♫ The Walkmen | B

Philadelphia/New York quintet The Walkmen released their sixth studio album, Lisbon. Instead of singing about drunken rabble-rousing of their youth, the band sings about the drunken loneliness and isolation they are endeavoring in their 30s.           

The entire album has a very retro, surf-rock-meets-lonesome-bar-band vibe. "Juveniles," the opening song, is delicate and sweet. Telecaster guitars and easygoing drums create a song that's perfect to chill to at a barbecue with friends.

"Angela Surf City" and "Follow the Leader" pick up the pace of the album. "Angela Surf City," about a vague, messy breakup, features heavy, repetitive drumming and a menacing guitar part. It is evident that The Walkmen, to their credit, refused to play it safe on this track. "Follow the Leader," however, is primarily an instrumental song, serving as some type of diluted homage to Dick Dale surf anthems of yore, like "Misirlou."

"Stranded" is arguably the best song on the album. With Mariachi horns in the background, singer Hamilton Leithauser sings of being left behind by his beloved and his close friends. "You don't want me/You can tell me/I'm the bigger man," he half warbles, half snarls as he sings the song's lyrics.

"All My Great Designs" and "Woe is Me" show The Walkmen's ability to toy with harmonies and reoccurring, soft background chants. Both tracks continue the album's themes of regret and melancholia, yet are completely irresistible. While broken down and emotionally bruised, The Walkmen always make despair seem somewhat cool and effortless.