The Voidz: ‘Like All Before You’ is packed with unpredictability and charm
- Matthew McLister
- Sep 30, 2024
- 2 min read
Julian Casablancas’ side project band’s third LP contains a melting pot of ideas largely borrowed from 80s electronic and rock reference points.
With the garage rock ideals of The Strokes restricting creativity, Julian Casablancas has used The Voidz for a type of sonic experimentalism unimaginable from his main band. Not that everyone was on board, however. When debut Tyranny arrived in 2014, reviews were somewhat mixed; ranging from unlistenable to refreshingly eclectic.
Ten years later and the LA-based five-piece have delivered Like All Before You: another marmite-y and stylistically wide-ranging record – a refusal to be boxed in either a charm or a hindrance depending on your perspective. Their third LP contains a melting pot of ideas largely borrowed from 80s electronic and rock reference points.
‘Square Wave’ begins on Cure-esque guitars, wonderfully merging a jangle-pop riff with Casablancas robotic vocals. ‘Prophecy of the Dragon’ then sounds like a different band entirely, throwing in unexpected metal guitars from the world of Van Halen. While the track initially forces some head scratching and confusion, it at least jumps out as one to be reckoned with.
Ballad ‘Spectral Analysis’ later changes things up wholesale again. Meditative pianos contrast to ominous lyricism (“Give the humans what they want / Some music for them to blow their brains out to”) and a subtle undercurrent of unease in line with the haunting genius of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.
By the midpoint, we’ve become accustomed to the album’s fickleness and are now able to enjoy the ride. ‘Flexorcist’ forces glittering New Order-inspired synths with funky guitars for a breezy earworm, while trippy Sci-fi vibes are heard on ‘Perseverance-1C2S’. ‘When Will The Time of These B*stards End’ later plays out like a Halloween drama, finishing things up with ominous riffs and theatrical vocals.
The constant disregard for consistency on Like All Before You won’t be for everyone. But, for those who eventually find themselves on board, its unpredictability and creativity are very much part of the charm.
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