Aping the same staccato rhythm synonymous with his former band, Valensi fortunately doesn’t rest on his laurels ... well, not too much.
CRX is harder, raunchier and just a whole lot more "rock" than The Strokes. Produced by Josh Homme, New Skin borrows plenty of hooks from both The Cars and Cheap Trick, who Valensi consciously references, but this is deferential, not derivative.
CRX is spritely, compact and no-fuss, just the way a cracking set of power-pop tunes should be.
• CRX. New Skin. Sony.
• Four stars (out of five)
Single download: Unnatural
For those who like: Urge Overkill, Them Crooked Vultures, The Hives
— Mark Orton
