Posted By Ben W. on November 9, 2009

So here is the new Strokes — I mean Julian Casablancas — single. Thanks for waiting.

Remember back in 2001 when Is This It felt like the beginning of something special? The first glimpse of what would go down as one of rock’s classic bands?

Little did we know that eight years on, the mastermind behind the album — one Julian Casablancas — would have given us all of 25 more songs. Yeah, that’s right. The Strokes — the would-be sound of the decade — have released 37 songs.

So excuse me if I can’t help but bring some bitter disappointment baggage to this listening experience.

Which is a shame, really, because “11th Dimension” is a pretty good song. OK, it sounds like New Order covering “Rebel Rebel.” But it’s easily the most instantly exciting song produced by the Strokes side acts (Albert Hammond Jr., Little Joy and Nickel Eye). Casablancas’ vocals are great. His sense of melody is mostly in tact, though the song does noticeably lack a memorable chorus. His gift for busy, exciting arrangements (clearly, he was calling the shots in The Strokes) is present and accounted for.

But it’s plagued by the same problems that sunk The Strokes’ 2006 opus First Impressions Of Earth, also known as the decade’s most disappointing album.

* Stripped of his youthful amateurish exuberance, Casablancas seems only capable of producing music that is somewhat pleasant. “11th Dimension” applies.

* And, even more problematically, stripped of his youthful NYC cool persona, Casablancas has been outed as a lyricist with nothing to say whatsoever. “11th Dimension,” again, applies.

Is it “11th Dimension” ’s fault that Is This It set the bar really, really high eight years ago? No. But am I gonna hold those expectations against this song? Hell yes.

Sorry.

This isn’t what I was expecting when Casablancas’ talent burst onto the scene with “The Modern Age” EP in the early summer of 2001. It’s just not good enough.

See Eric O’Bryant’s review of Casablancas’ new album, Phrazes For The Young, by clicking right here.

Related posts:

1. Phrazes For The Young — Julian Casablancas
2. 12:12 Tune of the Day: Make It Take It — Amanda Blank

Categories: 12:12 Tune Of The Day
Tags: Julian Casablancas, The Strokes