Disco, disco, disco – how long are you staying…

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[6.20]

Dave Moore: So for those of you still interested at this point that can’t be arsed to listen to the thing, Julian Casablancas solo sounds like the Strokes channeling Cyndi Lauper and covering “Rebel Rebel.”
[5]

6.

Pete Baran: Julian does appear to be nicking from the best: a bit of a New Order lead line, perhaps a Talking Heads backing track in his shopping bag. He gets away with this wholesale plundering of pop history because, what do you know, Casablancas is also POP HISTORY. His voice now sounds comforting and brings back happy Strokesy memories.
[7]

Talia Kraines: His vocals might still be a bit indie boy mumbly, but this is the sound of him bouncing about and having fun with an almost Calvin Harris keyboard and a gloriously silly Nintendo style breakdown.
[8]

Kat Stevens: Julian’s slurred delivery was propped up very well by the Strokes’ tight garage-punk, but this Go! Team stuff doesn’t suit him at all. It’s like your drunk uncle is attempting to sing along to “Wicked Game”, but no-one has bothered to tell him it’s actually “U Got 2 Know” by Capella that’s playing.
[3]

Martin Kavka: The shift in genres seems to have freed up Casablancas to dare to embrace the world; all the I’m-so-special whininess of “Last Nite” and “12:51” is gone.
[7]

Alex Ostroff: The tone is hopeful and generous in the face of cynicism, and has some great ideas, but they translate into awkward lyrics. “Your faith has got to be greater than your fear” has such weight to it, but the buy-the-world-a-Coke sentiments also give us “frozen surface of a fireball” and “hate each other in the name of sport”. Casablancas’ mind isn’t full of blanks, but a song about growing beyond yourself and the imperative of grace should sell me on its truths and not elicit the desire to mock its earnestness and punch Casablancas in the face.
[6]

Jordan Sargent: Unintentionally (I assume), “11th Dimension” sounds like the cut-and-paste mish-mash work of a post-Avalanches bedroom dweller, and like the Avalanches it has the feel of a wind-up party, canned in the sense that its timeless enough to feel fresh and unique in any situation. I assume that there’s lots of existential moaning here, but Julian’s sleepy drawl is tough to decipher, so it’s nice that he seems content to skate around the roller-rink with the melody.
[8]

Alfred Soto: Damp-eyed nostalgia predisposes me to appreciate this chronic mutterer elongating his vowels over a Laura Branigan organ line and coffee percolator percussion. For fifteen fleeting seconds I even bought the Bold New Direction publicity. But Julian, I’m a little older than you.
[7]

Additional Scores

Spencer Ackerman: [6]
Martin Skidmore: [5]