Hamilton Leithauser

Hamilton Leithauser channels the signature traits of his Walkmen era—thoughtful lyrics, a wistful yet grounded atmosphere, and vocals that move fluidly between tender croons and raw howls—toward more intimate solo explorations. His 2014 album Black Hours reimagined the dramatic flair of '50s and '60s vocal pop, while 2016's I Had a Dream That You Were Mine merged classic rock, soul, and modern indie textures into ethereal hybrids, and the 2020 release The Loves of Your Life infused his autobiographical narratives with pulsing, immediate arrangements.

Following the Walkmen's hiatus after their 2011 album Heaven, Leithauser began his independent work by recruiting skilled contributors including Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij, Fleet Foxes' Morgan Henderson, the Shins' Richard Swift, Dirty Projectors' Amber Coffman, and former Walkmen bandmate Paul Maroon. Tracked at Vox Studios in Los Angeles, his debut Black Hours drew inspiration from Frank Sinatra's catalog and arrived in May 2014 behind the single "Alexandra." In 2015 Leithauser and Maroon released Dear God, a vinyl-only set of spare covers and originals, which they followed with the EP I Could Have Sworn for 2016's Record Store Day.

Leithauser reunited with Batmanglij for I Had a Dream That You Were Mine, laying it down at the latter's home studio in Los Angeles and freely incorporating elements from their prior bands alongside '50s and '60s rock and soul. On the lively yet intimate April 2020 album The Loves of Your Life, Leithauser assumed full responsibility for writing, producing, and recording.