Revew: Julian Casablancas - "Phrazes for the Young"

At first glance The Strokes and KISS wouldn't seem to have much in common, but as The Strokes continue to not release Strokes albums and instead put out solo and side projects, they become less and less the sum of their parts—much like that time each KISS member released his own solo record. And, like the KISS solo efforts, each subsequent Stroke's record is less and less interesting than the one that came before, to say nothing of their output as an actual band.

More than three years since the last Strokes LP and the best that Julian Casablancas could come up with was these 8 songs? What sticks with you about Phrazes for the Young isn't that it's finally The Strokes solo project you've actually been waiting for, but just how disappointing and disposable the vast majority of it is. Granted, there are some fine melodic moments on tracks such as "Out of the Blue," and "11th Dimension" is easily the best '80s jam of 2009; but by and large the songwriting is weak and Casablancas comes off as uninspired. In lieu of a Strokes record, you get this instead.

Whereas the members of KISS had distinctive personalities (or at least recognizable make-up personas), their solo efforts were largely unimaginative KISS re-hashes that suffered from a) not being actual KISS albums and b) canonizing songs that ordinarily probably would've ended up on the cutting room floor. Likewise, the solo Strokes are less the sum of their parts; contrary to what was promulgated five years ago, the band is essentially interchangeable, with its members having little to say of musical merit when left to their own devices. The only real big surprises on all non-Stroke releases has been that Albert Hammond, Jr. is a surprisingly credible popsmith and Casablancas fetishizes synthesizers a lot more than you'd expect.

It's not all awful, and it's certainly not Gene Simmons doing "When You Wish Upon A Star," but it sure ain't the Strokes, either.

(Originally posted 11/17/09 @ Under The Radar)

Review: Wolfmother - "Cosmic Egg"

Part of what made Wolfmother's 2005 debut stand out was that the band wasn't afraid to embrace stupidity with a straight face. Here was a group of dudes that grabbed onto some of the most ridiculous aspects of psychedelic hard rock and held them close - fantastical cover art, druggy influences, blistering riffs, a Plant-esque howl and nonsensical lyrics: "She's a woman, you know what I mean/ You better listen, listen to me/ She's gonna set you free."

Did it make sense? No. Was it probably about fucking? Yes. Did you love it? Of course you did! It was the perfect soundtrack to turn up loud and stomp around your apartment like a Neanderthal while nobody's home.

Four years later, the trio is now a quartet (with bandleader Andrew Stockdale the sole original member) and while many of the same elements that made Wolfmother a success are here, overall the album doesn't quite add up. Stockdale's songwriting isn't up to the level of their debut (and he wasn't exactly crafting poetry there) and many of the riffs are weaker this time out, making it more difficult to divert the listener's attention from cliché-ridden lyrics.

Despite some high points, there's more than a few misguided attempts to broaden their sound, most notably the gratuitous power ballad "Far Away" ("I believe that love is gonna last forever/ And it's all within my mind") and "In The Morning," which begins like bad Oasis before building to a guitar-soaked conclusion. Neither achieves their transcendent aims (though of the two "Far Away" comes closer) and they're an ill-advised step away from what Stockdale does best.

For sure, Cosmic Egg has its memorable moments: the simple "New Moon," propulsive opener "California Queen" and "Phoenix," initially driven forward by a throbbing bassline until coming to fruition while Stockdale yelps about phoenixes rising and giving way to an extended guitar solo.

It seems unfair to criticize an album for not being stupid enough, but that's the case here. The primordial trudge and explosive riffs still make appearances, but they're largely undercut by attempts at musical growth - something it initially seemed Wolfmother rejected the very idea of.

(Originally posted 11/18/09 @ Spectrum Culture)