The Walkmen – Bows and Arrows
I’m not a Grinch, I wholly embrace Christmas for what it is and for the trimmings. I, honestly I do, look forward to the cold weather, the leaving the house in the morning in the dark and eventually emerging from work in darkness as well (I wanted to be a ninja). I love being a fat bastard (fu*k it I’ll be wearing a big jumper anyways) with beer & food, it’s easily justifiable business this time of year.
I did my best to ignore the pedaling of festive tat from my nearest “the difference is we’re Irish” stores.. (Buuuullshit!!! there was heavy editing on that slogan, I don’t know if you’re aware, the original pitch was “so what if we use sweatshops, so does everyone else, the difference is we’re Irish”… catchy I know but kind of sticks in the mind for different reasons, I still shop there.
Read More – Listen of Week
Anyhuu) .. My working life has been afflicted with Christmas music. I can tolerate, bordering on enjoy a Christmas number from a minimum of, maybe, 50 years or more, Bing Crosby, Sinatra, I heard a nice track from Elle Fitzgerald. All good. Good good. The unfortunate situation is that mingled with these is The Darkness’ x-mass rot (remember those Lycra wearing freaks) Steps, Wham, Mariah Carey and a truly agonising track from Aretha Franklin, something even Christina Agulerararaq (I don’t know how to spell that) couldn’t replicate.
I voiced my opinion to the honcho and but was rebuffed with “It’s not for you, It’s for the customers” to which I replied “fu*k the customers!! They don’t have to stay here for the next 8 hours” but alas the conversation had ended.
The Walkmen – Bows and arrows will be my respite from this horror. I think it was well-regarded by people paid to have opinions, I’m not paid for this nonsense but I like it also. It has to be worth a listen. A post punk, indie, rock and some odd and ends. When so inclined, I would play the Walkmen with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Von Bondies and others of that elk.
I don’t know what to say about this only that it is a great listen, it drifts from post punk to post rock and back seamlessly, with accompanied vocals which ooze attitude, near brazenness really, angry, frank & honest with each word enunciated so you know what’s being said. The Rat is by far the most known but I enjoy the whole thing, I’m listening to “Hang on, Siobhan” right now. A lament seems fit for this cold.
The Walkmen – The Rat
- Listen of the Week – Cold War Kids, Robbers & Cowards (2006) - June 12, 2019
- Listen of the Week – Blitzen Trapper, Wild Mountain Nation - July 20, 2018
- Listen of the Week – The Stranglers, Rattus Norvegicus - June 30, 2018