It’s a rare treat these days to get an album that embodies the true substance of the Rock ‘n’ Roll spirit but that is what The Walkmen deliver in their newest album, You & Me.  Hailing from NYC, The Walkmen have long been watched and have been critically acclaimed as one of the best in our musical offerings.  Their last album, A Hundred Miles Out gained a lot of fans and this album is sure to pick up more.

The songs on You & Me are dusky club-like tunes.  They sound raw and live with a hint of echo that gives off a vibe of genuineness – Rock ‘n’ Roll in a single take.  There’s no polish on these songs, and with the vocalist coming off like a ghost of Bob Dylan, each of these tunes create an exhilarating whole.

The energy is really loosed in songs like “In the New Year,” the Dylan-like “Seven Years of Holidays (For Stretch),” and another Dylan-like “Four Provinces.”  Its softer side can be heard on tracks like “Red Moon,” “If Only It Were True,” and the perfect “I Lost You.”  

You may find no finer a ‘sharp around the edges’ album this year if you revel in Rock and Roll in its perfect state.   You can breathe in the fumes of these heady mixes and know that you’ve been in the heart of purity.  You & Me is a hard album to describe and promote but Rock and Roll purists will recognize its integrity upon first listen.