The Walkmen’s Peter Matthew Bauer helped to launch the new supergroup Hyloxolos this year, but he’s also been unveiling new solo material. In October, Bauer followed 2022’s Flowers by dropping the moody psych-pop single “Doom,” with a video that featured a robot shooting a Cybertruck, a drone raining flames down on the great outdoors, and some disturbing mechanical animals. Today he follows that with an impressive new one.
“Gold Paint For Blue Skies” begins with some of that ancient-sounding organ drone the Walkmen did so well. Eventually it swells into an expansive two-chord bombardment, lush and powerful but never in a hurry. The Walkmen’s Matt Barrick is on drums and Starcrawler’s Henri Cash plays the bass, and as the artwork explains, those many layers of organ, piano, and guitar are Bauer’s doing. All those components add up to overwhelming beauty that reminds me of his old band at their best.
Listen below, where you’ll also find that “Doom” video.
