Hamilton Leithauser’s I Retired video preludes Black Hours album release

Ahead of his upcoming debut solo album, Black Hours, Hamilton Leithauser has released a video for new track, I Retired, which is well worth a run through or two for anyone looking something a bit of left-field balladry. It’s shaping up to be a very personal record from the front man of The Walkmen, who are currently on hiatus, as he goes solo for the first time, honing his songs around himself instead of the wider band.

Set for release on the 2nd June 2014, Black Hours will be going out on CD, digital download, standard edition vinyl and a limited edition deluxe vinyl thanks to the kids at Brooklyn and Wandsworth-based record label, Ribbon Music. The limited edition deluxe version of the album comes with a bonus EP with four songs too, for anyone that’s super keen.

The video for I Retired, sees Leithauser getting punched out and staying down on the deck as he contemplates the pointlessness of the fight he’s just thrown the towel in on. It’s got a cool DIY look and feel to it without losing out on a certain level of production values. It’s simple and effective, acting as a good backdrop to the song.

Directed by Juan Miguel Marin, along with Leithauser himself, it’s a downbeat, indie music video with the lyrics scrawling across the screen with home-made animation thrown in to boot. It’s not entirely faultless though as there’s a little too much close-up camera work as he sings with his eyes straining closed towards the end of the video, of which no good can come of. You can watch the I Retired video yourself below.

On the face of things, the song itself is either an affectionate tribute to giving up the fight or an ambiguous allegory for the perpetuation of lost causes, depending on your outlook. Either way is an infectious track that’s easy to like. The slide guitar makes for a solid foundation to the so g, giving it a good combination of folk, indie-pop and old school rock & roll over which Leithauser’s impressive vocals ring out well.

The song was co-written and produced by Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij (another class name. It’s not everyone that’s got a DC Comics Superhero motif to their surname), but in all fairness there’s no baroque pop, afro-beats or Caribbean influence in sight, so it’s clearly a fresh play from both.

If you’re looking to see Hamilton playing live in the UK, the bad news is that you’ve just missed his gig at the brilliantly named Bush Hall in London (next to Beaver House and Thatch Cottage) on the 27th May, but he’ll be back in mid August for the Green Man Festival in Wales. You can see all of Hamilton Leighauser’s 2014 gigs below, which include his US tour and Primavera stop offs.

Hamilton Leighauser tour dates:

22/5/2014 – Port Chester, New York, US – The Capitol Theatre
26/5/2014 – Paris, France – La Boule Noir
27/5/2014 – London, UK – Bush Hall
30/5/2014 – Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival
7/6/2015 – New York, New York, US – BAM Harvey Theater (WNYC/BAM Radiolovefest)
18/6/2014 – St Louis, Missouri, US – Fox Theatre
20/6/2014 – Lincoln, Nebraska, US – Pinewood
22/6/2014 – Nashville, Tennessee, US – 3rd & Lindsley (WRLT Event)
23/6/2014 – Louisville, Kentucky, US – Zanzabar
24/6/2014 – Kansas City, Missouri – Starlight
27/6/2014 – Chicago, Illinois, US – First Merit Bank
28/6/2014 – Minneapolis, Minnesota – Carlson Family Stage at Northrop
10/7/2014 – Cambridge, Massachusetts, US – The Sinclair
12/7/2014 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US – Prince Music Theatre
13/7/2014 – Washington, DC, US – The Hamilton
25/7/2014 – Newport, Rhode Island, US – Newport Folk Festival
16/8/2014 – Wales, UK – Green Man Festival
21/8/2014 – Groningnen, Netherlands – Groningen Noorderzon Festival

Share the Hamilton Leithauser’s I Retired video and Black Hours album release date news with:

Hamilton Leithauser’s I Retired video: