MUSIC REVIEW: THE WALKMEN - 'LISBON'
An Album Of Two Moods Might Just Create The Best Walkmen Yet
(Fat Possum/Bella Union) Ten years and six studio albums into their career, The Walkmen remind us why we continue to return with such fondness to their public outings. If reports are true, the band recorded somewhere in the region of thirty tracks before settling on this collection of eleven. Such heavy-handed editing, such exclusivity is a rare treat. Where other acts may be tempted to offer diluted versions of themselves or to pump out a double album risking lack of focus, The Walkmen set the cross-hairs on what they wish to achieve.
With Lisbon, they hit bulls-eye. 
John Congleton steps into the producer’s booth and helps turn in one of the more sparse albums that we’ve heard from the band. The arrival of a brass section on "Stranded" adds all the warmth any mature album could ever hold. “I’m the bigger man here, it’s true ... I’m stranded and I’m starry-eyed.” The song may stand out in the running order, but it’s a crisp punctuation, enhancing proceedings rather than forcing distraction. Whilst the additional dimension may sound like a departure from previous releases, the effect is uncluttered and just as charismatic as anything we’d dare hope for.
It could be argued that this is an album of two moods. There are some shudderingly thoughtful, introspective tracks which are musically and lyrically smooth. "All My Great Designs" is a prime example -- it has a pulse of its own. You may just take hold of yourself and double-take, re-listening as lyrics and guitar phrases interplay and dance with one another. The other prevalent mood is certainly of much racier, driven intent, perhaps a reassurance that we’ll still be able to move and bounce at The Walkmen gigs. The edgier sensibility has not been dispatched with entirely. One of the real magical elements of the collection is Matt Barrick’s drumming presence. What happens within a simple beat can mutate into a tempting little groove-riff which never casts shadow, over-imposes, or forces itself on any song. "Victory" is a little more than a simple set of percussive clicks leading to splash cymbals, building in fortitude, adding great accent to the tone, not just of this song but the entire album.
The tale of Lisbon is one of a relationship between location and time as much as it is of one between people. It is also a tale of love, since the band expresses a deep association with the city. Describing their visits to a place with which they all feel connected, there is a genuine fondness. Looking beyond their familiar environment, The Walkmen have become more familiar with themselves, and they’ve progressed, confidently, into more than one new territory. The eleven tracks on Lisbon inform the listener that things are changing; this could be the best Walkmen yet.
For Fans Of: The National, Modest Mouse
Standout Tracks: "Blue As Your Blood," "Stranded," "While I Shovel The Snow"
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