So I thought this blog would be me writing about whatever it is I'm listening to at the time and that it would be things that have been out for quite sometime because I wasn't up on new music anymore. Low and behold, I've been hooked on a new album for the last couple of days! Granted it's a solo album by a guy whose band really hasn't been hip in something like 6 years, but whatever, it's a new album. Put me on the board.
So in 2001 I was like a lot of Strokes fans. While being completely blown away with their music I also wanted to give every single one of them a cock punch. Well, maybe not the bass player. He seemed pretty harmless...but yeah, aside from being annoying I loved the Strokes and listened to the album constantly. I even thought the second album was great as well, which I'm pretty sure was considered a failure. The third album though, I think is pretty much destined to spend the rest of eternity as the "i didn't even know they made a third album" album. Which is good, because it's pretty bad.
So, like most Strokes fans, I pretty much wrote them off as a band I would never seek out again, nor did I care to. Then somehow I stumbled across the new solo album, Phrazes for the Young from lead singer Julian Casablancas.
Son of...
this album is good. I mean, honestly, it's awesome.
If you never liked the Strokes, then don't bother - because it sounds like a Strokes album a lot of the time - but that's mainly due to the fact that Casablancas has a very distinct vocal sound. Musically, it's kind of all over the place, ranging from the signature Strokes guitar sound and fist-pumping choruses to 80's synth and drum machine beats that wouldn't sound out of place at a dance club. I'll even go out on a ledge and say Julian Casablancas does a good job at channeling Lou Reed on a couple tracks. Yeah, that's right.
I forgot how much I liked the dudes vocals. Some people have whiskey voices; Casablancas has a beer voice. Slurring and crooning his way through a song in a fashion that only 7 Budweisers could create.
I read an interview with Casablancas where he said the Strokes are planning on getting together in the coming year to work on a new album but he didn't seem that optimistic. I'll tell you what Julian. Don't bother. Using this and that last train wreck of an album you guys put out as a reference, I say stay with the solo career. Hopefully you tour and come to Chicago, because I'll be there. Can't say I won't want to still give you a cock punch though...
Favorite tracks:
Out of the Blue
Left & Right in the Dark
Ludlow St.
Glass
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