Hamilton Leithauser Debuts Official “What Do I Think?” Music Video

Today, Hamilton Leithauser, the hard-hitting, Carlyle-crooning frontman of The Walkmen, releases the official music video for “What Do I Think?”, starring Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson. Directed by Tim Wilkime (Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show Starring James Corden and Adam Ruins Everything), the comedic and absurdist video follows Hamilton Leithauser as he commutes from Brooklyn to his show at the Cafe Carlyle, facing kidnappers set out to steal his identity (and his iconic corduroy suit) along the way.

Writer and producer Brian Williams explains, “Hamilton is a funny guy, and with the whimsical nature of the song, it was clear the video should have a comedic tone. Assembling the team was a domino effect. Tim Wilkime is a fan of Hamilton’s and was quick to say yes. Tim enlisted Saturday Night Live cast member, James Austin Johnson, also a Hamilton fan and accomplished musician. The story development was also a chain reaction between Tim, Hamilton and I – one person’s idea was the catalyst to another’s and it quickly came together.”

“What Do I Think?” is one of the standout tracks on Leithauser’s most recent album, “This Side of the Island”. Co-produced by Leithauser, Aaron Dessner (The National, Taylor Swift, and Gracie Abrams), and Hamilton’s wife Anna Stumpf, “This Side of the Island” boldly turns away from the folk-rock vibes of his two previous records “I Had a Dream That You Were Mine” and “The Loves of Your Life” and introduces a groovier, bass-heavy, modern sound. Leithauser’s unrelenting optimism and biting humor shine through the album, reflecting on personal growth, love, and navigating today’s polarized world.

The album was largely recorded at Hamilton’s home studio in New York, The Struggle Hut, but it wasn’t until a visit to Aaron Dessner’s Long Pond Studio in the spring of 2024 that the record truly came together. Dessner, renowned for his expansive, modern sound, played on nearly every track, helping shape a record that is both timeless and contemporary. 

Leithauser was recently hailed as “an Indie Rock Hero” in a New York Times feature in addition to coverage in their Amplifier weekly roundup, Stereogum’s “5 Best Songs of the Week,” glowing reviews in Far Out, Pop Matters, MOJO and Dork, and coverage in The Brooklyn Vegan, Clash, The Line of Best Fit, Dork, Exclaim!, NME, Consequence of Sound, Northern Transmissions and FLOOD Magazine.

Following his seventh and longest residency at Cafe Carlyle to date, Hamilton Leithauser will set out on a headline tour across the US in May 2025, then, in the summer, he will be joining Father John Misty and Lucinda Williams on tour, including dates at the famed Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival recently announced Hamilton Leithauser will be joining the lineup supporting Hozier.

Best known for his evocative lyricism, quick wit, and distinctive voice, Hamilton Leithauser has been a significant force in rock ‘n’ roll since the early 2000s NYC scene, transitioning smoothly from his band’s successes to a flourishing solo career. Whether it’s a show at his highly successful Café Carlyle residency or a packed festival such as Coachella, Pitchfork, SXSW, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Glastonbury, Osheaga, or Bonnaroo, Leithauser consistently delivers powerhouse performances. His live shows have been praised by Vogue as “unafraid to turn that voice loose and chase it to sonic terrain that regularly veers from the dangerous to the beautiful.”

Hamilton Leithauser has shared stages with the likes of Vampire Weekend, The Black Keys, Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie, Spoon, Broken Bells, Lord Huron, Kevin Morby, Interpol, Kings of Leon, Florence and the Machine, and more. He has also collaborated with Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij on “I Had A Dream That You Were Mine,” which was featured in Paste and Pitchfork’s “50 Best Albums of 2016,” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Chart, and was named one of the year’s best by Pitchfork, Esquire, and NPR. With career-spanning coverage by Vanity Fair, Vogue, Rolling Stone, Variety, and performances on NPR’s Tiny Desk and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Hamilton Leithauser continues to cement his place as one of indie rock’s most compelling voices.

Watch Hamilton Leithauser’s “What do I Think” video on YouTube

Upcoming Shows

May 5, 2025: Dallas, TX @ Kessler Theater
May 6, 2025: Houston, TX @ The Heights Theater
May 8, 2025: Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
May 10, 2025: Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records – Blue Room
May 11, 2025: Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
May 13, 2025: Washington, D.C. @ The Atlantis
May 14, 2025: Washington, D.C. @ The Atlantis
May 15, 2025: Ardmore, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall
May 16, 2025: Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
May 17, 2025: Westerly, RI @ The United Theatre
May 19, 2025: South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground – The Ballroom
May 20, 2025: Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
*July 12, 2025: Portland, ME @ Thompson’s Point
*July 13, 2025: Lafayette, NY @ Beak & Skiff
*July 15, 2025: Cincinnati, OH @ Brady Music Center
*July 17, 2025: Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed
July 18, 2025: St. Paul, MN @ Minnesota Yacht Club Festival
*July 19, 2025: Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
**July 21, 2025: Santa Fe, NM @ The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing
*July 23, 2025: San Diego, CA @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
*July 24, 2025: Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
*July 25, 2025: Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
*July 26, 2025: Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
**July 29, 2025: Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
**July 30, 2025: Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
**July 31, 2025: Vancouver, BC @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre
August 2, 2025: Carnation, WA @ THING Festival

* = Supporting Father John Misty and Lucinda Williams
** = Supporting Father John Misty

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