Julian Casablancas from The Strokes is currently on tour with his new band Julian Casablancas + The Voidz and will be able to fill your Strokes void when they come to DC’s 9:30 Club.
His work with Julian Casablancas + The Voidz may be different from what his fans are used to; their album, Tyranny, is darker and credits Casablancas as sole songwriter. Working with The Voidz allows him to experiment with new sounds, deeper lyrics, heavy use of synthesizers, and grittier guitar riffs.
Casablancas spoke to The Guardian about the album and said, “It’s kind of a protest record. It feels like one to me. It’s more to do with morality than politics. We have the sense that we’ve moved on from the system where the centres of wealth arbitrarily decide what is law and what wars we fight, etc. But I really don’t think that we are removed from that. The [US democratic] system is very similar to a monarchy.”
The lyrics on this album are much more intense and emotional than Casablancas’ work with The Strokes. He pours his heart and soul into this album’s songs, which is a side of him that Strokes fans will want to see. He also said that one song in particular,”Human Sadness,” made him very emotional. “It was very intense to work on. I’ve never worked on a song where the people were close to tears….I wasn’t quite crying, but it was really intense. It’s like being on the operating table – you’re working on making it emotional. But this was a rare time when I felt swallowed up by it.”
To promote Tyranny, Julian Casablancas + The Voidz are on tour and will be coming to DC’s 9:30 Club this month. The Strokes haven’t properly toured since 2011, and there’s a slim chance of seeing them perform anytime soon, but Strokes fans who are looking forward to getting a new album from them can be satisfied with Casablancas’ new raw and angstier work. Here’s your chance to check out Casblancas and his new crew because we’re giving away a pair of tickets to a lucky fan.
If you want to have a chance of getting a pair of tickets to see Julian Casablancas + The Voidz at the 9:30 Club next Friday, October 17th, leave a comment below telling us your favorite band member’s side project. Mine would have to be Panda Bear from Animal Collective and his self-titled side project.
A winner will be chosen on Wednesday, October 15. Tickets are still available for purchase.
