My friend asked me the other day if he should go see Walkmen in Milwaukee or go play in his weekly softball game. Tough call. Their live shows are a lot like their discography. "Bows & Arrows" was a decently enjoyable album (although "The Rat" is one of the finest, still anticipated songs 5 years later), but was followed by the forgettable "A Hundred Miles Off" and the terrible "Pussy Cats" cover album. Redemption, however, came with the release of "You & Me", a top-5 album of the year last year on many critics' lists (mine included - #5). Similar to the .500 average the band is hitting on record, so too go the live shows. This was probably the 6th time I've seen them live, and this was one of the better shows. Of course, they played "The Rat" and most of "You & Me" and that's about all I was looking for. Their banter continues to be terrible, but unlike most of their shows, at least an effort was made. And the band was tight, the vocals weren't straining to overcome the vast space (a common flaw of Hamilton Leithauser). So this was one of the better performances. But, it's always a crap shoot which Walkmen will show up. I believe my friend chose softball.9/10
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