Nick Valensi plays in The Strokes and corroborates musically almost anyone who contacts him. Now is the time for him to start his own thing, a project titled CRX.
All of the members of The Strokes have developed their projects parallel to the work of the band. As it’s been some time since we have heard about The Strokes as they don’t perform much and avoid going to studio, it is clear that each member seeks alternatives. I am just surprised that Valensi waited such a long time to find his.
CRX’s debut New Skin dropped last autumn. In some way, it revealed the skin of both Valensi and his influences. It is clear that he did not want to step too far away from The Strokes, so he took their sound and turned it into a hybrid with a few remarkable moments. Valensi teased the record as the mixture of power-pop and power-metal, which is a bit funny considering that the final product is a derivative of power-pop, but lacks any flavors of heavy metal.
New Skin is best to be described as a combination of The Killers and The Klaxons with a few powerful riffs here and there. Everything is packed into a 80s vibe, so we got a pop, approachable version of what Julian Casablancas does.
The opening Ways To Fake It could be easily found on some of The Stroke’s past albums because the familiar sound of the guitar is woven in the atmosphere of the 80s, just as The Strokes were experimenting recently. Similar sound can be found in the work of Albert Hammond Jr.
The producer of the album is Josh Homme, which is clear when we hear to Broken Bones. It is a stoner song supported by dark electro elements that spoil dreamy chorus. Next to it is Give It Up, and it is probably the best to just forget that this song ever existed.
Anything ameliorates the record, because it sounds like Weezer from the green album. As we get into the second half of the album, we realize that Valensi is only a good composer, but it is doubtful that he can accomplish anything else with this project. If I was more evil, I would say that many have paid attention to this release due to it’s The Strokes label. This is not far from the truth when you hear a creative chaos On Edge is.
Overall – Valensi wanted a lot, but produced a little. Some moments showcase the potential, but it never reaches the heights of Julian Casablancas.
