Imagine a forest in a faraway land. Brisk winds sweep through lush, emerald conifers as they flirt with the sky. Together, they display astonishing power and provoke an awed wonder undefined by humankind.
Such an idyllic offering does not exist in the coastal city of Lisbon’s urban center. Instead, the Walkmen invite you to get lost in their latest release that is named for the city, and framed by the trees.
Journeying through their tenth year together, in a career punctuated every two years by a new full-length CD, the Walkmen have forged a unique sound that belongs solely to them. These guys just have that something that escapes definition and transcends expectations. They have tweaked and honed it to mastery, finally putting it on display here.
They exhibit a degree of familiarity throughout their catalog that, at times, could be mistaken for a flawed lack of creativity, when it falls on unappreciative ears. That familiar sound, that sameness, however, is an intentional tool that establishes continuity and relies on pacing to emphasize the whole.
Strength emanates from the unity of the whole, but that is not to say the individual songs are any weaker on their own. In fact, it is the subtle differences and quirks in each track that make them each a memorable piece. Take for instance “Juveniles,” “Angela Surf City” and “Follow the Leader,” which follow one another to open Lisbon. Held together with the same rigid structures and aching guitar chords, each maintains an entirely different emotion supplied by the rhythm section. These opening tracks read like chapters in a book, or alternate perspectives of the same story.
Ironically titled, “Stranded” provides the greatest landmark on the record. A stand out track in itself, it measures singer Hamilton Leithauser’s jarring vocalized passion in square miles. All the while, triumphant horns echo as if from a mountaintop as a benchmark. In a twist of reason, this song might just be the best adventure drama of the year.
Although it was recorded in just five short days this summer, Lisbon feels anything but rushed. Nearly bereft of anything that could chalk up to a single, it allows the patient listener to explore an oasis of sound.
Thoughtful variations in instrumentation provide contrast among the similarity, but only to a serial traveler. This album is not made for those with a phobia of being lost. Rather, it rewards those curious enough to inspect the details, but with an exceptionally broad view so as not to miss the forest for the sake of the trees.
Further proof that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.
4 out 5 stars
