The Walkmen: "We Can't Be Beat"

We had the distinct pleasure of listening to this cut a few weeks ago, and are thrilled that the band has decided to release this as their next focus track. It's a clear departure from everything in The Walkmen's past - it's stripped bare, song focused, and clear-voiced. Look for similar sonic clarity throughout their new album Heaven (May 29, Fat Possum) as this is the first time the band has actually worked with a producer (Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Shins, Band of Horses)), and are clearly taking a song-first approach. It's interesting and refreshing - though, we wouldn't be surprised if diehards clamor for the familiar wall of sound attack. We love the family photos as press shots!

The Walkmen: "Heaven"

One of the most highly anticipated releases of the Spring, The Walkmen's Heaven, today revealed a stream of its title track. Heaven drops June 5th on Fat Possum.

TONIGHT: Fort Lean at Santos

[mp3] Fort Lean: "Sunsick"

Tonight, rising Brooklyn band Fort Lean celebrates their Neon Gold released Sunsick 7" with a sold out (?) show at Santos, with Team Spirit (who we're looking fwd to) . Fort Lean are a ballsy mix of influences, yet, most directly recall a crisper louder version of The Walkmen. With richer vocals, and a thicker soaring guitar attack Fort Lean's new single "Sunsick" delivers in all the ways today's atmospheric dubstep addled blog world doesn't.

The Walkmen Sign to Fat Possum

Photo: Billy Pavone for p4k

Some great news today, as long-time Stark favorite The Walkmen have signed to another Stark favorite, Fat Possum. The Walkmen are in the studio in NY recording their follow-up to the break-out album that was 2008's You & Me. Constantly broadening their approach, we're very excited to see what they come up with on this album. The Walkmen = the new Spoon? Possibly.

New Walkmen Video: "On the Water"

Via

Walkmen and Here We Go Magic Dates

[mp3] The Walkmen: "In The New Year"

What a solid bill. Some pretty ace shows on here. Nicely done. 

US Tour Dates

8/14 - Guggenheim 'It Came From Brooklyn' - New York, NY
8/16 - Central Park SummerStage w/ Dinosaur Jr. - New York, NY
9/12 - Red Rocks (Monolith Festival) - Morrison, CO
9/18 - Middle East - Cambridge, MA*
9/19 - Middle East - Cambridge, MA*
9/20 - Pearl Street Downstairs - Northampton, MA*
9/22 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC*
9/23 - Theatre Of The Living Arts - Philadelphia, PA*
9/25 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA*
9/26 - Grey Eagle Tavern - Asheville, NC*
9/27 - Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN
9/29 - The Bottletree - Birmingham, AL*
9/30 - One Eyed Jacks - New Orleans, LA*
10/2 - Zilker Park (Austin City Limits) - Austin, TX
10/18 - Treasure Island - San Francisco, CA
*with Here We Go Magic

Tickets Are Available Starting August 1st At 12PM EST

New Beach House Video + Tour Dates w/ The Walkmen

Beach House "Used to Be"

Pitchfork TV just debuted Beach House's video for their newest single, "Used to Be". At once lovely and painful, the video depicts a couple moving through, seemingly, the last stages of a break-up occuring at a pit stop on some lonesome cross-country trip. Filmed in the midst of the gorgeous desolation that only the American West can provide, the video perfectly captures the longing and melancholy that runs through most Beach House songs.

Beach House hits the road with The Walkmen for several dates. Check them out after the jump...


BEACH HOUSE

Dec. 06 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts*
Dec. 09 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg #
Dec. 10 Providence, RI Club Hell #
Dec. 11 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall #
Dec. 12 Boston, MA Museum of Fine Arts #
Jan. 19 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern*
Jan. 20 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda*
Jan. 21 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
Jan. 23 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom*
Jan. 24 Seattle, WA Neumos*

* = w/ The Walkmen
# = w/ Tickley Feather

Thursday's Slew Of Videos

Featured:

DR. DOG "The Ark"
THE WALKMEN "In The New Year"
KINGS OF LEON "Sex On Fire"

On The Blog Reel is a new feature on Stark. We bring you the day's best music videos all at once, with witty commentary to boot.

This afternoon, a number of high profile videos are making their rounds in the blog world. Stark has compiled the top three attention-grabbers for your viewing pleasure. (Isn't it nice to have everything in the same place?) Today we've got a fantastic tripper in Dr. Dog's "The Ark", a bloodsucking noir in The Walkmen's "In The New Year", and a gritty (but pretty much sex-free) "Sex On Fire", from Kings Of Leon. Videos and and more goodness after the jump.

The Walkmen
"In The New Year"
directed by: Norman Coady
from You And Me
2008, Gigantic Music
via Pitchfork TV

Love It. Ham in face paint, juxtaposed with clips from the classic Nosferatu. Creepy as hell, but incredibly poignant.


Dr. Dog
"The Ark"
directed by: Adam Kurland and Gary Breslin
from Fate
2008, Park The Van Records
via Subterranean

Great to see the band actually IN a video, as opposed to starring as cartoons ("My Old Ways") or as monkeys ("Fool's Life.") It's a bit dull in the beginning, but picks up as the song does. Good single choice. May we suggest a video for "The Breeze", please?


Kings Of Leon
"Sex On Fire"
from the upcoming Only By The Night
2008, RCA Records
via Myspace

If this song/video doesn't catapult the Followills to success in the States, then I'll be damned. This is the catchiest single they've had in years.

The Walkmen @ Bowery Ballroom 8/19/08

"Tuesday night's second sold out Walkmen's show at the Bowery Ballroom restored my faith in music... A bold statement and perhaps I'm biased (Pussy Cat's is in my top 10 albums of forever)... but I think You and Me will easily make the top albums of '08 lists across the board. Live, Hamilton Leithauser's (greatest name ever) vocals killed, even when he was almost shouting. The energy was high, the horns were an amazing addition, and the songs (old and new) have never sounded so good. FYI... The White Rabbits, dressed like they were off for a yachting excursion, were also in attendance. They are apparently working on a follow up to last year's Fort Nightly."
-Karp - Stark guest contributor and photographer

Stark's Wednesday Round-up - mp3s

Deerhunter "Game of Diamonds" mp3
So we had a nice release week this week with the Walkmen, Lykke Li, Byrne/Eno, and the new Deerhunter (which is awesome) to name a few. Here are a few other things from the past, present, and future that y'all might enjoy. A few Stark editors are moving this week, so things are a bit slow.

Department of Eagles
Department of Eagles "No One Else Does it Like You" - mp3
Although this band seems to have been fiddling with things for awhile now (I began reading about them over a year ago) the project seems to finally come to fruition as the LP In Ear Park is set for release on October 7th. Recorded by Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor - this is definitely one to check out.

Ezra Furman and the Harpoons
MYSPACE
Ezra and co. (and all of us) are waiting for their new record Inside the Human Body (Minty Fresh) to drop, but they have been throwing new tunes up on their myspace for the past few weeks. Highly suggest heading over there and checking out a few. Keep your eye out for Stark's interview with Ezra coming up soon.

Bark Hide and Horn
Bark Hide and Horn "This Abdomen has Flown" mp3
New on the indie/americana/folk/rock etc scene, this Portland based group just released their new record National Road. It's fresh sounding and pushes the limits of what can be a pretty stale genre these days. Strangely enough it's a concept record based on the life former National Geographic editor Melville Bell Grosvenor conveyed through his photos during his tenure at the magazine. Yeah, it's worth checking out.

Modern Lovers
I don't know how I've missed this album in all of my years of listening. In an email exchange, contributing writer Mike Bailey put it best "The Modern Lovers one and only CD is a must own - incredible. In my opinion, it's the only CD you need from Jonathan Richmon. I think his solo stuff blows." It's super cheap at the Amazon mp3 store. Get it now.

The Walkmen - New Record Available now for $5 - mp3

The Walkmen - "The New Year" - mp3
Saw this on GVB this morning, and as things have been a bit crazy for Stark of late (see MGMT/Ting Tings show at McCarren pool) we haven't had time to get to the stack of new stuff to listen to in our in-box. We'll get some new tunes up there soon though.

As a side note - the pool was insane. MGMT sounded better than I had expected, and when they began playing "Time to Pretend" the huge crowd went nuts. MGMT has clearly graduated from small time rock/"indie" band to a full blown major-label pop/rock success. It will certainly be a shame not to have the pool around next summer. Go HERE for the rest of the schedule including a KILLER line-up this Sunday of Deerhunter, Black Lips, and King Khan.

I have to agree with GVB's assertion that You & ME is one of the best records so far this year. Whereas the Walkmen's previous release A Hundred Miles Off was energy filled and Dylan-esque, it lacked in really quality material. Their newest offering, takes all the best aspects of A Hundred Miles Off and adds a darker tinge to the sound. You & Me works the classic tension/release songwriting motif perfectly and succeeds wonderfully as a complete record. The songs build nicely and have a distinct rising action peaking with singer Hamilton Leithauser's classic rock wails.

You & Me is now available for download (320 kbps mp3) for $5 HERE. Not only will you be getting a great freakin record you will also be benefiting charity. Every cent will go to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, as part of AmieStreet.com's "Download to Make a Difference" campaign. You & Me is officially released 8/12 on Giagantic. From the press release:

"All donations go to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in honor of Luca Vasallo, a friend to the band and a current patient who is seven months old and doing a great job fighting a very difficult disease," said Peter Bauer of The Walkmen. "This is a very good organization that certainly deserves the attention."