. The band had a very nice career and plenty of recognition, the idea that they were underappreciated on some level doesn't resonate with me.

― intheblanks, Thursday, 21 September 2023 18:49 (two years ago)

though i guess if your worldview is shaped being shaped by "meet me in the bathroom," a book myopically focused only on the musicians who made a bunch of money, the walkmen may start to look like underdog heroes

― intheblanks, Thursday, 21 September 2023 18:57 (two years ago)

whoops, typo in there

― intheblanks, Thursday, 21 September 2023 18:57 (two years ago)

can't quite speak to meeting in the bathroom but 'now I go out alone if I go out at all' was too relatable then and even moreso now

― mookieproof, Friday, 22 September 2023 05:10 (two years ago)

Their last album is my favorite.

― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Friday, 22 September 2023 05:14 (two years ago)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/05/04/the-walkmen-tour-interview/

Article about them reuniting and a bit about their past

― curmudgeon, Friday, 22 September 2023 05:41 (two years ago)

Thanks for sharing that!

― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Friday, 22 September 2023 11:29 (two years ago)

Album #3 didn’t quite work for me and I drifted away from the band, but have been meaning to try it on again and check out the rest of the catalogue.

― The Triumphant Return of Bernard & Stubbs (Raymond Cummings), Thursday, September 21, 2023 11:41 AM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

yeah album 3 is probably their worst, but they quickly recovered. you & me and lisbon are prob my favorites by them

― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Friday, 22 September 2023 13:36 (two years ago)

“you & me” is my favorite as well

― k3vin k., Friday, 22 September 2023 14:27 (two years ago)

remember getting to see them while they were touring this album and the whole band had such stage presence - Matt Barrick is a beast drummer live.

― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Friday, 22 September 2023 14:55 (two years ago)

best indie drummer of the era, only real competition was bryan devendorf

― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Friday, 22 September 2023 15:12 (two years ago)

Re Heaven album from that Wash Post article--

They lived across the country at the time — New Orleans, New York, Philly — had wives and kids and were growing wary of life on the road. “When we were really doing it, we struggled. Always. From the beginning through the highest parts,” Martin says. “Just to keep it going. It’s five people. A lot of time five people living in New York City. A lot of time with families. It was hard, carrying our own stuff and being in the van.”

“Being in a band definitely does a lot of problematic stuff to your psychology. Makes you a mess in like 90 different ways,” Bauer adds. “I think that was one thing for us as adults. Like, why are these five guys driving around in a van? It’s f---ing weird.”

― curmudgeon, Friday, 22 September 2023 15:25 (two years ago)

I could not get into anything past album 2, although I kept trying

They were “my guys”

― brimstead, Friday, 22 September 2023 16:55 (two years ago)

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