The Walkmen

With a stripped-down aesthetic, Lisbon presents a slightly cleaner, less distorted sound than earlier records, filled with laments and an ode to Lisbon, where the band spent some time being motivated to work on the record. Strong drum rhythms pervade the album, with subtle brass harmonies kicking in on some songs. Opening track “Juveniles” has a bouncy, poppy rhythm, combatting romantic disappointment with lines like “country air is good for me,” a sort of positive thinking that echoes throughout, though it’s interspersed with strains of a Smiths-like mopiness. The pulse of the guitar rhythms on “Blue As Your Blood” come off as both catchy and haunting. “Lisbon” lingers with Latin-influenced accents audible, a fitting close for a record that manages to seem both upbeat and elegiac.