Posts tagged ‘Julian Casablancas’
10 favorite albums of 2009
It just occurred to me that I never got around to making this post. Whoops? We’re a month and a half (ish) through the new year and it kind of seems pointless to do it now, but it makes my last post about “albums I quite liked” seem super awkward all on its own. I’m going to post my favorite albums of the year FOR REAL now.
As I was writing the first little paragraph about Phrazes for the Young (SPOILER ALERT), I realized my babbling would be too time consuming considering how late in the game I’m coming around to this task. By now, who really cares right? So of course the obvious solution to my too-long-to-write conundrum was writing…….HAIKUS! Oh my gaawwddd. That’s just how my brain works, don’t ask. So yeah anyway, I wrote a crappy little haiku about each album on my top ten for your (and my) amusement. I don’t claim to be an artsy poet, I’m just a girl who hasn’t been sleeping much and comes up with stupid ideas that seem funny at the time. Let’s do this.
I’ve decided to play favorites this time around, with No. 1 being my personal “album of the year” or whatever. In a way, this list is almost as arbitrary as the last because, if I’m being perfectly honest, I spent most of the year listening to the same three or four albums on loop and squeezed in some of the lower-ranked numbers every now and then. It’s not like I love them that much less, it’s just that some own my soul more than others. That’s just how my heart works.
Just a heads up, there is no Animal Collective or Yeah Yeah Yeahs or Grizzly Bear or whatever on my list. Guess I missed the boat on that stuff.
#10: Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young
Love not there at first.
Words and synth sounds found my heart.
I wait for The Strokes.
#9: Fanfarlo – Reservoir
A long time coming.
Magnificent collection.
Feel it in your heart.
#8: Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
Awesome musicians.
Pastoral feelings evoked.
Love the mandolin.
#7: Generationals – Con Law
A random listen.
Sounds are nice, feels like sunshine.
Everyone should love.
#6: The Fiery Furnaces – I’m Going Away
Like Gallowbird’s Bark.
Still crazy but not like Choir.
So misunderstood.
#5: Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones
Love lives, ghost children.
Some actors make real music.
Surprised? Yeah me too.
#4: Jamie T – Kings & Queens
Epic excitement.
A genius lyricist.
Need album three please.
#3: Noah and the Whale – The First Days of Spring
Brokenhearted man.
Maturing musicianship.
Beautiful release.
#2: The Maccabees – Wall of Arms
Changes were coming.
Bigger, bolder sounds. Growing.
Always be there, love.
#1: Regina Spektor – Far
Would there be new songs?
Ruler of the universe.
Never disappoints.
Julian tours the rest of America
Mr. Casablancas has decided to grace the rest of America with his precense, not just L.A. The first batch of dates for his tour in support of Phrazes for the Young:
3/26 – Atlanta, GA- Center Stage (Pre-sale 2/11 at 10:00 AM / On sale 2/12)
3/27 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore (Pre-sale 2/13 at 10:00 AM / On sale – 2/19)
3/28 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head (Pre-sale 2/13 at 10:00 AM / On sale – 2/17)
3/30 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom (Pre-sale 2/13 at 10:00 AM / On sale 2/19)
4/1 – Montreal, QC – National (Pre-sale 2/17 at 10:00 AM / On sale – 2/20)
4/2 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix (Pre-sale 2/17 at 10:00 AM / On sale – 2/19)
4/3 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues (Pre-sale 2/17 at 10:00 / On sale 2/19)
4/5 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall (Pre-sale- 2/13 at 10:00 AM / On sale 2/19)
4/6 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre (Pre-sale – 2/13 at 10:00 AM / On sale 2/20)
So obviously I need to go or else I will feel like I’ve let past-Catalina (and present-Catalina) down. But it’s at The Vic. Ugh. I guess it’s better than the Aragon, but still. And tickets are going to be out of my price range unless by some miracle they’re like $10 but we all know that’s not gonna happen. Who am I kidding, I can’t afford $10. FML.
How about some songs instead of chocolate?
Today, my roommate gave me her advent calendar chocolate and I ran into Santa and Mrs. Claus at Panera (State St). Oh yes, the magic of Christmas is upon us. And I’ve got an idea!
Advent Calendar-style posts counting down my favorite 25 songs of 2009. Oh snap. Alright, so it’s not exactly the most original idea ever. And yeah, I know I’ve already missed six days of December, but whatevs it just means this post (the first one!) will include six songs instead of one.
The songs I’ve chosen for this 2009 Musical Advent Calendar were the first 25 that came to mind as this whole idea popped into my head, after all it’s a list of “favorite” not “best” songs of the year. I mean I don’t know if you’ve ever tried making a “best of” list, but it’s way more difficult than it seems. How in the world could a person really take inventory of every song they heard this year and decide on the absolute 25 best?? Impossible. Incorporating any type of ranking system would have also proved very time consuming and time is not on my side right now (it’s exam week for this particular blogger), so the songs will be posted daily in no particular order (thank you list randomizer!). However, I have decided there’s a certain song I want to share on the last day of this project, since it’s a song I have honestly listened to at least once everyday since I first heard it this year. Don’t be surprised if I end up posting more than 25 songs, I have a feeling some gems may have slipped my mind as I originally compiled this list.
On the final day of my 2009 Musical Advent Calendar, I will also post the final list of my favorite albums of the year (which I’m still working on).
Whatever, let’s get to the fun stuff, yeah?
December 1st: Phoenix – Lisztomania
You couldn’t really escape Phoenix this year, but it was okay by me. I mean, who would be opposed to happy pop songs written by French fellas? Their sound has obviously evolved since their debut United, but not in a bad way. “Sometimes in the Fall” has always had a tendency to get stuck in my head for days, “Lisztomania” gave it a run for its money this year. For more Phoenix: http://www.myspace.com/wearephoenix
December 2nd: Dead Man’s Bones – Pa Pa Power
Dead Man’s Bones are proof that not all “actors-turned-musicians” are shit and some concept albums can in fact work. “Pa Pa Power” is my favorite song from their self-titled debut and YEAH MAYBE IT DOES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT SYNTH. Sue me. For more DMB: http://www.myspace.com/deadmansbones
December 3rd: Kid Harpoon – Buried Alive
Absolutely beautiful. Just reminds me of the many reasons I love this man. (More: http://www.myspace.com/kidharpoon)
December 4th: Planet Earth – Bergman Movies
I love Planet Earth. I don’t think the line “in life it’s easy to forget all the things you never wanted to say, like a jumper that you don’t like you just put it away” has escaped my brain since I first heard it. Anyway, you should love Planet Earth too. Seriously:
December 5th: Julian Casablancas – 11th Dimension
Deep down inside, I am still that 13 year old girl who fell in love with this random band from NYC called The Strokes and never looked back.
December 6th: Fanfarlo – Drowning Men (BBC 6Music Session)
It seems impossible not to love and appreciate Fanfarlo. If you don’t, maybe you have no soul. Just sayin’.
one of my favorite SNL skits and Julian Casablancas
On December 21st, Julian Casablancas is releasing a limited edition 7″ Christmas single of none other than SNL’s “I Wish It Was Christmas Today.” Oh snap!
Back in the day when my brothers and I were obsessed with Saturday Night Live, we looked forward to the holiday season when Horatio Sanz, Tracy Morgan, Chris Kattan, and Jimmy Fallon (aka all of our favorite people) would suddenly appear on our TV screen donning cheesy Christmas sweaters and singing the best holiday song we had ever heard. It’s simple, catchy, and the fact that even when he’s just hitting two keys on a keyboard Jimmy Fallon still can’t keep a straight face make this song so fucking great. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m sorry that you missed out on SNL back when it was actually good. Luckily, almost everything is on the internet these days:
You can listen to Casablancas’s version of “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” HERE ON MYSPACE, where you can also stream his album Phrazes for the Young.
Or download the song here. Ho ho ho.
“Phrazes for the Young” in 30 second previews
You can listen to 30-second previews of all eight songs on Julian Casablancas’ solo album Phrazes for the Young on Amazon Germany. SO GO AHEAD AND HAVE A LISTEN TO THEM NOW.
Considering the album is due out in three weeks (November 3rd in the US), Casablancas and his team have done a hell of a job keeping the album from leaking. There are folks who claim to have advanced copies, but god only knows if they’re being honest or just completely full of it.
I don’t know about you, but me and my inner-thirteen-year-old-fangirl-self are pretty damn excited.
Another solo Stroke
Although they claim a fourth Strokes record is underway, Julian is set to release his debut solo album this fall. The record, Phrazes for the Young (“phrazes”? really??), will be released on his own label Cult Records & RCA in the U.S. and Cult Records/Rough Trade in the UK. Watch an album preview below. Yes, I said “watch”.
You can sign up for his mailing list at http://juliancasablancas.com. Who knows, he may even tour.
Albert = Albert Hammond Jr. Fab = Little Joy. Nikolai = Nickel Eye. And now Julian. Should we all be expecting Nick to put out some solo work before the next Strokes record too?
