Bows + Arrows

Emerging from waves of crashing cymbals and fuzzed-out guitars comes a raw, angry wail. Like other NYC bands including Interpol and the Strokes, The Walkmen rely on layers of reverb and distorted guitars and draw upon influences ranging from early U2 to the Velvet Underground. Lacking the droning vocals of Interpol or the clinical precision of the Strokes, the Walkmen have crafted a sound filled with desperation and bitter honesty.

'Bows And Arrows' begins much the way its predecessor did, with wavering guitar feedback before Leithauser coos, 'What's in it for me?' The album begins to kick into high gear with 'The Rat' and 'Little House Of Savages,' raging rock songs with sharp guitars and fast-paced drumming to match Leithauser's singing. At the heart of 'Bows And Arrows' is his voice; Leithauser has a wider emotional range than the Strokes' Julian Casablancas and a throaty grit exuding cigarette smoke and the smell of seedy Brooklyn bars. The album-ending title track further expands the band's range by adding a keyboard, as well as a sense of hope. With the start-to-finish excellence of 'Bows And Arrows,' The Walkmen should have plenty to look to forward to.