Like All Before You is the third studio album by the American band the Voidz, which was released on September 20, 2024. It was the band's first album in six years following 2018's Virtue.
| Like All Before You | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 20, 2024 | |||
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| Length | 42:55 | |||
| Label | Cult | |||
| Producer |
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| The Voidz chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Like All Before You | ||||
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Background
editThis album is the band's first in six years and third overall, with their last being Virtue. It is also notably frontman Julian Casablancas's first project following his Grammy award win for Best Rock Album with his other group, the Strokes, for their 2020 album The New Abnormal.[3]
The title of the album was inspired by a conversation between Casablancas and the band's bassist and synth player, Jake Bercovici, where the latter said: "Soon we’ll all be crusted and dusted like all before us.”[4]
Recording
editThe album was recorded at the band's home studio in Venice, California, as well as at Vox Studios in Los Angeles.[1] The band collaborated with producers Ivan Wayman, Justin Raisen, and Sadpony on several tracks.[2]
Release
editThe album's first single, "Prophecy of the Dragon" was released on May 26, 2023.[5] On October 27, 2023, "Flexorcist" was released,[6] along with an accompanying 14-minute-long music video that also served as the music video for "Prophecy of the Dragon".[1] In the following year, on February 21, 2024, "All the Same" was released.[7]
On July 4, 2024, a teaser was uploaded to the band's YouTube channel that announced the album and revealed its digital release date to be in September 2024,[8] with further announcements detailing the album's physical vinyl release date[9] and two live dates in Los Angeles and Harlem for October of that year.[9] With this announcement, the band also quietly put out the instrumental single "Overture" on digital platforms.[10] The album's final single, "7 Horses", was released on September 16, 2024.[11]
Like All Before You was released on September 20, 2024.
Reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 5.6/10[12] |
| Metacritic | 59/100[13] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Clash | 8/10[14] |
| DIY |   [15] |
| Pitchfork | 5.5/10[16] |
| Rolling Stone |  [17] |
The album was met with a mixed reception. According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Like All Before You received "mixed or average reviews" based on a weighted average score of 59 out of 100 from 10 critic scores.[13] Clash gave the album an 8/10 score, describing the album as falling into the category of "unforced invention delivered with chilled ease", praising the tracklist's variety and mentioning that "while heaps of experimenting is on display, [...] the song is always at the centre".[14] Rolling Stone rated the album two and a half stars, writing that "the record is the most unpredictable that the group [...] has recorded since it formed more than a decade ago", adding that it is "difficult to listen to the album as a whole".[17]
The band faced controversy with their use of AI artwork for the album's cover art, with many fans expressing their disappointment online. On Instagram, Casablancas issued a statement defending the choice, which included the following excerpts:
"We [definitely] didn't go out of our way to use AI art. I just objectively– in the wilderness of the art out there– liked the image and we were working with several ideas and just all objectively collectively liked it best. [...] Sorry to the 'Scared of [New] Tools' tribe, truly sorry. But art plops up, best idea/image/noise in the end should win... and I'm not 'endorsing' AI, I don't dwell on it, but it's part of culture now. Relax, it's iPhone."[18]
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Alex Carapetis, Amir Yaghmai, Jake Bercovici, Jeff Kite, Jeramy "Beardo" Gritter, and Julian Casablancas. All tracks produced by Ivan Wayman and Justin Raisen, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Producers | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Overture" | 1:10 | |
| 2. | "Square Wave" | 5:26 | |
| 3. | "Prophecy of the Dragon" |
| 4:53 |
| 4. | "7 Horses" | 4:22 | |
| 5. | "Spectral Analysis" |
| 3:46 |
| 6. | "Flexorcist" |
| 5:57 |
| 7. | "Perseverance–1C2S" | 3:52 | |
| 8. | "All the Same" |
| 5:36 |
| 9. | "When Will the Time of These Bastards End" | 5:51 | |
| 10. | "Walk Off (Outro)" | 1:04 | |
| Total length: | 42:55 | ||
References
edit- ^ a b c Duran, Anagricel (July 8, 2024). "The Voidz share more details on new album 'Like All Before You', release atmospheric opener 'Overture'". NME. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Strauss, Matthew (July 8, 2024). "Julian Casablancas and the Voidz Detail New Album Like All Before You". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Bloom, Madison (March 14, 2021). "The Strokes Win Their First Grammy for Best Rock Album". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Daly, Rhian (September 19, 2024). "Julian Casablancas sets the world to rights: "We always think we're so special and beyond the old ways, but we're not"". NME. Archived from the original on September 19, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ "The Voidz's "Prophecy of the Dragon" is OUT NOW". Cult Records. May 26, 2023. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ ""FLEXORCIST" by The Voidz is OUT NOW". Cult Records. October 27, 2023. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ ""All the Same" by The Voidz is OUT NOW". Cult Records. February 21, 2024. Archived from the original on July 5, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Soo, JX (July 5, 2024). "The Voidz announce 'Like All Before You', their first record in six years". NME. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ a b "THE VOIDZ ANNOUNCE NEW RECORD "Like All Before You" - and live shows". Cult Records. July 4, 2024. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (July 5, 2024). "The Voidz – "Overture"". Stereogum. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ ""7 Horses" by The Voidz OUT NOW". Cult Records. September 16, 2024. Archived from the original on September 17, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ "Like All Before You". Any Decent Music?. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b "Like All Before You". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 25, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Hansen, Susan (September 19, 2024). "Julian Casablancas + The Voidz – Like All Before You". Clash. Archived from the original on September 21, 2024. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
- ^ Pope, Sarah (September 20, 2024). "The Voidz - Like All Before You". DIY. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ Gordon, Arielle (September 26, 2024). "Like All Before You". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 10, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b Grow, Kory (September 20, 2024). "Enjoying the Voidz's New 'Like All Before You' Depends on Lady Luck". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
- ^ Olinger, Sandra (July 9, 2024). "Julian Casablancas Responds to Fans Disappointed by The Voidz's AI-made Album Cover Art". Grimy Goods. Archived from the original on July 15, 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.