The unofficial hiatus of The Strokes has proved to be quite productive for the members of the one-time saviors of downtown rock. While lead singer Julian Casablancas has been relatively quiet during the break contributing vocals on a handful of collaborations, the rest of his band mates used the off time to head into the recording studio for an impressive output of material.
Guitarist (and former Blips act) Albert Hammond, Jr. released two solo albums, bassist Nikolai Fraiture formed and recorded with the band Nickel Eye and drummer Fabrizio Moretti did the same with Little Joy – an album that has become my favorite among the post-Strokes output.
Joined by Rodrigo Amarante and Bikini Shapiro, Little Joy – whose self-titled debut is a mix of breezy island flavored rock, folk and distinctive Tropicalia flair all highlighted by Amarante’s laid back singing and Shapiro’s gorgeous backing vocals. The band hits the road on June 2 for a month-long headlining tour that kicks off in Santa Barbara, CA, and includes a support date for Regina Spektor at the Beacon Theater in NYC. Let’s check out the video for No One’s Better that features a cameo from Devendra Banhart…
According to a March 27th post on their website, Moretti’s other band – The Strokes – have headed back into the studio to record their fourth LP.
More Little Joy:
One Response