#also every voidz song ever

[bedupolker]

Do you ever consume a piece of media and are like. This is it. My art needs to get Weirder.

[savvathun]

You’re right, I DO wanna ask you about your songs :P 1, 23, and 30?

how did i know :3 thank you, cap, i appreciate you asking 🫡

1. three songs that come up when you put your phone on shuffle

i also have your tag game in my drafts actually! but some more shuffles for you :)

something - hater the opening 20 seconds of this song rules

hot pink - let's eat grandma ough this song was produced by sophie. i miss her so much :((

no mind no money - beach baby

23. three songs that never fail to get you pumped up

syakunetsuno honoo - yugo kano actually just every jojo song in existence really. but this is avdol's theme that gets used like twice? in the anime. and it's hype as fuck. avdol deserved more!

wretches and kings - linkin park

i've seen footage - death grips a second death grips answer in one day? it's more likely than you'd think

(also honorary mention to basically every song from dmc and mgr:r, i didn't want these all to be ost but c'mon, they're hypest songs known to man)

30. three songs you really want your followers to know (for reasons other than all those above)

what a high-pressure category!

pink ocean - the voidz historically one of my favorite songs ever. literally impossible to be in a bad mood when i listen to it. maybe not my favorite anymore, but it's still the first song that comes to mind when anyone asks.

stillbirth - alice glass as a warning, this song is very loud and abrasive, but it's the ultimate catharsis song. if you're familiar with her story, then i'm sure you can piece it together. it really helps sometimes.

your love (déjà vu) - glass animals i know many of my mutuals are already on the glass animals wave so the propaganda is unnecessary, but this song is like my last pre-pandemic happy memory lmao. i was so hyped for this song to drop, i literally sat outside the class i was supposed to be in listening to it over and over until the radio station that debuted it moved onto another song. that was february 2020 🥴

[introductionpresence]

58 (no judgement here /gen), 66, 78, 92 and 104!! <3

thanks for the ask mica :D

for this ask game!

58 - Song you hate that you like?

buddy holly by weezer- like. i'm not really a fan of them but that song's a vibe tbh

66 - song with the sicked solo ever?

well since i play the drums i'm gonna go with this being a drum solo so i gotta say "half full glass of wine" by tame impala

but if we're talking guitar solos, i'm not really sure, a lot of the strokes' stuff is probably up there lmao

78- best songs of the 00s?

there are so so many songs i could choose ough- if i had to choose like 5 id probably choose

digital love - daft punk (2001)

ize of the world - the strokes (2005)

every planet we reach is dead - gorillaz (2005)

trying your luck - the strokes (2001)

last nite - the strokes (2001)

92 - which album(s) would you wish to see performed live front to back?

like apart from. both The Strokes' and The Voidz' entire discographies, i'd love to hear Tame Impala play both Innerspeaker & Lonerism, and maybe hear Blur play 13 live since that's my favourite Blur album. maybe i'd like to hear Gorillaz play Demon Days live, that'd be pretty sick!

oh also machinegum's conduit as well

104 - Who would you want to see your favorite musicians collab with?

oh man i can ramble on about this for a while /vpos

so basically. julian casablancas and damon albarn. i'd love love love to hear that!! it's supposed to have happened multiple times, with julian originally supposed to have featured on Oil by Gorillaz (which never happened because of schedule conflicts:[) as well as this, damon originally recorded some backing vocals for Room On Fire (which never made it onto the album) so. yeah. i'd really like to see that happen at some point because it's almost happened a few times-

that or some super cool julian/tame impala collab. maybe with like the voidz or something idk- i can only dream /silly

anyways thanks for letting me talk about music :]

[cactus-b0i]

not that anyone cares but i want to document music changes over time and im keepin stuff here so might as well. SO!! 8/19/2020, my music taste currently consists of:

- brazilian poet band Legiao Urbana becaue hello god! - Joji. Every joji song ever. im mad that chloe burbank isnt on apple music - 5 hours of relaxing psychedelic space rock music - youtube - Human Sadness - The Voidz, Hai Domo - Cao White, Action! - DPR LIVE - Aggressive korean rap and  on occasion aggressive america rap, that i really only listen to because that one line has IMPECCABLE flow and voices r nice - EVE!!!! FUCKIN E V E ! ! ! ! ! !  ! !  (tokyo ghetto??? godly.) - a shit ton of vocaloid stuff again. Spinal Fluid Explosion Girl HhHHHHHH - Isa’s angry japan guitar music, ex. Kizukeyo Baby or Kyouran Hey Kids!! because god as well. thanks. - AND OF COURSE!!! We Hate JH - also Crumb, CASTLEBEAT’s Vhs album, Current Joys, Soccer Mommy, The Cure, Lucas Lex, also uh Slipknot and very specifically Bodies by Drowning Pool because i listen to screaming people music now woo - For some reason a slowly increasing amount of MCR t u n e s - Hubert Lenoir and I cannot stress this enough. Underrated senor.

i have over 1000 songs on my phone and they all be 10/10 maybe i have shit music taste and just listen to everything or perhaps i am an elite who knows

[zer0comma]

why out of the blue by julian casablancas is one of the best songs ever written

okay so first of all, happy brthday to phrazes for the young. i can’t believe it’s been 10 years already!!! phrazes for the young is a great and very underappreciated record and i like how the album managed to gather some sort of a cult following during these years. and even tho julian doesn't seem too proud of it, i’m happy that he made it and i don’t think he fully regrets making it either. after all it helped him figure out what he actually wants to do, and it does feel like beginning of of the voidz since the songs are made of a lot of layers like voidz songs especially on tyranny!

now let's talk about the song! i always love talking about this song because i rarely see fans mention it. whenever you ask julian’s fans abt their favorite songs from phrazes, most of them are going to mention river of breaklights or glass or maybe left and right in the dark and it’s understandable because these songs are truly great. but out of the blue is equally great. the song has everything i like about julian's songs: simple yet very beautiful and touching melodies, clever and cynical lyrics with clever twists that tell a story, his deep voice and a catchy and uplifting chorus.

let's start with the beginning. one of my favorite parts in this song is the carnivalesque and fun yet somehow creepy (??) intro. it's one of the best intros ive ever heard honestly and sometimes i can't finish listening to the song because i keep replaying that part!! (you can hear it here). when julian starts singing, his voice sounds very deep and i LOVE it. i really love how he keeps repeating the same lyrics to give the listener an idea on how his feelings of frustration keep evolving and it also paints a great image which is something he's really great at. 

the chorus is one of the catchiest choruses julian has ever written which is probably one of the reasons why he doesn't like this song... but it really showcases his songwriting abilities.it's super interesting how the same man who wrote one of the greatest rock albums of the 2000s can also write such catchy and pop sounding songs with ease!!

this part after the “take all your dreams” part is also very interesting. can you hear how he keeps adding layer after layer? you can also hear this in tyranny, and i really like it because it adds depth to the song and makes it much more interesting and fun to listen to since you can hear a new layer everytime you listen to this song! (here)

this outro right here is what sold the song for me initially. this is what julian does best: writing beautiful melodies. this part makes me so emotional. its sweet and kind of nostalgic with a tinge of hope and i love how different it is from the intro. its really cool how the song progresses!! (here)

now let's talk about the lyrics. overall phrazes is one of his best albums lyrically. it's really poetic and clever and it has some of julian's best lyrics and most of them are personal which is something i really appreciate and this song is no exception. this song is one of the few songs in which julian talks about his experience with  media and fame. he's telling us how frustrated and angry he was and basically making fun of the "cool" image the media painted of him and the strokes back in the day. his feelings of anger and pain can be the result of many things. his relationship with the media and music critics but also his bandmates. the song was written during the fioe tour. it was a hard time for the band. there was a lot of tension and they eventually went on a hiatus and it was basically a big mess :/ (and things got even worse afterwards, thank god they’re doing better now). i also think it has something to do with his alcoholism. the line "and the ones that i made pay were never the ones who deserved it" is probably about how aggressive he was while drunk and how he took out his anger on his friends and bandmates even tho they weren't the reason behind his sadness and frustration. which actually leads us to the chorus!!

“how can you be/so perfect for me/why can’t you ignore/the things i did before”

it's almost like he can't believe he finally found someone who loves him and who's willing to support and help him become better: his wife. however, he’s still afraid that she might remember him as the aggressive and troubled alcoholic he was and not let his past die. he’s also making fun of the media. in here for example, when he says: “yes i know i’m going to hell in a leather jacket” (which is such a cool line), the strokes were associated with leather jackets. hell there’s even an interview in which the interviewer writes a super long paragraph talking about albert’s and fab’s jackets. the media created this image for them and only cared about that image, even more than the music at one time. also the line “at least i’ll be in another world while you’re pissing on my casket” is one of my absolute favorite lines in this song. it’s really ironic how the same people who overhyped them even before their 1st album came out, and created this entire image and scenario and world for them to exist in, are now criticizing them because they didn’t live up to that hype. these lyrics are just so witty and i love that! also i think it's worth mentioning that 9 years later, julian would say the same things in lazy boy. the lyric "jackets are the eyes to the soul" is taken from the same article i was talking about earlier (he also talks about his past self in that song). 

“all that I can do now is sing a song of faded glory/ and all you got to do is sit there, look great, and make them horny/ together we’ll sing songs and tell exaggerated stories/ about the way we feel today, and tonight and in the morning”. these lyrics are also very obvious. they are about how music journalists were trying to paint them in a specific image to fit their story and expectations, and then would attack them when they don't realize these unrealistic and stupid expectations. another fantastic part of the song.

 he ends the song with trying to accept that he can't do whatever he wants to do and just pretend that this is the way it is fo everyone even if it pains him to not bring his plans to life. this was something he talked about before :(

“and take all your fears/ and pretend there all true/ and take all your plans/ and pretend they fell through/ and that's what it's like for most people in this world” this is how he ends the song. it's sounds like no matter how much he's trying to accept it, he still sounds very crushed and disappointed. this part makes me really sad :/ (thankfully he now has a band in which he can whatever he wants).   and also the last line "before they come knocking on my door now"... it's really depressing how the media and music industry are so cruel to those who refuse to play by their rules and bend to their will and so many artists were victims of that, sadly. and what i really love about this part is how its sung over the beautiful and hopeful outro. julian is really really good at writing cheerful and uplifting songs with depressing and pessimistic lyrics. even the chorus has a tinge of regret and fear in it. (also i want to point out how a very depressing and sad song like human sadness has more hope in it than this song like...his mind honestly).

anyway i’m really bad at writing conclusions so yeah i love every part of this song. i love how contradictory the melodies and the lyrics are. it really has almost everything i love about julian's music and i really hope people would give it more attention because it's one of the greatest songs ive ever heard.

[givemeastroke]

I'm late and not sure if these have been asked but: 4, 18, 21, 32, 40, 54, 63, 73, 87, 95.

4. Last Song You Listened To.

“Rock ‘n’ Roll (Part 2)” by Gary Glitter - I watched “Joker” two days ago and have been obsessed with the movie and soundtrack ever since.

18. Do You Collect Anything?

yes I do! as a kid I was a big collector of weird random stuff. now I just collect movie tickets. ive been collecting them since 2011, so the collection is pretty massive now.

21. Favourite Animal?

snake or fox I think.

32. If You Were A Crayon What Colour Would You Be?

deep purple or something like that.

40. Do You Have Any Obsessions Right Now?

well the “Joker” (basically just Joaqiun Phoenix). ive also been rebinge-watching almost every SNL skit available on their youtube channel these past few days, cause ive been sick as hell and have nothing to do.

54. Put Your Music On Shuffle, What Is The First Song That Came Up?

“Off To War” by The Voidz

63. Favourite Pokemon?

I feel stupid, but im not that big in the Pokemon universe. when I would watch as a kid I like Rowlet the most, and I even think I had a miniature figure of it.

73. What Is Your Favourite Quote Right Now?

“You know what they say, cold hands, cold heart.” - Julian Casablancas

87. Are You A Day Or Night Person?

oh im a night person for sure. always has been. its actually a real problem for me, cause my sleep schedule is so fucked up that I stay up all night and go to school the next day super fucking tired. honestly its gotten so bad that I lately cant go to school and have a lot of absence, which might result in me getting kicked out….. so thats great. but yea im a nightowl, as a bartender you kind of have to. the world is just better, more peaceful, more clear, honest in the night. many horrors appear in the night, but the dark light and the soft gleam from the moon softens the truth and ghastly world. and in the daytime the world is harsh, unrealistic, uncomfortable and sharp. no one wants that. at least I dont.

95. What Tattoo Do You Want?

I want 5 thin lines across/all the way around my left wrist. the 5 lines symbolise the 5 lines on a sheet paper.

[sunshineofyourlove1967]

i was tagged by @flying-overseas to answer these questions, thank you so much!! i love doing this so much lmao 

1. A song you like with a color in the title 

lana del rey - the blackest day (i am o b sessed with this song)

glass animals - black mambo

hippo campus - violet

2. A song you like with a number in the title

lana del rey - 24

one after 909 - the beatles

3. A song that reminds you of summertime

milky chance - flashed junk minds, a lot of their stuff reminds me of summer

basically the entirety of suck it and see by arctic monkeys

from eden - hozier

peach pit - peach pit - they’re such an underrated band, i discovered them before they put out their first album (that is bomb btw), while i was writing an essay one evening and i have loved them ever since!!

4. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about

imagine dragons - bleeding out i guess lol, and take the night away from me by miles kane, but otherwise none

5. A song that needs to be played LOUD

adam lambert - ghost town

oasis - supersonic and the i am the walrus cover

the stone roses - i am the resurrection

fried my little brains and fuck the people by the kills

6. A song that makes you want to dance

when the sun goes down - arctic monkeys

the beatles - twist and shout, i saw her standing there

the contours - do you love me, such a jam from the 50′s and it’s from dirty dancing ❤️❤️

oscar peterson - mas que nada, we got this on old vinyl and i always dance to it when no one is home lol

7. A song that makes you happy

the doors - people are strange

i feel good (i got you) - james brown

should have known better - sufjan stevens

8. A song that you never get tired of

daft punk ft. julian casablancas - instant crush

the stall - warpaint

9. A song that you would be played at your wedding

hmmmmm i don’t know really, i’ve thought about some suitable songs a few times but absolutely nothing comes to my mind now

10. A song that is a cover by another artist

the white stripes - jolene (originally by dolly parton)

the last shadow puppets - wondrous place (originally by billy fury)

arctic monkeys - red right hand (originally by nick cave & the bad seeds)

11. A song that you would sing a duet with on karaoke

nick cave & the bad seeds, pj harvey - henry lee

used to be my girl - last shadow puppets

12. A song that makes you think about life

a lot of voidz and strokes stuff, 11th dimension too

hard to explain - the strokes and permanent high school - the voidz, especially 

by the wall - tomáš dvořák, it’s a soundtrack to a czech videogame called machinarium, and it’s so peaceful and nostalgic and heartwrecking in such a simple, non-demanding way

13. A favourite song with a person’s name in the title

arctic monkeys - arabella

pj harvey - claudine, the inflatable one

pj harvey - angelene, lol a LOT of songs by pj harvey

14. A song that you think everybody should listen to

the stone roses - i wanna be adored

joy division - decades

basically almost everything by the voidz, escpecially human sadness

the entirety of sgt. pepper’s lonely hearts club band by the beatles, also revolver and abbey road, strawberry fields forever, how soon is now by the smiths, where did you sleep last night by nirvana

15. A song by a band you wish were still together 

catching the butterfly - the verve

slide away - oasis - god that song is fucking perfect, i cry every time i listen to it

16. A song by an artist no longer living

john lennon - working class hero, how do you sleep (that song is so mean but i love it)

problems - lil peep

17. A song that makes you want to fall

the memory band - demon days

radiohead - pyramid song

daughter - new ways

m83 - wait

18. A song that breaks your heart

warpaint - stars, i discovered a lot of their songs a few days ago and oh boy do they make me cry, they’re amazing

seafret - oceans

daughter - smother, god it hurts to just remember that song lmao

lana del rey - black beauty, god this song used to w r eck me

19. A song that you remember from your childhood

hana hegerová - lásko prokletá, she is an amazing czech artist and we always listened to her songs with my mom when i was a child, that was awesome

james arthur - impossible

a lot of stuff by lenka dusilová, she’s an another czech artist who also sings in polish sometimes and me and my mom absolutely love her

new radicals - you only get what you give

20. A song that reminds you of yourself

noel gallagher’s high flying birds - while the song remains the same

a lot of strokes stuff, especially from is this it

despair in the departure lounge - arctic monkeys, this song hits too close to home

i tag @crimson-stain, @turneresque , @yufkasaur , @whiskyontherocks , @goodnightsocialist, @thebatphone, @antijulian if y’all wanna, and anyone who wants to do this!!

thank you for tagging me!!

[4evastruggling]

i was tagged by my girl @n0thinghurts she’s precious thank you bby

rules: answer 21 questions and tag 21 people you’d like to know more about.

nickname: ive been called a bunch of stuff throughout my life but nothing really stuck around

star sign: im in that big dick LEO GANG BABEY!!!!! 

height: 170 cm / i think it’s roughly 5′6-7 

last film i saw:  panic room! blew my mind

last thing i googled: alopecia... boy im losing a lot of hair and my mom told me that i probably have it and i googled it and cried! fun times in baulin family

favourite musicians: slaughter beach, dog is on top of any list ever but also the front bottoms, pup and the list goes on and on and on and on

song stuck in my head: won’t drown by foxing cause im a cool emo kid like that

other blogs: the first rule of side blogs club is that we dont mention side blogs club

do i get asks: rarely 

following: 168

followers: 416

amount of sleep: huh? what’s that

lucky number: ummmm gon say 6

what I’m wearing: an xxl sized martha’s vineyard university (there’s no university on martha’s vineyard btw i dont know why it says that but i got two for the meme of it. got it from a gift shop i worked in and i hated it big time) and some underwear 

dream job: a well-paid photographer would be. so nice

dream trip: im back on my bullshit thinking about going to hawaii but if we arent talking about us, it’s australia, mexico, new zealand, rio

instruments i play:  i used to play guitar but it was years ago. still have that guitar tho

languages i speak: russian and english aaand i can have a small talk in chinese

favourite foods: oof boy im about to go off.... fried rice with chicken, anything even slightly related to potatoes, shawarma, every caesar salad ever, cheese soup (the only acceptable soup ever because it's THICC but it's still on a thin fucking ice), an apple pie from macdonalds, cheese pizza! pasta... sushi!!! probably my favorite i'm always up for some sushi

random facts: i want to pee rn

favourite songs:

but by dads

human sadness by julian casablancas+the voidz

any song by modern baseball ever but atm i'm very fond of ...and beyond

lonely eyes by the front bottoms

my aesthetic: s i wear a lot of black clothing so i guess a nice matching black outfit always goes hard af... winged eyeliner, hair that hasn't been brushed in a day or so, tired eyes and weird posture

Tag: i don't think anybody knows 21 people on this website and that's facts. but if you're also in a leo gang i want a post from you. also @goldhornsandblackwool cause they are awesome and i would love to learn more about them any time of the day and my boy @noirwillow too

[todaysbiggesthits]

The Exam

Best Music Moment of 2018:

Nasty: Hearing Red Eyes live. I've already said it on TBH, but seeing your favorite band in their relative prime is such a cool thing. 

BC: Since partying all night with my favorite band fell within the short window between Bestuv '17 ending and Bestuv '18 beginning, I'd have to say:

1. Kacey Musgrave's performance of "Slow Burn" on SNL

2. Radiohead perfectly executing "There There" which transported me back to Lollapalooza in '08 3. Despite the annoyance of sitting in lots of Indy500 traffic due to a new parking situation, I quite enjoyed working through half of the Stones' catalogue with Bronco riding shotgun and Codemin listening in from the flatbed of Dillon's pickup

Codem: Spending what was New Year's Eve for the central timezone in the USA at a Fijian medical bath facility listening to music, playing cards, downing tequeel and getting ringworm with my blushing bride. -hearing peter hook play the bass line from shadowplay live and in person. -Arden, JD and JJ encouraging me to go talk to Kyle from Swearin'. -Silver Jews and Westing (By Musket and Sextant) came to Spotify. -Watching "Random Rules" video for the first time

Larse: Sitting behind this massive (I mean orca fat) guy at the CHVRCHES show, feeling really bad for him before the show started because he was all alone and kept looking around and worrying about letting people in his row and things. As soon as CHVRCHES came on though, this guy was exactly where he was supposed to be that night. Sang the words and danced to every song and just made my day with how happy he was to be there. Jotted down every song of the setlist into his smartphone and just had an all around great time. And some of you motherfuckers won't even go to a movie by yourself!

JD: May: A moody Chinatown stroll with the new Grouper album in the rain. July: Soaking up some good tunes at the housewarming party to ring in our new pad. July: Some hilariously rambunctious youths having at it when “House of Jealous Lovers” came on during a full play of Compilation 1 at the DFA summer party. One of them (who must have been ~8 in the bygone days of 02) screamed out “this is the song that started it all!” to a crowd of stationary gawkers and I felt a brief moment of hope for the youngs. August: Shaking a leg at Pete’s wedding (also featuring a delightful hojl spin). September: A rowdy spin of “Sentient Oona” on the Levee juke with an impromptu digital jukebox dance party at the Turkey’s Nest with jj’s cousin and his lovely girlfriend. October: The best music cue I’ve ever seen at the end of Beau Travail.

Bronco: Taking John to his first concert, and that first concert was Mastodon. That was pretty awesome to be able to share that experience with him. He was super into it, and so were the metalheads at the show. "Dad of the Year" was definitely shouted more than a few times, and I thought to myself, "fuckin-A right."

Chap: My kids saying "Papa" when "She Drives Me Crazy" by Fine Young Cannibals comes on.

Best Shows Seen in 2018:

C: Open Mike Eagle at Pitchfork

Bronco: Sleep

Laser: CHVRCHES at Riverside Theater; Chromeo at Summerfest

BC: The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Radiohead

Nasty: The War on Drugs. 

Code: kraus - schubas peter hook - metro no age - the bottle swearin' - bowery eleanor friedberger - lincoln hall my bloody valentine - aragon "quickly climbing the ranks of my nice" ballroom kraus - the bottle pictureplane - bottom lounge soft moon - the bottle book of love - chop shop

JD: 1. Shame at Market Hotel 2. Hamilton Leithauser at the Carlyle Hotel 3. Beach House at United Palace Theater 4. The Voidz at Elsewhere 5. Parquet Courts’ Wide Awake! mid-day album release show with my morning coffee at Rough Trade

6. Flasher at St. Vitus 7. Deafheaven at Brooklyn Steel 8. Panda Bear at Brooklyn Steel 9. No Age at Brooklyn Bazaar 10. CCFX at the DFA summer party at Elsewhere with my girlfriend in full blown rem sleep standing up with her head on my shoulder 11. Alex Cameron at Warsaw 12. Gang Gang Dance and Interpol at House of Vans Of note: Dekkar at On Cinema Live at the Bell House.

Confession of 2018:

JD: I have a real TBH confession that I held until now. I was thoroughly enjoying the Flasher album on a recent evening after a few too many drinks when a burning urge to see them washed over me. They had a show coming up at a bar just a few blocks from my apartment, so I enthusiastically snapped up tickets for me and jj. Thinking this might be a good opportunity for a TBH outing, I emailed Chap trying to peer pressure him into attending the Flasher show and gauging his interest in a Parquet Courts concert that would be happening the following evening. No response.

We later received an invitation to a holiday cocktail party at a friend’s apartment on the same night as the Flasher show, and I hatched a cockamamie scheme to go from our home in Greenpoint to the party in Soho, leave after an hour to catch the concert back in Greenpoint, head back to the party in Soho, and finally retire back to Greenpoint. JJ wisely passed on such a scheme and I left the party to trek off to the concert solo with an extra ticket in tow. 

Awash in good cheer and excitement while Flasher set up, I thought what the hell, might as well take a flier on reminding Chap of the show. Maybe the twins are asleep, he’s just sitting around, can jump into a cab, claim the extra ticket, watch the show, and cruise on back. Mid-text I paused, wondering just why he never responded to the initial email weeks ago. A quick gmail search, and there sat my drunkenly composed beseechment to join, rotting in the drafts folder unsent. 

A couple of the dudes from Parquet Courts were bouncing around the bar, and I decided it would make more sense to hit up Chap about attending their show the next day than explain the whole snafu and extend a ludicrous invitation that required dropping everything and leaving immediately for a show he didn’t even know was happening. I ate the extra ticket, had a blast watching Flasher, zipped back to the party, drank myself into oblivion, and was way too hung over to even consider the Parquet Courts show the next day. NICK SORRY NICK! (editor’s note: too long)

Larson: I saw Timberlake at Fiserv Forum

BC: My neighbor invited me to see Imagine Dragons. I lied and said I had to travel for work. "On a Saturdee?" he inquired. "Yeah. Totally sucks," I awkwardly replied. I hid inside my house all weekend.

Bronco: I'd rather see shows by myself than with my buddy. He likes going to shows, and I keep inviting him, and we have a fine time, but he doesn't live in town anymore, so I gotta worry about him drinking too much and driving an hour home. And his wife is a psychopath and that complicates shit. Too much. And it's just so much more freeing being able to not give a fuck about anyone else during that time, to just soak it all in, it feels good and right.

Codem: -despite all of the bad things that kanye said, i still liked listening to his catalogue throughout the year. i even liked his EP that came out in 2018.   -i really liked the beach house album!   -i liked the snail mail album, skipped two opportunities to see her and then by --the end of the year, i thought the album was sort of boring.   -Arden and i went to see pictureplane open for alice glass and thought that the show sucked and pictureplane played such stupid songs. three months later, he put out my favorite album of the year and i can't stop thinking that i hated all of the same songs the first time i heard them. -i read an article on a bright fall saturday morning that exhaustively detailed the Cardi B and Nicki Minaj feud and i watched all of the instagram story clips that showed Cardi B scrolling through her phone with those outlandish nails of hers. it took me two cups of coffee to get through it all, but get through it i did. [i couldn't think of nicki minaj's name just now so i stared at the ceiling and kept running through names in my mind's eye: missy, kim, cardi, kelis, kim??, eve, trina. i couldn't remember. so i finally googled "kanye monster" and found her name. easy.]

Nasty: I'm done with new music. It’s over. I didn't listen to a single new album - I don't even know if I could name a new album. Realistically, I did like Daytona. 

Biggest Disappointment of 2018:

Nasty: MAGA Kanye

Larse: Timberlake at Fiserv Forum

Bronco: Black Tusk, Alice in Chains

BC: Getting into The Orwells literally two days before #MeToo chewed 'em up and spit 'em out

Chap: Car Seat Headrest. Can't believe he's gay! jk the album was the disappointment.

Code: -somebody hacked my spotify account and wiped all of my music and replaced it with raggaeton and halsey. i was able to get my music back, but i lost all of my meticulously cared for folder structure. -i wanted the simple minds album to be cool; it was not.   -i wanted the swearin' album to be really great; it was okay. -pictureplane and ovlov did not tour their albums.   -i had to eat two tickets to my bloody valentine after buying four. the original show sold out and i thought i was going to be able to sell my extras for a profit -- they ended up announcing a second show and there was no secondary market for the original show.   -no CCFX followup ):  

JD: Got to Hammerstein Ballroom for MBV and there was a line longer than an entire avenue. They were already on by the time we made it into the heinously oversold venue and we were stuck by the bar in the lobby surrounded by people constantly shouting in an effort to compete with the apocalyptic noise.

C: Terrible sound at Tame Impala show

Most Overrated of 2018:

Code: -probably that kacey musgraves album; i got absolutely nothing out of it. also, i liked the robyn album, but i wanted to love it after many years between releases. i think i'm just being greedy.   -i'm going to get killed for this, but the throwing the baby out with the bathwater approach to artists' criminal behavior or inflammatory tweets is pretty overrated right now. 

Bronco: Ghost - I like their schtick, with rotating members and the whole inverted church thing. It's campy but they're sticking to it, and that's fine, but their music isn't metal. It's poppy glam shit about the devil, and that's also fine, but I don't get why it's on anyone's list. Production value maybe? But the music itself isn't anything to write home about. I just don't get it.

JD: n/a. The thick layer of nonsensical, Pynchonian obfuscation the platform economy dollops over everything has made it impossible to understand how anything is rated. Almost feel bad for the click driven publications that have to just throw out a guess.

C: Mitski

Chap: Snail Mail

BC: Kanye. His new music is no longer good enough to put up with his bufoonery.

Laser: Timberlake at Fiserv Forum

Nasty: Clemson. GOARSH. 

Make It Stop 2018:

Nasty: DJT, anytime now. 

Bronco: Party politics. No more labels allowed. You can have a list of stuff you support and a list of stuff you are against, but that's fucking it. No more this side vs that side for reasons as caddy as an R vs. a D. Also religion having any influence whatsoever in the way our country is run. Believe whatever you want to believe, but don't force your bullshit on anyone else. You want to torment yourself with a lifelong christian guilt trip, that's your boat to float, but don't go poking holes in my boat just because you're a miserable fuck. Just stop. Also, Jack White.

Larse: Timberlake at Fiserv Forum

Chap: Baby Shark

BC: My shrinking attention span

JD: The cultural currency of clapbacks, shade, and tea.

Code: trap music playing from a phone's external speaker while i'm trapped on public transportation.  i'm going to go broke buying enough earbuds to distribute to these offenders.

Biggest TBH Regret of 2018:

Larse: Timberlake at Fiserv Forum

C: Not seeing Low at a church on University of Chicago's Campus

JD: -Hearing about a Grouper show at a church around the corner from my pad after it sold out. -Not necessarily a regret because I didn’t know it was happening, but oh how I wish I had seen Jon Glaser and Jon Benjamin as Dave Farina and Dave Franz, Dennis and Dennis’ sons, at a Bowery Ballroom Yo La Tengo show.

BC: -I wish I would've cooked up a way to see Shame play a midnight show in Bloomington.  I just want that kid to scream "Concrete" in my face. -I probably should've seen Smashing Pumpkins when they rolled through town too. 

Code: my flight got delayed and i missed the swearin' show at that place in brooklyn that "smelled like hot fish"

Bronco: Not a regret so much as I was super-bummed when High on Fire dropped out of the tour I saw in November. The venue we were at put my buddy and I right next to the stage. It would've been crazy awesome to see HOF there, but they've rescheduled at least, and I'll see them in January.

Bin: I haven't listened to any Kanye this year. I thought it would feel gratifying by year end - it doesn't. I'll probably still avoid this most recent album, but I'm going back to the well. I'll continue to talk shit about him though. Take that Ye!

Chap: No regrets 

Detective Murtaugh of 2018:

Larse: Getting too old to keep up with all of this new music and put a worthwhile list together at the end of the year…

Nasty:

Code: i added book of love show to my top ten concert list because Arden and i were able to take a seat on the ground in the balcony section. we had to continually move our spot on the floor to be able to peer through the railing and a mass of bodies in order to catch a glimpse of the stage.

JD: -Two of my favorite music related experiences of the year were seeing Hamilton Leithauser in the cafe of the Carlyle Hotel and the extended Niles family in The Nutcracker at the NYC Ballet. -When I googled “Detective Murtaugh” just now it was mostly pictures of Damon Wayans (Jr. no less!) playing the role on the Lethal Weapon CBS series.

Bronco: Putting up with shit instead of speaking up about it. There's room on the train but I'm squished by the door because some self-absorbed dinks won't move in? "Could you please move in?" It sounds so simple, but breaking that silence barrier was a scary thing. Now I don't give a shit. I'm on train for two stops, and I'm not going to see you again, so fuck you, move in or I'm going to move myself in and it aint gonna be pleasant for you.

Chap: A hipster female barber said I was a silver fox. AYFKM?

BC: What the hell is Fortnite?

Resolution for 2018 Update:

Larse: get my list in on time! How it went: probably horseshit! (editor’s note: it was early yet!)

NACK: While I didn’t have the occasion to catch shows this year, I anticipate doing so in '18 due to some changes afoot. How it went: Joe Dons has yet to let me know of a concert going on and I have no other friends here, so I blame him for my failure

Bin: I’m just going to keep saying “get to NY for a show with JD” until I make it happen. How it went: Didn't get to NY for a show with JD.

JD: See you gents more often with or without a show attached.  How it went: Fairly decent, but is it really ever enough?

Bronco: Get in shape. I want to stick to a schedule of running all year round. I ran a 10K back in June, then needed to recover for a bit, been recovering ever since…Fat Dad needs to keep running all year round without excuse, especially given that we go skiing between Xmas and New Year’s and I’m gonna be a floppy legged mess. During those runs, I’ll try to listen to new material each time. How it went: I ran a 5-miler in May. Haven't run since. Though I have been reasonably consistent with my prison workout (situps and pushups before bed time), so now there's a hint of muscle under my fat dad layer. Just gotta combine the two now somehow.

Code: make more playlists for my wife How it went: i said that i was going to make more mixes for my wife. i made one year-end mix for her and i'm sure she's loving it :*

BC: No more resolutions How it went: 2018 Resolution was "No More Resolutions," so pretty darn good!

Resolution for 2019:

Laser: ---

BC: Listen to one new album a week; reboot the Classic Album Review Club

JD: Greater consciousness of how I’m using my attention - an ineffectual and meaningless protest of the ways the world is burning down in pursuit of it.

Bronco: Read more 'classic' books. I didn't read many of them, even in school (especially in school? Never could read a book I was told to read). But I'm leaning in the sci-fi direction of 'classics'. I just read Dune this summer, and wrapped up Fahrenheit 451 the other day. I'm feeling an unexplained need to beef up my nerd credentials and this seems the way to accomplish it.

Chap: Learn Piano; Guilt Joe Dons into finally inviting me to a concert

Nasty: I'm sticking with it - get to NY for a show with JD.

Code: catch ovlov, pictureplane, washer, chromatics, EMA and colleen green live this year.

Most Anticipated of 2019:

Bronco: Tool. Fifth year's the charm. I'm actually hopeful this time around. In fact, I half expect them to drop it on New Year's Eve or something, just so it's post Listicle season, but not quite 2019 so it can't end up on those lists either. They're such dicks like that.

BC: Still waitin' on dat Vampire Weekend yet

Chap: Vampire Weekend, Chromatics

C: Lin Manuel in Mary Poppins... I kid, My Bloody Valentine

JD: Going to put Frank Ocean out into the universe, MBV take 2, Grimes, Panda Bear, Kanye’s escape from the Black Lodge

Codem: chromatics - tommy, MBV, washer, colleen green, EMA(?), DoM

Laser: no idea what's even on the docket

Nasty: Mueller's Report

[reflektormag]

Our top 10 albums of the year so far

Brian Rhatigan

Here at Reflektor, we listen to a lot of music, I mean a lot. So, we decided to compile a list of our favorite albums from the year thus far. Please take your time and listen to each of these albums, they are our favorites for a reason!

Note: The ranking of these albums are in no particular order.

God’s Favorite Customer - Father John Misty

God’s Favorite Customer, Josh Tillman’s fourth studio album under the name ‘Father John Misty’ is arguably the most emotional album by Tillman. FJM’s other albums have been received with great praise, and so has God’s Favorite Customer.

“God’s Favorite Customer is Father John Misty’s 4th studio album. As with all of his previous releases, it’s his lyrics that always stand out to me. This time around Tillman’s lyrics are more vulnerable and sincere than they’ve ever been although he never seems to loose his wit and humor. Aside from the lyrics the album just sounds really good, there’s some nice soft rock/70s vibes. God’s Favorite Customer is a record about heartbreak, and is a comedown from his previous 2 records.”  - Carla Huysmans

Tell Me How You Really Feel - Courtney Barnett

Aussie rocker Courtney Barnett comes in swinging with her second full length studio album. ‘Tell me how you Really Feel’ is filled to the brim with emotional and meaningful lyrics like in “Nameless, Faceless”, when Barnett sings about the troubles she has had with internet trolls.

“She really manages to fully cement her style, both musically and through her lyrics, which I find very vulnerable, but also uniquely original, with always an expected twist. I also recently went to a concert of hers and she is one of those rare artists who sounds better live, on a musical level.” - Leila Ricca

Lush - Snail Mail

Maryland native Lindsey Jordan started writing her first EP ‘Habit’ when she was 15. After graduating high school, Jordan released her debut LP “Lush” on Matador records. Songs like “Pristine” and “Heatwave” stand out because of the simplicity in the chords and the meaning in the lyrics.

“Lush is easily my favorite album of the year. Each song brings something lyrically new to the table that anyone can connect with. And Lindsey Jordan is just so damn gorgeous.” - Brian Rhatigan

KOD - J Cole

KOD is North Carolina rapper J Cole’s fifth studio album. The 12 song album is a beautiful blend of soul, jazz, rap, and rock. There are three different interpretations behind KOD; Kids on Drugs, Kids Overdosed, or Kill our Demons, all fitting labels for the atmosphere of the album.

“It was the best album of the year where all the songs fit together as one piece of work, rather than individual songs put together. It also told a meaningful story, had great lyricism, and combined different genres of music.” - Bryce Murphy

Blank Panther, The Album - Various Artists

“Black Panther: The Album is a perfect contender for this list. It showcases each TDE member’s talent, and blends the themes of the film with African culture seamlessly. The transitions are flawless, the lyrics are thoughtful, and the fact that it was made while some artists were on the road is incredible. It provides a modern soundtrack to a movie that blends tradition with the future of what will hopefully be a Hollywood that is more diverse and groundbreaking than ever before.” - Sarah Beckford

Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino - Arctic Monkeys

“After five years of silence, the Arctic Monkeys make their much-awaited return with surprising and hypnotic ‘Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino’. Perfectly managing to avoid self-parody or stylistic repetitions, this new album appears as a startling reinvention, a meandering and puzzling journey beyond known territories. Just like mankind first set foot on the moon on the ‘Tranquillity base’ site, the Arctic Monkeys disembark in an unknown universe in which they reveal a new, unexpected aspect of themselves.” - Freda Looker

Little Dark Age - MGMT

“This new album draws heavily from 80’s synth pop/brit pop, and yet still holds true to that psychedelic charm that has peppered their career. They kick things off with ‘She Works Out Too Much,’ a spoof on exercise music. The driving beat, and pounding bass line keep the listener mentally jogging in place for four minutes and 38 seconds (the instructor voice-overs really sell it). Title track, ‘Little Dark Age’ is a darker turn into goth pop, previously unexplored by the duo until now. That’s not to say it’s not catchy, as it does bare a similar song structure and groove to one of their “big three,” ‘Electric Feel.’ It has, undoubtedly, the crispest production on the album; sharp vocals, a tight snare, and a most notable synth bass that doesn’t let up. The third track and second single, ‘When You Die,’ is gloomy and aggressive. The stringy acoustic guitar is perfectly present, weaving in and out of a frustrated Vanwyngarden, who isn’t hesitant in telling the audience, “Go fuck yourself”. ‘Me and Michael’ is a straight trip to the 80s: cheesy lyrics; copious synth; dozens of “woahs;” and some guy named Michael. It’s familiar, charming, and it’s a foot down on the grounds that they can still write a hook. ‘Tslamp’ (Time Spent Looking at my Phone) is what the tape machine spit out after being fed an utter disregard for the technology that we have literally become addicted to. ‘James’ is another ode to the 80s and a “Goonies” type camaraderie. ‘One Thing Left to Try’ is in the same vein as ‘She Works Out Too Much,’ in its annoying, overdrawn out glory. An unnecessary, synth pop battle cry.” - Kendall Wright

Freedoms Goblin - Ty Segall

“This 19 song album is one hell of an adventure, composed of ballads and fuzz ridden tunes guaranteed to leave the listener asking for more. But if 19 songs are not enough for you, don’t worry. Segall averages one album each year, just like fellow Bay Area rocker John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees, who happened to help produce Segall’s debut album. “Freedom’s Goblin” consists of hard rocking songs like “Fanny Dog”, and straight covers like “Every 1’s a Winner”. Regardless, Segall continues to push out hard rocking tunes that even the faintest rock fans can enjoy.” - Joe Terry

Isolation - Kali Uchis

“The album opens on the Bossa Nova masterpiece ‘Body Language.’ During a Reddit Q&A, when asked what the overarching theme of the album was, she replied ‘finishing your dry martini, enjoying views of the water as a beautiful woman dives in,’ and this track invokes exactly that image with the first beat drop. After that, the album flutters between genres through the hard-and-fast R&B track ‘Miami,’ the beat-driven collaboration with Steve Lacy ‘Just A Stranger,’ and the dreamy ballad ‘Flight 22.’ She flows through each medium with ease, rejuvenating it and making it her own as she goes. Pop hits like ‘Tyrant’ brush shoulders with the funk triumph ‘After the Storm’ and the Winehouse-esque closers ‘feel like a fool’ and ‘killer.’ There’s something for everyone on this album, yet at the end of it all, no matter your tastes in music, there will be only one name on your lips; ‘Kali Uchis.’” - Thomas Nell

Virtue - The Voidz (Formerly Julian Casablancas + The Voidz)

“Arriving three and a half years later, Virtue, the sophomore effort of the group (now just wearing the moniker The Voidz, as if to dismiss claims that it is a ‘side project’ in the traditional sense) is the anti-Tyranny. All that unbridled experimentation and exploration has been distilled into something that is much more recognizable and palatable. Although artistically, it’s coming from the same place fundamentally, Casablancas and his new group, have purposefully tamed the unwieldy beast of creativity, presenting the results of their exploration in a much more neatly presented package so that their audience can enjoy what they discovered as much as they did.”  - Dylan Harkin

[veganearlybird]

2019 Favorite Albums :)

—————

2019. There and gone.

I made a concerted effort of tracking my favorite albums that I’ve listened to throughout the year, so why not compile and share?

This list is 20 albums long, roughly in order of my enjoyment of them. I think less than half actually came out in 2019. Who cares?

I also made a 20 track playlist on Apple Music & Spotify with one song off of each of the albums, because that seems like a good way of sampling the albums if you’re interested ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

————— PLAYLIST

Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/2019-wrapup/pl.u-11zBJoVTN74Z3LD

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/user/1213035292/playlist/4486wQRkW35u4xW6orsJ6P?si=6Lt3MyrKRm6fonSEeEMbAQ

————— ALBUM LIST

20) FRANKIE COSMOS - NEXT THING [2016]

Cool lil’ indie rock album. I like her voice a lot.

19) SAINT ETIENNE - FOXBASE ALPHA [1991]

It’s like a mix of 60’s pop vocals with 90’s Daft-Punky production. Has a really great Neil Young cover on it.

18) CLAIRO - IMMUNITY [2019]

What a charming album! Idk if I’m supposed to be the audience for this but who cares? I love indie pop!

17) BROCKHAMPTON - GINGER [2019]

Probably my favorite album they’ve made?

16) JACK HARLOW - LOOSE [2018]

By far the most embarrassing album on this list. LOL. For whatever reason, I’ve been able to look past everything lyrically that makes this album cringey and just appreciate the production and flow of it. Been coming back to it all year. All the beats are great.

15) MATT MALTESE - KRYSTAL [2019]

Sounds like the soundtrack of an indie romance movie. Beautiful.

14) THE VOIDZ - VIRTUE [2018]

I really don’t like a lot of this album, but the highs balance it out. Julian Casablancas <3.

13) GEORGE CLANTON - 100% ELECTRONICA [2015]

High art vapor-wave. Very fun.

12) VEGYN - TEXT WHILE YOU’RE DRIVING IF YOU WANT TO MEET GOD [2019]

Vegyn is a producer with credits on Frank Ocean’s Endless album. This is a 60-something track album of instrumentals that I’m guessing didn’t make that album. My new favorite background music for reading.

11) NEGATIVE GEMINI - BAD BABY [2018]

Indie pop? Electronic? Idk what this is really. It’s a 25 minute EP and I feel like I’ve listened to it every week.

10) BLOOD ORANGE - ANGEL’S PULSE [2019]

The first Blood Orange album I’ve enjoyed front-to-back. Lots of good features.

9) WHITNEY - LIGHT UPON THE LAKE [2016]

Another album that sounds like the soundtrack of a beautiful indie romance movie. Very unique “sonic pallet” on this one. One of the best concerts I went to in 2019 also.

8) TYLER, THE CREATOR - IGOR [2019]

I’m a Tyler fanboy. Of course I liked this album lol. Wish I’d seen his tour for it.

7) ROSTAM - HALF LIGHT [2017]

I didn’t realize how much of Vampire Weekend’s sound Rostam was responsible for before listening to this. The production sounds like the followup to Modern Vampires. Love it. The vocal effects on it are especially cool.

6) DAVID BOWIE - YOUNG AMERICANS [1975]

I love to dive into a beloved artist’s discography after they’re dead and gone! It’s the first Bowie album I gave a close listen to. Incredible. I’ll listen to the rest of his music eventually.

5) JAMES BLAKE - ASSSUME FORM [2019]

Did not care much for James Blake before listening to this album. My view of him has taken a complete 180 this year. I even like his older music now after listening to this! Everything flows so well together. And the Metro Boomin drums! Amazing! 

4) THE MAGNETIC FIELDS - HOLIDAY [1994]

My first dive into The Magnetic Fields. What’s better? The songwriting? Or the bizarre, idiosyncratic use of layered synths?

3) THE STROKES - IS THIS IT? [2001]

Hahahahahahahhahahhahhahh Can you believe it took me until 2019 to actually give a close listen to this? It turns out that it’s very good!

2) ARIEL PINK’S HAUNTED GRAFFITI - DOLDRUMS [2004]

Doesn’t sound like anything I’ve ever listened to. It’s purposely extremely lo-fi. Underwater-sounding synths jump in and out of songs. Probably warrants a longer essay to analyze it. Idk. I keep coming back to it, and it’s still just as interesting to me the 100th time around.

1) VAMPIRE WEEKEND - FATHER OF THE BRIDE [2019]

Easy pick for my favorite album of the year. Almost every song on the album has been my favorite song on the album at one point. Every track has a unique sound and great songwriting. It warms my cold, dead heart. :)

[the-toxic-radio]

Julian Casablancas in the Media

Julian Casablancas is the frontman of the rock band The Strokes and Julian Casablancas + the Voidz. He is also the founder of New York record label Cult Records, a label committed to bridging the gap between old and new pop music ideas.

In 2001, The Strokes represented a rebirth of ‘cool’. The Strokes’ nu-retro brand of guitar rock cut through the overproduced, overcooked musical stylings of radio-rock like Nickelback, and stale alternative rock bands like Creed, and Limp Bizkit. The Strokes, led by Casablancas, bore the torch for of rock and roll at the start of the 21st century, followed by like minded bands such as The White Stripes, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The Strokes represented the new rock movement, and Casablancas was its leader.

Julian Casablancas is my favourite musician, and The Strokes are the band which ignited my passion for music to begin with. To me he represents a number of dichotomous ideas: He is carefree, but passionate. Sexy, yet ugly. Strong and resolute, yet fragile and sensitive. Cool, but goofy. Casablancas is many things to me, but at the end of the day I respect him most for being the musician who wrote a bunch of my favourite songs.

Julian Casablancas was born into a life of comfort, being the son of Jeanette Christensen, who was Miss Denmark in 1965 and John Casablancas, founder of modeling agency ‘Elite Model Management. Despite his relatively privileged upbringing, Casablancas fell into alcoholism at an extremely young age, and was sent to a private boarding school in Switzerland called Institut Le Rosey, the most expensive school in the entire world.

It was there that he met Albert Hammond Jr., who would later become one of two guitarists of The Strokes. The two became close friends, and returned together to New York to recruit the remaining future Strokes members.

Starting out in the NYC club scene, The Strokes evoked an older style of New York cool epitomised by Lou Reed (a musician Casablancas has, and will always be compared to in the media), The Ramones and other musicians of their ilk. Casablancas, with his leather jacket, and side swept, greasy hair, embodied an outdated idea of New York grit. At least, this is how the media portrayed him.

Prior to releasing their 2001 debut album, ‘Is This It?’, The Strokes were hailed as the saviours of rock by excitable rock mags like Rolling Stone and NME and were riding an immense wave of hype in the United States and United Kingdom. The Strokes had gained a reputation for their good looks, cool clothes, and care free attitude, but little was known about their music other than what was gathered from hype-inflected editorials. The truth is, The Strokes had reached their peak popularity before anyone had even heard any of their songs.

Is This It? Was eventually released to rave reviews, and for a short while The Strokes lived up to the hype, but record sales and radio coverage was relatively low. Eventually, The Strokes’ would be surpassed in popularity by scene contemporaries like The White Stripes and The Killers, but their influence on guitar music had already been felt.

In 2017, guitar music has faded into the background as hip-hop and radio friendly pop continue to take the limelight, and in this climate, it’s hard to say exactly what Casablancas represents. In recent years, he has worked closely with his record label Cult Records as a platform for exposing acts which he considers important, or deserving of more popularity. He also used the label to release his Julian Casablancas + The Voidz project, titled ‘Tyranny’, an abrasive, acid-trip into 80s-style glitched out Black Flag inspired punk, and world music influences. The Voidz points toward a more politically conscious Casablancas in today’s day and age, also reflected by the emphasis on political discussion found on the Cult Records website, an area where Casablancas shares articles on topics he finds relevant and important either socially or politically.

The main lense through which we see Julian Casablancas is through his music. He is media shy, perhaps exacerbated by alcohol issues, and when making comment his words are often meandrous and quizzical, as if he is thinking aloud something he hasn’t worked out how to say yet.

There’s a perceptible intelligence behind his responses though, he clearly puts thought and consideration into everything he does, and is by all accounts an absolutely astute believer in ‘the details’, however we still get a clearer image of him through his music, than we do through his words.

Barring the scattershot experimentalism of The Voidz, everything Julian Casablancas touches is imbued with a mathematical precision. The Strokes sound is built off of angular, duelling guitars, and an almost inhumanly accurate rhythm section. Gordon Raphael producer of ‘Is This It?’ has gone on record describing the painfully drawn out recording sessions of the album, citing a specific occasion when Casablancas demanded they spend hours and hours finding a specific ride cymbal sound, and the tension of working closely with a perfectionist in that situation.

It’s been widely reported that during The Strokes’ early years Casablancas ran the show with an iron fist. I believe that the majority of the comments on this topic are fuelled by a lack of information. I believe Casablancas was the band leader and driving force behind the band, but moreso, he wrote the entire album, every instrument and every lyric.

The idea of Casablancas as a dictatorial band leader pervaded throughout the band’s career. Around the release of their 2011 record ‘Angles’, an album which broke a five year hiatus for the band, a time peppered with various solo albums and spin-off acts. Upon ‘Angles’’ release, the media picked apart claims that the band had recorded the album from different states, exchanging ideas and song parts via email. It was widely discussed that this was in part due to Casablancas being unwilling, or unhappy with having to act collaboratively, harkening back to the same criticisms made of him a decade earlier.

On the lead single from Angles, ‘Under Cover of Darkness’, Casablancas woes that “I’ve been out around this town, everybody’s been singing the same song for ten years”. At the time, as a huge Strokes fan, it was nearly impossible to hear that lyric and not relate it to the media hype that has always surrounded the band. Almost everything written about The Strokes from 2001, til 2011 would touch upon their world-breaking climb to fame, the pressures of following up a seminal debut, and the fractures of the band that may or may not have resulted as a consequence.

The Strokes, it seems, do not have a great deal of control over their media image a lot of the time, but it also seems like they don’t really care. Following the release of their latest album, 2013’s ‘Comedown Machine’, The Strokes had finally relieved themselves of their longstanding five album record deal with label RCA. This, coupled with the fact that the band did absolutely zero marketing or press for the record, and the (true) rumours that Casablancas was starting a new band, and simply that the album was titled ‘Comedown Machine’ led many to believe that the record signalled the end for the band.

For ‘Comedown Machine’, The Strokes didn’t even elect to use any cover art, the album is simply a red square with ‘RCA’ written in huge letters, and ‘The Strokes’ written in smaller letters beneath. I believe that the circumstances and way the album was delivered, indicates the band’s intent to let the music stand for itself, an attempt to separate art from artist and hype from genuine enthusiasm. The album, and it’s art (or lack of), could also be seen as a vaguely passive aggressive parting shot at RCA, which many critics have suggested, due to the public, and longstanding mistrust between Casablancas and label executives.

It’s for this reason I believe The Strokes decided to release their latest music, a three song EP titled ‘Future. Present. Past.’ on Casablancas’ own label, Cult Records. There, The Strokes would have the freedom to release their music at their own pace, in their own style, in whatever fashion they please. ‘Future. Present. Past.’ is, as a Strokes fan, a tantalisingly suggestive title. And sure enough, the three tracks present in the EP do seem to sonically point toward their possible future, their current state, and their past selves. The EP serves as a document of The Strokes’ career so far, and the potential future as well. The EP is a good example of The Strokes taking control of their image for once, and telling their own narrative - even if it’s an easily consumed, media friendly one.

Throughout my research on Casablancas recently, and throughout my life, my opinion on him has morphed continuously as I learn more about him, and consume more of his art. I believe the media’s portrayal of Casablancas sometimes obscures his true character, often opting to either idealise, or demonise him. The Strokes always suffered from being overhyped, but Casablancas and Co. always simply focused on what really mattered: the music. I believe Julian Casablancas’ impact on pop, and guitar music will be felt for many years to come, and his Cult Record label will continue to influence the ever evolving tastes of modern audiences.

[humble-althemist]

10 Songs Tag

tagged by @sparkleeye​ and you know I can never resist doing a music-related tag instead of getting actual work done, so here it is with so much less delay than I usually have when I’m tagged in something lol

Playlist tag game the rules: we’re snooping on your playlist. Put your entire music library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs then choose 10 victims.

1. 3:14 Every Night - Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (from The Social Network) I swear I have too much of their shit saved on my Spotify. they come up at least once every time I shuffle stg.

2. IV. Sweatpants - Childish Gambino I’ve got this whole album saved and keep meaning to sit down and really listen to the whole damn thing, but this one song steals the show for me like every time so far like damn 💦

3. Dare I Care - The Voidz such a specific mood but damn does this band in general nail whatever fuckin mood that is.

4.  Problem Child - The Damned this band stars in my Sirius Black’s Music Taste Circa Seventh Year playlist like 8 times, and I think that’s all I need to say about that.

5. In Bloom - Nirvana I’m a basic bitch with Nirvana ok. I’ve barely moved out of the like 5 biggest hits of theirs in terms of regular listening. but you know what? they’re hits for a damn reason and I’ll never apologize for that 🤘

6. Harlem Shuffle - Bob & Earl try not to dance to this, honestly. try.

7.  THAT BIH - Qveen Herby pretty much the mood for the kind of thing Billy’d be listening to if I ever did a modern au

8. Monday Morning - Fleetwood Mac thank god for creating shippy/fandom playlists, and my experience making one for Remus Lupin’s Hogwarts Years finally getting me into Fleetwood Mac as I always should’ve been.

9. I Want You So Bad - Heart speaking of shippy playlists 😅 I see you there, Harringrove love songs playlist.

10. Solringen - Wardruna wow wrapping it up by ending back on a “what Theo writes to” note ✌ nice job Spotify (also way to point me back toward the work I should be doing rn whoops)

Once again not tagging shit because 1) lazy and 2) anarchistic. 😬👌

[zer0comma]

hi it's the anon from before!! I should have specified fjsjd, could you tell me more about the members?

no worries!! of course i will tell you!!

so, the members are julian casablancas, fabrizio moretti, albert hammond jr, nick valensi and nikolai fraiture. they have been friends since primary school and even tho the relationships have been kinda rocky lately, they’re still really close.

julian: he used to be the main creative force in the band. he wrote 95% of the first three albums by himself. he’s very talented and i really love him!! he’s very reserved and awkward, which i really find endearing because he’s always been considered as a very cool frontman but he’s just a huge dork. he’s soft spoken and a little bit shy and quiet. he seems mysterious sometimes because of how reserved and private he can be and he always has this sleepy look in his eyes and he looks like someone who’s been awaken from a long sleep and some people mistake this attitude for him being rude but that’s just the way he has always been. he’s very intelligent and passionate and creative, but sometimes he finds it hard to communicate his ideas and add his awkwardness to the mix and you’ll get some weird stuff that he said. he’s very very hardworking and a huge perfectionist, and he’s very critical and harsh on himself sometimes :( . he’s also a control freak, and that created some tension in the band before. they started writing music together since their 4th album, and julian said that he’s trying to compromise which is a good thing. he’s also really into politics. he’s now a husband and a father :) and he also made a solo album called Phrazes for the Young (underrated masterpiece that he keeps hating on smh) and now he has another band called the Voidz. they make a lot of experimental music but it’s really really worth checking out. long story short, he’s this awkward and extremely talented individual who also happens to be very kind and polite and humble and smart even if he says some weird stuff sometimes and i love him so much because he’s very inspiring and we both have similar personalities :)

fab: he is a poor little boy who hasn’t eaten in three hours. he is also a huge bubble of energy and electricity. he’s very adorable and active and passionate and simply full of life!! he’s the smallest member size wise so we don’t get to see him clearly when he’s sitting behind the drums but he really hits those drums HARD. he’s so sweet and funny and kind and humble and very talented. the songs he co wrote in the strokes are some of their best songs ever. he and nick are the ones who keep talking in interviews and bringing life to them. he’s kind of the opposite of julian, julian being very calm and reserved while fab is this smiling excited child who would love to talk about anything!! he’s also a visual artist. he studied sculpture before dropping out when the Strokes started growing but he still practices his art to this day!! here are some of the stuff he did

he also started a band called Little Joy in 2007 and they released one self titled album but its sooo good. it’s very different from the Strokes and it has a very chill vibe to it. he also did most of the songwriting.

albert: THE BEST DRESSED STROKE (julian take note) and also the healthiest. like fab, he’s funny and energetic. unlike julian, he’s very open about his private life and previous life problems (he used to have a drug addiction but after a long struggle he became clean) and he’s also honest. he’s really cute and he used to have a great and iconic afro in the early 2000s but then he shaved it :( his hair is growing again now but it’s not the same as the iconic afro, man :( his dad is very supportive and he helped the band financially when they were still babies. he’s cheeky and funny and he used to get into twitter fights with fans lmao. like the other Strokes, he is very talented. he’s the first one to start working on a solo album and so far he released 4 albums and one EP released via julian’s label, Cult Records. his music is really great and it sounds like classic Strokes and this is why so many fans dig it!! he and julian are really close to each other despite their different personalities.

nick: the youngest Stroke and also the tallest. he is also the owner of the best cheeckbones and jawline in the history of mankind. and he also has gorgeous jesus hair. nick is very easy going and friendly and candid and spontaneous. he’s very chatty with the fans and he seems to be the most excited and caring member about the future of the Strokes. given their open and candid personalities, he and fab are best friends and nick’s kids call fab uncle fabbie which is the cutest thing EVER. he really loves playing live and when he does it he looks like a guitar god, barely looking up with his brown curls covering his face. nick used to be against the solo and side projects, saying that the others should focus on the band instead, but later he changed his mind and founded a band called CRX and they released one album so far. his solo music also sounds different from the Strokes. he also kisses your mom with that mouth

niko: bassist and professional zoom breaker. he is the shyest and calmest Stroke. like julian, he’s very reserved and sweet and soft spoken and smart and kind and polite. his personality is the opposite of fab, albert and nick and that creates the perfect balance. while the others used to be wild, nikolai is the calmest and most grounded. he’s been friends with julian since they both were six years old. niko made a solo record under the name of Nickel Eye (clever, huh?) and now he plays in another band called Summer Moon. he really loves basketball too!! and he forgot when his daughter was born.

i really recommed seeing these videos in order to understand their personalities better!!

in transit (a must see for every strokes fan and the source of 90% of the memes)

the strokes in the studio (recording their 4th record + meme material)

a conversation with the strokes (last video interview they did in 2016, it’s a good one)

talking about cds and mixtapes

julian in denmark 1 and 2 (one of my favorite julian interviews ever. he seems so relaxed in here :) )

interview in sweden (nothing is better and sweeter than baby strokes :’) )

julian and nick nme awards (really short but i love jules in here. this is after he bacame sober and he looks happy :) )

holy shit i can talk about them FOREVER but this is too much!! hope i helped 💕💕💕

[givemeastroke]

3, 9, 19, 20 and 30!!

3. A song that reminds you of summertime

A danish song called “Tilbage” by Hans Phillip. Give it a listen, it has really nice vibe, and is very enjoyable though you might not understand what its about.

9. A song that makes you happy

“Hard To Explain” by The Strokes. it also makes me very nostalgic, but most of all happy. as soon as I hear it, a big broad sad smile paints its self on my face. if that makes sense, its hard to explain.

19. A song that makes you think about life

oh boy, a lot of songs makes me think about life. “Humans Sadness” by The Voidz is definitely at the top. “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” by Radiohead, “Something About Us” by Daft Punk, “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell and “Fire Flies” by Gorillaz also really gets the existential life and death thoughts going.

20. A song that has many meanings to you

“Evening Sun” by The Strokes. this song has been through a lot with me. I cant tell you how many times ive cried to this song, danced to this song (seems hard, but you can), screamed out the lyrics to this song and walked home from some of the greatest nights of my life listening to this song. recently it has surprised me how many of my big memories are linked to this song. 

30. A song that reminds you of yourself

“Nobody” by Mitski. it’s a wonderful song, and unfortunately I related to literally everything in the song. its so good, and so painful, and so freeing, and so lost and just every single emotion i’ve ever carried in my body is in that song. I really don’t know how to explain this. sometimes I think I'm good with words and expressing myself, but then my skills are put to the test, and I look like a fool. 

[indiecation]

This past weekend, I headed to San Pedro’s waterfront to watch two whole days of live music. Although I’ve been to a few major festivals this year including Desert Daze and Music Tastes Good, I was most excited for this lineup, mainly to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the B-52’s, Beach Fossils, Cigarettes After Sex and some of my favorite smaller acts like the Paranoyds, Billy Changer, and La Luz. I was also excited to re-live my high school punk days by catching FEAR and Bad Brains.

But alas, I was on assignment for mxdwn, which is no walk in the park. When you’re legit covering a festival, you have to know song names (even of bands you don’t typically listen to), stay for entire sets that you’d rather bounce from, and be super attentive.

It was really something to be 100% sober, mainly due to the $14 drink costs, but also to keep my memory sharp. I saw all kinds of behaviors, and some were funny, but others were downright scary. From stage-diving fails to deranged fans halting one band’s set, to incoherent festival-goers being hoisted by friends, I saw it all!

But I was really excited to see some of my old and new favorites play. Saturday was my favorite, as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs absolutely killed their set, playing the majority of their songs off Fever to Tell. Cigarettes After Sex also put on a stunning set, playing at one of the main stages just as the sun was setting. And the B-52’s had everyone dancing and grooving to the ’60s inspired surf rock.

But there were some acts that I watched but just couldn’t get into, like Julian Casablancas and the Voidz, which just jerks sound every which way and the assault on the eyes and ears that is the Butthole Surfers.

You can catch my full, unbiased coverage via mxdwn, and some personal experiences in the video below.

For full festival coverage, check out my articles on mxdwn:

The Growlers Six Festival Day One Featuring the Yeah Yeah Yeahs The Growlers and more

The Growlers Six Festival Day One Featuring Butthole Surfers, the B-52’s and more

Check out my highlights and lowlights in this highly unedited video and please comment! I’d love to hear from you.

Beach Goth is Dead, But its Spirit is Alive as Ever This past weekend, I headed to San Pedro's waterfront to watch two whole days of live music.