The Walkmen Debut “Angela Surf City” On Fallon

On The Walkmen’s forthcoming release, Lisbon, due out September 14 on Fat Possum, the stylish D.C. rockers bring the heat with songs like “Juveniles,” “Blue As Your Blood,” and the album’s second track, “Angela Surf City.” On Jimmy Fallon last night, the band gives us a live preview.

The song starts with cagey snare cracks and tense Telecaster spikes before Hamilton Leithauser, the group’s lead singer, enters with the first lyrics, “Angela holds a grudge/ Over nothing.” The live performance of the song really accentuates the rhythmically tense parts, with the snare and guitar nearly losing the beat at one point in the intro. Everything changes when Leithauser reaches the chorus, screaming “I didn’t see the signs” as the song builds.

For the upcoming feature in our Nov/Dec issue, Leithauser tells American Songwriter, “[Angela Surf City] is one that defines the whole way we did the record.” Watch the performance below:

A little while ago, The Walkmen dropped a download for the song “Stranded.” Get that below for the cost of your email address.