Our reviewer loves Julian Casablancas but has reservations about his new solo act

By “Big Vic” Smith

Casablancas whistles up a blue tune

SAN FRANCISCO (Hollywood Today) 11/18/09 – Former Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas has one of those deep voices you’d like to turn a speaker over and sit on it. His voice grinds.  It shakes.  It gets in there like Frank Sinatra.

Once watching The Strokes from on the stage at T in the Park in Scotland in 2004 before a crowd of 100,000 to seeing their leading man Julian play an under sold Regency Theater with about 800 people in it was a bit of a shock.   I expected the line to be around the corner and scalpers hot on any extra ticket’s tail.

But it was quiet when I walked up, and it was easy in.  The front was packed tight though, with young screaming chicks with their iPhones in camera mode.

I felt like a full-fledged adult with a momentary lapse of understanding how someone so young could get who Julian is and what he represents.   There was a magic in music in the years 2000-2003, an indie movement, a bit of a revolution that Julian was a major player in.  These girls were 10 and under when the Strokes debut came out.   But cool is cool ain’t it.

If they’d like a piece of the indie rock pie; if they idolize the year 2001 like I do 1967 then that fills me with pride.  My generation is making a beat.  Sound is transcending.   It sticks!   (But why isn’t this show sold out?)

Julian’s show in San Francisco last night was just under an hour.   Thirty-Five minutes in, he mentioned they were running out of material.  His new album title, “Phrazes for the Young,” was inspired by Oscar Wild and is just 8 tracks long.  I expected a few Strokes covers, surely the crowd would love the tasty filler, but he was steadfast in doing to do his own thing.  In his solo effort, away from The Strokes, Julian is alone up there.  His backing band lack the presentation and fashion connection the other Strokes complete.  He spoke to the crowd like he would to a friend “ah shit I shouldn’t have paused… I forgot what comes next now.” he said as he fumbled on his one “cover” of I’ll Try Anything Once, a Strokes tune.  Julian seemed shy and unsure of himself, which was endearing because come on, Julian Casablancas is the man.  He’s king of indie, along with Jack White.  Though neither sold more records than the likes of Coldplay, they have the serious street cred essential for Crownage.  Julian is tall with a cherub face and cool shaggy do.  He wore his black leather jacket, black trousers a bit short, shiny black patent leather ankle boots with red racing stripes through them and raw gold necklaces along with his wedding ring.

I can’t say I heard what I expected.  His voice, along with the lyrics, was drowned out by the double drum kits, double synthesizers and guitar.   His pearl was under the ocean.   Surely it was a sound issue and not intentional.  The Strokes are a special combination and a hard act to follow.  Though I was excited to see him doing his own thing, the Strokes became like a phantom limb.  I found my eyes and ears searching for the familiar, for the other three guys up there that just were not there, for the rock n roll edge that was getting rounded off by synths.

With that all said, Julian delivers the hip cat cool real rock vibe.  Cool is something innate in him and will always be but still, see him while he’s young folks.  This is an important man in music.

Julian Casablancas is the house band at the Downtown Palace Theater in Los Angeles every Friday night in November before embarking on a European tour.

http://www.juliancasablancas.com/

http://www.victoriasmithphoto.com