The Walkmen have always been an unusual prospect. Previous albums have seen moments of poignant beauty countered by a drunken colossal roar; usually provided by their mouthpiece Hamilton Leithauser. This has led to two impressive albums which just fall short of classic status as they have a tendency to tail off in key parts of the record. Maybe 'A Hundred Miles Off' will prove to be the group at their most cohesive. The songs now hang together much better; the guitars ring out, the percussion is mighty and Leithauser is at his most consistently intense. The individual tracks aren't exactly models of articulate melody but they do possess an oddly attractive human quality, which contrast between thrilling bar room brawl atmosphere ('Lost In Boston', 'Don't Get Me Down (Come On Over Here') and the reflective "the morning after the night before" feelings ('Emma, Get Me A Melon', 'Another One Goes By'). All told, it's a thrilling, visceral journey, which serves as an ideal accompaniment to The National's 'Alligator'.