Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

So yes just as I promised I will keep the new music reviews coming, I have been a bit slack lately, inbetween work, love and life, there hasn't been much time for new music especially when you're working your way through the entire Beatles back catalogue. But fear not, this week I will review the new Rammstein track and video, as well as the Big Pink's debut album (as soon as I get itunes working) and of course my much delayed Blueprint 3 review. But now it's Julian's time to shine.

In many ways a solo album from Julian Casablancas is both to be expected and a surprise. He's always been characterized as the outsider in the Strokes, detached, to himself and personal, so in many ways a solo album would make perfect sense. And yet, Julian has born the brunt of the critical backlash against the Strokes for having nothing to say, so when he seemed to be cruising around doing nothing in particular during the Strokes down time no one was particularly shocked. The surprising thing about his sudden solo debut is that it comes right before the Strokes are due back in the studio. All the other Strokes have had their little side projects whether they be in music or art and the return to the day job seemed natural, but allas here we are with a solo record to contemplate.

So how does it sound? It's certainly refreshing. It's got the sci fi themes that I think everyone and his mother was expecting, but more surprising is the eighties-a-riffic nature of the track. From the sugary sweet synths, that bounce joyously during the verse as if they'd been freed from a Molly Ringwold movie. The soft poppy aspect of the music almost seems at odds with Julian's croon. The record absolutely oozees Prince, but it seems scatter brained like Julian gets half an idea and suddenly goes with it and then changes his mind again, as mid way through the third verse he goes all motown on us before return to his dreary croon. It never quite feels settled, and that's part of the tracks delight, it is what you expect and yet it isn't, the chorus and verse seem at odds, but they come together in perfect union for the songs crescendo, albeit fleetingly. So how does it hold up lyrically? It's classic Julian, it doesn't really feel like it has any overriding message, or sense of purpose, yet he has this knack of throwing out these perfect soundbytes, reminiscent of Evening Sun; one line of sheer genius for two lines of irrelevant hyperbole. However when Julian hits the nail on the head he really can thrill and the undoubted highlight comes early "Where Cities Come Together, To Hate Each Other In The Name Of Sport". It's brilliant and phrased to perfection, and it's many ways it's frustrating, why can't he write like that all the time. Conversely it does add a thrill to the record, wondering when the next slice of lyrically brilliance is going to sudden flash into view.

So is it any good? Well this will be very contentious, I have to say I love it. It feels as though Julian is trying to write his own Sci-Fi Purple Rain, like Prince mangled through Daft Punk's Discovery. It's a delight and I'm always in favour of anyone whose willing to rummage through the pop music of by gone decades. This definitely is a side project, this is not music to fill arenas, this is a fun experiment, an artist getting something of his chest, it isn't for everyone, it isn't necessarily for Strokes fans, but approach it with an open mind and you might just love it, however I'm sure most will leave it.