Reviewed by Ian Phillips.
By The Voidz, Cult Records/RCA 2018.
The Voidz are one of the more interesting bands that I’ve heard in a while.
There is an amazing array of music on the album, a swirl of different styles from indie through pop to electronica and experimental and on to heavy rock.
There seems to be no limit to their eclecticism.
The album was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Grammy-winner Shawn Everett (Alabama Shakes, The War on Drugs).
While listening to the album I found myself constantly thinking of Franz Ferdinand.
There’s the same sort of crazy, almost manic, energy to the disc.
This is the first album by The Voidz that I’ve listened to and I must say that I’m mightily impressed.
They are very good musicians.
It takes some skill to move effortlessly between so many different musical forms.
Lead man Julian Casablancas says of the album; “It’s still a swirl of different styles, but I think this might be the most eclectic album that I’ve ever been part of. There’s a song on there for everyone.”
Critics are labelling Virtue as the best work Casablancas has produced since his outstanding 2014 release Tyranny.
That particular album was called “his most adventurous work yet” by NPR while Rolling Stone described The Voidz as “A shredding art-punk squad.”
A number of the tracks give us an insight to the recording process.
The track, All Wordz Are Made Up, includes the count-in indicating that a lot of the rhythm tracks were laid down live and then the band built upon this base.
This may account for the wonderful live feel to much of the disc.
I do like a band that are prepared to leave their comfort zone and experiment.
It looks like I’ve found another one in The Voidz.
