The Walkmen – “The Rat
Bows & Arrows, 2004
“The Rat” hits with more urgency than any song of the last decade. Opening with an organ and a drum beat that grows more and more rapid, there is an immediate tension in the first few seconds. The rest of the instruments build in and 50 seconds into “The Rat”, out come the first words—”You’ve got a nerve to be asking a favor.” This is Hamilton Leitheuser and The Walkmen at their most tense, and most aggressive. This is the sound of punk roots coming through. Normally, The Walkmen display more classic influences like Harry Nilson, Roy Orbison, and Velvet Underground. There is a tension, but it’s less aggressive. On “The Rat,” names like Minor Threat and Fugazi come to mind. It’s a rare kind of song, because normal punk bands don’t have the type of chops, vocalist or lyricist to pull off anything this good.
Placed in the context of their woozy, more deliberately-paced 2004 record Bows & Arrows, the impact of the song is even greater. It comes from out of nowhere and hits with the force of a Mike Tyson uppercut. If there’s been a better song in the 21st century, I haven’t heard it.