[4/5] "Louisiana," the barn-burning, horn-squelching first track on the Walkmen's third album, A Hundred Miles Off, begins in what sounds like the middle of a guitar lick, with frontman Hamilton Leithauser leaning into the song's upbeat clang until it becomes an easy moan. It's the best song on the album, and its catchiness proves why the Walkmen got that coveted spot on The O.C. last year. But A Hundred Miles Off isn't just for Seth Cohen wannabes: The album's '50s-style guitar reverb will also appeal to those people's parents; while tracks like "Tenley Town," which recalls Pearl Jam's occasional dives into the Ramones' punk pool, will hook their older siblings. Granted, Leithauser's nasally, Bob Dylan-esque drawl starts to overstay its welcome a few songs in--but for a band who've had a lot to live up to, A Hundred Miles Off is nearly 100-percent on.
(RECORD COLLECTION) Jeff Miller
 Official Website: http://www.recordcollectionmusic.com
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