Nickel Eye on Daytrotter

to be completely honest, The Time of the Assassins is losing its charm for me. I mean I still think it's a decent record but I don't like it as much as Little Joy, or even Albert's stuff. maybe it's just too ominous sounding for my taste. regardless, Daytrotter has a great article and some exclusive mp3s, head on over!

record review: Nickel Eye - The Time of the Assassins

The Time of the Assassins was released today.

I actually reviewed this back on December 31st in my notebook, after hearing the album for the first (and third, and seventh) times.

It's hard to ignore The Strokes, even when they are each working on their own projects, not as a united force of awesome. As frustrating as it is that the boys aren't producing new material collectively (they will be in a couple of weeks though!), their individual creativity really shines on these solo projects.

While Little Joy's melodies are irresistible, it doesn't come close to the dynamite combination of Nikolai's voice (which is deep like Julian's, but less scratchy) and the pounding precision of Nick's guitars (Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, not Valensi)

Each song on this record is a unique gem: Nikolai jumps form the brooding darkness of "Back from Exile" to "Fountain Avenue", a song which combines Euro-folksy harmonicas and a surprisingly upbeat guitar riff. What is it with new music sounding like European folk music?

The rhythm guitars throughout have an unmistakably country feel. Only a Stroke could combine ethnic folk and American Country and pull it off.

"Brandy of the Damned", the debut single which shocked devoted Strokes fans (a lot of whom were convinced that it was Julian singing) combines Spoon-like rhythm and old Franz Ferdinand guitar work. Ironic, of course, seeing as how Franz were influenced by The Strokes.

"Where The Cold Wind Blows" captures that same tragic feel which Led Zeppelin perfected in "Stairway to Heaven", but is followed by "Another Sunny Afternoon", a song which manages to make a harmonica sound cheerful.

I have a feeling that these songs sound better live.

3/5

Nickel Eye - Where The Cold Wind Blows [mp3]
Nickel Eye - Brandy of the Damned [mp3]

Nickel Eye record to be released January 13th

Nikolai Fraiture, the Strokes' bassist, has collaborated with Joel Cadbury (steel guitar), Jamie McDonald (guitar), Brett Shaw (drums), Regina Spektor (piano), Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs (guitar), Jack Dishel of Only Son (back up vocals), Jesse Wallace (drums) + more to produce NICKEL EYE, a band with a very interesting sound.

visit them on MYSPACE

here are some tour dates:

Oct 15 2008 8:00P The Borderline London

Oct 22 2008 9:00PM Music Hall of Williamsburg CMJ Festival Brooklyn, New York

Oct 24 2008 1:00A Piano’s CMJ Festival New York, New York

Nickel Eye - Back From Exile [mp3]

The Strokes will be back in February. hallelujah.

yet another Nickel Eye Song available

via MYSPACE.

"where the cold wind blows" is slow and methodical, perhaps my favourite of his thus far. an album to be released by Niko and co this fall.

new mp3: Nickel Eye

Strokes bassist gone solo side project (a la many artists this year).

visit Nikolai Fraiture's project "Nickel Eye" on MYSPACE

Nickel Eye - Back From Exile [mp3]

Nikolai Fraiture streaming new tracks!

hear the previous two tracks, Brandy of the Damned and Dying Star, alongside a new track, Back From Exile, on Nickel Eye's MYSPACE. This is The Strokes' bassist side project. The Strokes are expected to be back in studio in early 2009.

Nickel Eye's debut record is expected to be released in the fall.

download early versions of the first couple of tracks below:

Nickel Eye- Brandy of the Damned [mp3]
Nickel Eye- Dying Star [mp3]

I really love the new track, Back From Exile. IMO, Niko has a better voice than Albert, who went solo a couple of years back. Nikolai is amazing, especially when he's nailing amazing bass lines as 1/5 of the greatest band on earth. Download a tasty example below.

The Strokes - Is This It [mp3]