The Walkmen, The Head and The Heart, Seryn
The first song of the night, "Blue As Your Blood," from their new record Lisbon, matched the band's vintage appearance. The slap-back plucked strings of the electric guitar nearly channeled Johnny Cash, but Leithauser's croon and the sound of a churning organ steered the song in a much darker direction.
That wasn't to be the tone of the night, though. The next song, "In The New Year," shot a bolt of energy through the audience, which tried to sing along with Leithauser as he belted out the choruses. He aimed his voice even higher during Lisbon's "Angela Surf City." This kind of near-shouting -- at the top of his register, no less -- has been a staple of The Walkmen's live performances since the band's inception 10 years ago. But, in recent years, he has toned it down a bit.
They proved that on Saturday night at the Granada -- just as they consistently have over the last decade.