the time of the assassins

Now that The Strokes' overextended hiatus is coming to an end, I've been listening to their side projects as a build up, because I love how much they sound like The Strokes even when they do their own, completely different stuff. Albert Hammond Jr. was an immediate contentment, and I've continued to be pleased by his music. I haven't listed to Fab's band Little Joy yet, but I was extremely excited to a) tenatively listen and b) immediately turn the volume up for bassist Nikolai Fraiture's band Nickel Eye.

And yes.
It took me a moment to figure out that Nickel Eye = Nikolai.

Though keeping with some basic Strokes elements, Nickel Eye is an interesting, more low key sound from a seemingly whole different era. Fraiture's voice is a surprise from the bassist's normally quiet and reserved stage persona. He's got this fantastic noir/western-but-still-whiney-rock feel. Choice tracks are Intro (Every Time) and Brandy of the Damned.

Best of all? The covers- with beautiful guitar playing, shy voice, and genuinely personal feeling: Nico's These Days (above) and Leonard Cohen's Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye (below).