Tag Archives: The Strokes

03.18.10
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The Strokes ARE BACK!


I was possibly in denial about the fact that The Strokes were making a new record. I don’t even want to think about how long ago it was that the band took the stage together. After Mr. Casablancas finishes up some tour dates for his recent solo record Phrazes for the Young everything goes back into full force for sure. The band is already in the studio recording LP four that will be out later this year. Can I just say it’s about damn time? I swear if Nick Valensi decides to start a solo project in the next month my head might explode. He is the only member without one, isn’t he?

The Strokes are also headlining Lollapalooza in August and will be playing the Isle of Wright festival in June. Talk about a grand comeback. Hopefully the rest of North America will start to see Strokes shows surfacing in the next few months. A new record is certainly a good way to start things off.

Take a listen to a demo of “Someday” down below. Let the good times roll….
The Strokes- Someday (Demo) by modernmysteryblog

02.08.10
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Secondhand Sunday: French Kicks “So Far We Are”

This Secondhand Sunday goes out to The French Kicks. I’ve been craving new music by them lately. I once met the band in my college days when I interned at a pretty rad TV show. I compared scarves with the Stumpf boys that day. Here’s an oldie but a goodie, “So Far We Are.”I’ll let the video speak for itself. The will always be one of the coolest bands around. For sure.

01.18.10
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Julian Casablancas @ Terminal 5, NYC- January 14, 2009

DSCF1823 by ModernMystery.I had mixed feelings going into the Julian Casablancas show on Thursday night. His solo album, Phrazes for the Young, which is pretty incredible, would probably come off well, but would it be the same Casablancas I fell in love with when Is This It came out? Would it be awkward not seeing the rest of The Strokes with him? Could these songs possibly come off like sort of a lounge act on stage? I was probably more nervous than him, who was performing in New York City for the first time in years.

Getting to Terminal 5 super early, the line was already down the street for the sold out show. The crowd is still the hippiest group you’ll ever see. Folks, Strokes fans invented hipsters. The line rushed in as soon as the doors opened. A majority of people hit the merch table immediatly, something you rarely see these days. Sneaking up to the front of the crowd, I knew something special was about to happen tonight.

First taking the stage was Tanlines, a eletronic duo that managed to keep my attention. Telepathe took the stage next, which honestly I could do without. Every song sounded the same, and I possibly dozed off during one part. If the opener was just Tanlines than I would have been happy. Maybe it was because I was dying to see Casablancas, someone I haven’t seen on stage since the last time The Strokes played in New York 3 or 4 years ago.

Hitting the stage immediatly after, Casablancas came out like he was never gone. Launching into “Ludlow Street,” an homage to being back in NYC, the fans embraced him right off the bat. Singing along to every word from the start. It felt good to have him back, and he loved the attention. An audience favorite of the night was certainly “11th Dimension,” as the crowd sang along and danced. Casablancas seemed ecstatic to be playing in his hometown again and his energy was just incredible. Though he still manages to hold on to his microphone stand for dear life, he was not exempt from getting right in the crowd’s face, literally, as he hopped off the stage several times that night. “What a good lookin’ crowd. You’re still the best,” commented Casablancas to the screaming fans.

DSCF1846 by ModernMystery.

The 6 piece band behind him were extremely tight, but somehow you just couldn’t take your eyes off of the man himself. The night was filled with tracks off his solo record, and ones like “Out of the Blue,” riled up the crowd like no other. Though you would assume that with only one album under his belt, that he would have lack of material to play on stage. This was not the case. Blazing through nearly every track, he also whipped out a few surprises when he wasn’t talking about how upset he was with Alicia Key’s songs. He shocked us by playing a slow cover of the old Kings of Leon tune, “Velvet Snow,” which was beautiful to say the least. Leaving the stage after “Left & Right In the Dark,” he ran off, literally. The band wasn’t gone for more than 10 seconds before the crowd started to chant for them to come back.

Casablancas came back on stage with the guitarist and said “This is a cover of an old Strokes b-side.” Of course, fans went crazy for this as he performed “I’ll Try Anything Once.” Everyone was singing along, and Julian had the biggest smile on his face. Performing “4 Chords of the Apocalypse” with such spunk, Casablancas got right into the crowd and the security guards had to keep a hold onto him. And with that, he was gone again. But the fans were still hungry. An impromptu second encore then took place as he closed with “Tourist,” Casablancas left the stage by slapping 5 with people in the crowd only to come back instructing his drummer to play a beat for him to sing over “Let’s hear it for New York, these streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you,” and he was out like a flash of light. Julian we missed you, and from the looks of it, you missed us too.

SEE MORE PICTURES AFTER THE JUMP

12.31.09
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Modern Mystery’s Top 25 Albums of 2009

 

1. The Wooden Birds-Magnolia
From the ashes of the classic indie band, American Analog Set, rose a new project from former frontman, Andrew “AK” Kenny, called The Wooden Birds. Shifting completely everything he’s done musicially, AK has come out with one of the most surprising releases of the year. Creating a record that is more folk than rock, no songs on the album contain any drums what-so-ever. The bass and vocals really take off and captivate you, the listener. The live sets of the song also include Matt Pond on guitar along with songstress Leslie Sisson. I’m not sure I’ve heard such a heart felt and warm record in the past 10 years.

2. Julian Casablancas- Phrazes for the Young
It’s been a long time since we heard from The Strokes as a unified band. A lot of fans were hesitant on the thought of a solo album by the charasmatic leader, Julian Casablancas, putting out music that doesn’t resemble his band at all. What a surprise it was when we found he took his love for a bit of 1980’s dance and incoporated it with his unforgettable voice and lyrics. The end result? One of the coolest records of the year. We’d expect no less from him.

3. James Husband- Parallax 1
It took 10 years for multi-instrumentalist and drummer from Of Montreal, James Husband, to create his solo album masterpiece. Husband is in the spotlight for the first time in his career and wow, is he certainly taking advantage of it. Providing one of the best indie pop records of the past year, he lets out a 60’s retro sound that no one can mess with. The end result is something as charming as it seems. Raw, catchy, and glorious.

4. Alvin Band-Mantis Preying
Rick  Schaier is not only an amazing drummer and artist, but he is also an extremely talented singer and songwriter. Schaier who spends most of  his time playing drums in The Miniature Tigers has begun a new chapter in his book in the form of ‘Alvin Band,’ this year and completely blew our minds. Blending a retro sound with updated electronics, this is one album you should pick up if you haven’t yet. The catchy hooks and vocals will only leave you wanting more. That my friends, is a good thing!

5. Bishop Allen- Grrr
It’s been a long night since Bishop Allen gained attention by two teenagers named Nick and Norah, and fans were at the edge of their seat wondering what the Brookyln line up would come up with next. Taking a further step into their brilliant indie pop sound, the band did not disappoint at all with Grrr. See it as the next chapter in the Bishop Allen movie, one that is bound to have many sequels in store.

6. Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you may have heard of a little band called Grizzly Bear. Somehow exploding this year, it was certainly one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2009. Every song is flawless. Catchy yet moody. Beautiful in every way. This album describes itself better than anyone ever could.

7. Bat for Lashes- Two Suns
Completely out of left field, the lovely miss Natasha from Bat for Lashes surprised us all this year with making a stunning, charming, and beautiful record. The combination of her voice and the spacey background music is enough to send chills down your spine. And it does just that. The haunting track “Daniel” captivated the attention of many, and the rest of the album is able to keep you around.

8. Flight of the Conchords-I Told You I Was Freaky
Yes, they are known for writing ‘funny’ songs, but on this record, FOTC became even witty and even more advanced it seems in their writing. Their songs, even though the lyrics are mostly ‘silly’, are composed perfectly from start to end. Jermaine and Bret are really on top of their game with this record. We can’t wait to hear more!

9. Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This band always makes a great record, and their 2009 hit was no different. Everyone wanted a piece of Phoenix and boy, did they get them. This classic indie dance pop record was a must have for everyone who ‘knew what’s cool.’ Apparently, this was the world.

10. Girls-Girls
An unlikely hit, this retro indie duo shocked us all with such a raw and appealing debut album. This lo-fi record filled with melodies, doesn’t need any frills or thrills to make it great. It hold’s its own firmly which is a hard thing to mess with.

11. Cass McCombs-Catacombs
12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs- Its Blitz
13. Pains of Being Pure at Heart-Pains of Being Pure at Heart
14. Casper and the Cookies-Modern Silence
15. Headlights-Wildlife
16. Japandroids- Post Nothing
17. Cymbals Eat Guitars-Why There are Mountains
18. Kevin Devine- Brother’s Blood
19. Joan of Arc- Flowers
20. Passion Pit-Manners
21. The Antlers- Hospice
22. Loney Dear-Dear John
23. Neko Case-Middle Cyclone
24. The Mountain Goats- The Life of the World to Come
25. Dirty Projectors-Bitte Orca

12.29.09
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Modern Mystery’s Holiday Party Part One

Welcome friends! Come out of the cold and be intrigued once again this year by our Modern Mystery Holiday Party! This year we’re doing things a bit different. Posting several bands and artists at once for maximum, er, readage. That isn’t a word, we know, but we’ve been trying to pass ‘Radtacular’ as one for about a year now in hopes that it takes off. Maybe it will. Sigh.

Enjoy the first round of our Holiday Party. You never know who will drop in, and sometimes, neither do we!

Charlie Brand- The Miniature Tigers

Top 10 Albums of 2009:

Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest
Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca
Alvin Band – Mantis Preying
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Julian Casablancas – Phrazes For The Young
Neon Indian – Psychic Chasms
Animal Collective – Fall Be Kind EP
Micachu – Jewelry
Peter, Bjorn & John – Living Thing

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

The craziest thing that happened to me this year was touring for the first time. It’s been a life changing experience.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

The thing I love most about the holidays is the overall smell in the air. I guess you could even classify it as a vibe more than a smell. Very warm and cozy.

Alex Gerber- The Miniature Tigers

Top 2 of 2009:

Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear
Curse Your Branches by David Bazan
Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

Craziest thing to happen is that I joined Miniature Tigers.

The craziest thing that happened to me this year was touring for the first time. It’s been a life changing experience.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

What I love most about the holidays is family, warmth and love.

Will Currie-Will Currie and the Country French
 
Top 10 Albums of 2009:
 
Dan Mangan – Nice, Nice, Very Nice
Said The Whale – Islands Disappear
Arkells – Jackson Square
Wilco – Wilco (The Album)
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms
Zeus – Sounds Like Zeus EP
Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus
Julian Casablancas – Phrazes For The Young
Hey Rosetta! – Into Your Lungs
Joel Plaskett & The Emergency – Three

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

The craziest thing that happened to me this year was probably the time that my girlfriend and I attempted to cross into the US without proper ID. We were just going into the states to buy some breakfast cereal that they no longer sell in Canada, i.e. Trix and Coco Pebbles, and we were planning on being there no more than half an hour. We told the border guard that and said “if you don’t let us in, it’s no big deal, we’ll just go another time.” and he just kept getting more and more mad, as if our nonchalance was offending him. Anyway, in the end Myself, my lovely girlfriend, and her Toyota Tercel were allowed to cross but we were marked as “Non-compliant” at the border, whatever that means. Sounds like we were bein tough. We crossed back into Canada a bit later. the Canadian Guard said “Whatcha get?” We said “Cereal!” He said “Neat!” and we went back to our lovely country. It was then that I thought “Whoa, that was crazy. The craziest thing that’s happened to me this year? Perhaps.”

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

What I love the most about the holidays is walking downtown Toronto and seeing everything lit up and everybody going crazy shopping in the evening and stuff like that. It makes me feel like I’m in a movie or something. Basically Yonge St. from Dundas down to Queen St. That’s all prime Christmas movie atmosphere. Also, the World Jr Hockey Tournament is an amazing part of the holidays. If you’re a Canadian it’s awesome, others may be disappointed though.
Ahmed Gallab-Sinkane, Caribou, Yeasayer
 
Favorite Record of 2009:
Sa-Ra Creative Partners are a group composed of Om’Mas Keith, Taz Arnold, and Shafiq Husayn. Their 2009 release “Nuclear Evolution: The Age of Love” is the the future of music as we know it.

Craziest Thing that Happened to You This Year?:

– Playing in Caribou Vibration Ensemble with Marshall Allen of the Sun Ra Arkestra
– Listening to Marshall Allen tell me about the Sun Ra Arkestra dancing on the Sphinx in Egypt.

What do you love the most about the Holidays?

Well, being Sudanese and growing up in The U.S. I have become very confused about the holiday season. My family doesn’t really celebrate the American holidays. I mean, we used to get a Christmas tree and make our parents buy us stuff. But we always picked out exactly what we wanted and wrapped the gifts ourselves. There wasn’t ever a surprise element involved. I guess we never really got the whole concept in the first place.

Anyway, I like hanging out my with my mom and dad a lot. Lately I’ve been having a lot of girl problems so I talk to them about it. The conversations usually go like this like this:

Me: Hey guys, I’m really down. I want a girlfriend
Mom: Get a job
Dad: Get a haircut

08.31.09
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Secondhand Sunday: The Strokes ‘Last Nite’

I’ve been talking to a lot of people about The Strokes this week. We all wish they’d record their new album already and set out on tour together. While that is on hold apparently with Julian Casablancas is releasing his first solo record in a few weeks, and playing to a sold out Tokyo crowd, we can’t help to remember where it all started.

I recall seeing The Strokes in a copy of Rolling Stone magazine (hey it was free and came to my house) the summer I graduated from high school. They were like nothing I had ever seen at the time. They looked normal. They dressed how my friends and I dressed. They looked like they made good music. They didn’t look like Fred Durst (ick).  A week after, I caught the band on MTV2 one morning and was completely blown away. From then on it was love. They completely restored my faith in rock and roll.

Enjoy The Strokes ‘Last Nite’