The great thing about The Walkmen is their ability to subtly recalibrate with every new release. ‘Heaven’ marks another advancement of their maturation, ‘Line By Line’ – a delicate duet between Hamilton Leithauser and a guitar – contains the rumination “Oh I see how this whole thing ends; the honest man survives” while ‘Southern Heart’ is a nearly-silent, vaguely country number that seems to be about being marooned in mid-life, aiming at a younger sleeping partner so that they can ‘“Tell me again how you love all the men you are after”. A gentle collection, evocative of a transitional time.
