The Walkmen

Formed in the wake of late-’90s garage-rock hopefuls Jonathan Fire Eater in 2000, The Walkmen were well-positioned to join New York’s Strokes-led guitar-band renaissance. That said, they were distinguished by Hamilton Leithauser’s reeling, raspy vocals and often shrouded in bristling reverb. After breaking out fairly early on with gnashing 2004 indie hit “The Rat”, The Walkmen continually pared back their layers and embraced more open space in the years to follow, chasing the slow-burn grace of 2008’s You & Me with the chiming melodies of 2012’s Heaven. Through all that measured distillation, Leithauser’s tousled delivery and the band’s spidery interplay and foggy organ parts only developed more distinctive character and presence. The Walkmen went on extended hiatus in late 2013, allowing Leithauser and multi-instrumentalists Peter Matthew Bauer and Walter Martin to pursue solo careers while drummer Matt Barrick moonlights with Fleet Foxes and others.