New Skin

Personnel: Nick Valensi (vocals, guitar); Darian Zahedi (guitar); Richie Follin (keyboards).
Audio Mixers: Andrew Scheps; Mark Rankin .
Recording information: Arlyn Studios; Kung Fu Gardens; Pink Duck Studios; Sonora Recorders.
Considering that Nick Valensi was the last member of the Strokes to pursue a side project, it wouldn't have been surprising if he had stuck to collaborations with artists like Devendra Banhart, Regina Spektor, and Sia. With CRX, however, he takes his turn as a frontman, surrounding himself with members of Guards, the Dose, and the Reflections. On New Skin, the band borrows the shiniest and crunchiest parts of power pop and metal from the '70s and '80s -- styles the Strokes flirted with on albums like Angles and songs such as "Juicebox," but CRX trades that band's New York cool for California chill with the help of producer Josh Homme. Working with the Queens of the Stone Age leader was an inspired choice, since he knows how to make music that's equally heavy and catchy. The band fares best on the poppiest songs, which sound like they should be played on a radio format that doesn't exist anymore. "Anything" sounds like the Cars on an extra-snotty day, while the glistening new wave chug of "Ways to Fake It" and "One Track Mind" feels like the work of a band that influenced the Strokes instead of one of its members. ~ Heather Phares