CD of The Week

Who’s that smilin’ man on this album cover? Why that’sHamilton Leithauser, frontman of the The Walkmen. And why is he smiling so wide? Perhaps because after 7 albums with his band, Hamilton is just now spreading his musical wings a bit wider with the release of his first solo album, Black Hours. This is an album that runs the gamut stylistically, but it’s Leithauser’s distinctive voice that ties it all together. No matter whether you’re listening to its jauntier tunes like “Alexandra,” “11 O’Clock Friday Night,” and “I Don’t Need Anyone,” its slower piano based songs like “5 AM” and “St Mary’s County,” or even the Elvis-esque “I Retired,” you’re never going to forget that you’re hearing the voice of The Walkmen.

While this is officially a solo outing, Hamilton gets a lot of help from his friends like Rostam Batmanglijof Vampire Weekend, Amber Coffman of Dirty Projectors, Morgan Henderson of Fleet Foxes, Richard Swift ofThe Shins, and even Walkmen bandmatePaul Maroon. With such a wide range of talent, it’s no wonder this is such a diverse album, and while that may not make it all things to all people, there’s probably something for almost anyone to be found on Black Hours.

Of course The Walkmen have strong ties to Philadelphia, so it will be a homecoming of sorts when Mr. Leithauser plays his first solo show here on July 12th at The Prince Music Theater.