SMS
RSS feeds
Reddit
NewsvineRemakes almost invariably disappoint. The reason for this, of course, is that the original work is so incredibly good that it is nearly impossible to live up to the original. Witness, for example, the weak remakes of “Psycho” or “Planet of the Apes.”
Enlarge
I’ve often wondered what would happen if, instead of remaking the best classic movies, Hollywood studio executive chose to recreate bad movies with good concepts. Think of how much better this would be, since the director wouldn’t have to be worried about fans lamenting changes from the first film, but instead would have the chance to adapt the source as he saw fit.
The Walkmen seem to trying this approach with their latest album, Pussy Cats. The Walkmen, whose past albums include A Hundred Miles Off and Bows & Arrows, seem to be trying this approach with their latest album, Pussy Cats. In Pussy Cats, The Walkmen have covered, track-by-track, Harry Niellson and John Lennon’s lackluster 1974 album.
So it’s sad that despite the fact the they don’t have the pressure of covering an amazing album, The Walkmen’s most recent album is often bland and disappointing. The album, though it features a few pretty decent songs, feels generic and emotionless most of the way through.
The album begins with “Many Rivers to Cross” with this flat feeling. While the song sounds pretty good, Hamilton Leithauser’s vocals leave something to be desired, as if there were no feeling behind his words.
But Leithauser’s second song, “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” more than makes up for the defects of the first. If you think you recognize the song title, you do: Neillson covered Bob Dylan from Dylan’s album Bringing it All Back.
The song sounds great, with incredible playfulness and warmth. The artists are obviously having fun, and The Walkmen do an excellent job of adapting from the source material. Their version sounds very little like Dylan’s (are those kazoos I hear in the background?), and creates an impressive reimagining of Dylan’s song.
Two songs later, “All My Life” is a charming duet with Leithauser and Quentin Stoltzfus. It’s entertaining, but a little shallow. Despite this, it floats lightly and is a great song in celebration of life.
The next three songs, “Old Forgotten Soldier,” “Save the Last Dance” and “Mucho Mongo” all suffer from their lengthiness. All three linger for far too long, and, like The Return of the King could have done with a swifter ending.
“Loop De Loop” is a catchy song straight out of a sixties dance party. Despite its generic qualities, “Loop De Loop” is nonetheless satisfying. It certainly has more emotion and energy than many of the other songs on this album.
The album concludes with “Rock Around the Clock,” a cover of the song made famous by Bill Haley and His Comets. It begins, in great contrast to the original, with the sounds of chainsaws revving up. But the middle portion of the song sounds remarkably like an rock ‘n roll band from the fifties. If I had heard this song first, I would never have guessed that this was The Walkmen covering this song, instead of an authentic fifties band.
Pussy Cats is a walk through the history of modern American music, and it’s obvious how much The Walkmen care about their roots. Ultimately, though, this album sounds more like a tribute than anything original. It has some good songs and doesn’t have any songs that could be labeled bad, but the lack of a spectacular song dooms the album. Pussy Cats is worth a purchase if you’re a die-hard Walkmen fan, but everyone else might want to save their money for something more original.