The Walkmen having been unveiling tracks off their seventh studio album, Heaven, with the slow consistency of old pros and in a manner befitting its prepped and polished sound. From album opener "We Can't Be Beat" lead singer Hamilton Leithauser proves that his voice still has the power of Bows & Arrows-era Walkmen, but it feels like a lot of the venom and grit has been smoothed out by time and perspective. Maybe a bit of the live-wire edge is worn—all of the press images accompanying the album feature the band coupled with wives and children—but somehow this band still manages to tug at the same old set of heartstrings. Heaven is out May 29th; stream it in its entirety over at NPR.
