The Walkmen - The Blue Route

Known mainly for ‘The Rat’ back in 2004, The Walkmen are still going strong, as can be seen from this release. It’s a drunken blues song, “What happened to you”, singer Hamilton Leithauser howls and you expect the song to explode into a cacophony of guitars and drums. It doesn’t, it swells up, building, adding violins and driving further onwards.

‘The Blue Route’ could have been recorded at any time in history, such is it’s appeal. It’s the sound that feels weighted with the entire world on it’s back. There’s cymbal crashes at the key moments and clinks of precussion in the background that could be the sound of ice cubes in whiskey glasses. We could be getting carried away here, but such is the immersive nature of the song.

At the same time a stripped down and bluesy whilst being soaring and heavenly. It’s made for the night. Excellent. B-side ‘Canadian Girl’ is very much worth a look too.