mixtape maestro (2.0)

Arriving mere months before the planned-for-early-2010 premiere of The Strokes’ long-awaited fourth studio effort, “11th Dimension”, the first taste of Julian Casablancas‘ October-set solo debut Phrazes For The Young, is possibly one of the happiest-sounding things to have ever met our ears, satisfying our long-held curiosity for what a JC project would be like.

In the perky alternate universe of “Dimension”, Casablancas’ backing Strokes are replaced with a bunch of eye-lined, asymmetrical-hairdo-ed android musician-bots with the seemingly central goal of crowding the singer’s familiar lackadaisical croon with a gleeful meshing of as many ’80′s electronic pop sensibilities (a neon-lit carnival of various synth/ keyboard melodies, those wiggly guitar lines, the drum machine’s relentlessly tinny pummel underneath…) as possible in one arrangement.

That the song is nearly overwhelmed with too many great half-ideas, both in it’s ever-evolving production and the occasionally awesome Casablancas lyrical couplet (“I just nod/ I never been so good at shaking hands”) only makes it more exciting to indulge in on repeated visits, birthing a new “favorite” moment with every successive listen.

It’s an unexpectedly exciting jump-off for a solo career we always kinda wished for, but never thought we would actually receive (at least, this soon), supplying us with enough of a Strokes-y feel to keep us quenched until the new group album drops, while being “different” enough to assure us that we won’t be all Stroked-out when that fourth album release date does reach fruition. Perhaps most importantly, it provides continued solid proof that the next time the band want to go forever in between albums, we’ll no doubt be kept entertained between all the members’ respectively pleasing side-gigs (with Phrazes possibly being the one that ends up besting them all, that is, if “11th Dimension” turns out to be the album’s tone-setter and not the exception).

Pre-order Phrazes For The Young here.

“11th Dimension”:

Earlier this week, Little Joy (the side project act of Strokes’ drummer Fabrizio Moretti, Los Hermanos singer Rodrigo Amarante and singer/ songwriter Binki Shapiro) took a trip to the Daytrotter studios for a couple of live performances, and the posted sessions quickly reminded Mixtape Maestro how much of a pleasantly sublime treat their much overlooked 2008 self-titled debut remains (and how much we look forward to any of their future endeavors in-between day job gigs).

One of the featured performances is the Strokes-y “Keep Me In Mind”, an upbeat summertime rocker revolving around a man’s discovery of a “Dear John” letter that’s somehow both cruel and charming (“Frankly dear, i’m forced to give it up/ Tried my hand and now I’ve had enough/ Even though we have to say goodbye/ Keep me in mind”).

Given the blurried quality of the album version, hearing “Mind” in the crystal-clear clarity of a live context makes it’s even more of a favorite. Now we can better grasp the song’s dancing twin guitar interweavery magic, as well as the ragged edges of Amarante’s lazy croon, which adds a nice wearied tone in his echoed reciting of the title.

Hear/ snatch up the Daytrotter performance below.

DL: “Keep Me In Mind (Live Daytrotter Session)” (alt)

What will you come away with after listening to “Boombox”, a two-or-three giggle-inducing (Fingerless gloves! HA!!!), “cautionary tale” collaboration between SNL-affiliated funnymen The Lonely Island and Strokes’ frontman Julian Casablancas (from the trio’s new release, Incredibad)?

• An undying need for some accompanying visuals.
• Re-assertion that whether played dead-serious or for laughs, White boy raps on electro-dance records will never transcend hopeless corniness.
• The inability to get the imagined stench of “bland sauerkraut and boiled goose” from out of your nostrils.
• The re-invigorated wish for track-stealer Casablancas and Co. to deliver us a new Strokes album…like immediately.
• Fond memories of “The Bartman”, followed by the oh-so-depressing realization that yes…you are old.

DL: “Boombox” (alt)