The Walkmen
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
The Walkmen make a conscious attempt to evolve away from the raw, fiery garage sounds of their previous bands. They incorporate piano into the new songs as well as take the compositions in new directions by experimenting with instrumentation and recording techniques. The Walkmen are influenced by such diverse bands as the Pogues, Joy Division, Bruce Springsteen, Björk, U2, New Order, the Smiths, and the Cure. Their new music has favorably been compared to Pixies, Brian Eno, and the Velvet Underground with strong hints of U2 and Television. An online advertisement for the Marcata Studios explains that the owners appreciate the sonic recordings on Joy Divisions Peel Sessions, Talking Heads Fear of Music, the Specials The Specials, and Royal Truxs Singles, among others.
The Walkmen released a self-titled, four-song EP in 1999 through the small Brooklyn label Startime International (Brendan Benson) and completed a vinyl-only release to be made available at concerts. The first Walkmen concert was at ~Joes Pub in the East Village in September of 2000, shortly after their EP was released. In 2002, the Walkmen made their proper full-length debut with Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone. It was a favorite among most indie crowds and the album led the Walkmen to tour the world in support of it. Bows + Arrows, the bands first for Warner Bros Record Collection label, appeared two years later. Along with touring and appearing in a cameo on the Fox TV series #The O.C., the Walkmen began writing a novel, -Johns Journey, together. The band returned to the studio in 2005, working with Don Zientera at Arlington, VAs Inner Ear Studio on their third album, A Hundred Miles Off, and at their own Marcata Studio on a song-by-song cover of Harry Nilssons Pussy Cats. A Hundred Miles Off was released in spring 2006, and Pussy Cats arrived that fall.
