Search - Julian Casablancas :: Phrazes For The Young

I would actually give it 4 and a half stars

Lukasz Gilewski | 11/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not many albums out there like this today. Awesome blend of pop, synth, rock, classic, r&b, and just about anything else you can think of. The lyrics are often good, sometimes great, sometimes lacking. The solos range from VERY GOOD (Glass) to VERY BAD (River of Brakelights). Julian is obviously the brains behind The Strokes, and his solo effort completely overshadows any of the other members' works. This man is just on another level.

1) Out of the Blue - Good lyrics, decent music, sounds like something you would find on a Strokes album except for the added synth. Good way to open up the album but nothing really too special. 8/10

2) Left & Right in the Dark - One of my favorite tracks on the album. It has a very catchy chorus and really does well in building up energy. This is one of the poppier sounding songs on the album. 10/10

3) 11th Dimension - Awesome first single. Really shows Julian knows how to write a very radio friendly dance track that makes you want move around a bit haha. The lyrics on this one are among the best on the album. It seems to reflect a lot of how Julian was a shy person and all that stuff. 10/10

4) 4 Chords of the Apocalypse - This song kind of reminds me of a bluesy Beatles song, especially around the chorus. The music isn't anything that really jumps out at you but the lyrics are decent and the overall mood of the song really breaks up the album pretty well. 8/10

5) Ludlow st. - This was one of the songs used on the preview video for the album, and as such I expected it to be a stand out track. It's not. If there was one song I could do without on this album, it would be this one. Not to say it's a bad song, but following 4 Chords up with this track doesn't make much sense to me. Ludlow st seems to be building up to something the entire track but it never gets there. It reminds me a lot of "On the Otherside" off "First Impressions of Earth" so if you like that, maybe you'll like this? 6/10

6) River of Brakelights - Although I didn't love it right away, this is probably my favorite track on the album at this point. The solo is AWFUL but the rest of the song more than makes up for it. The lyrics are the best of the album, the music is awesome, the way it builds is awesome, Jules' screaming the chorus is awesome. Great song. 10/10

7) Glass - Probably my second favorite track on the album. This one was also used on the promo for the album but unlike Ludlow st, it definitely lives up to my anticipation of it being a stand out track. The lyrics are pretty good, the beat is great, the solo is AMAZING. This songs creates a very cool atmosphere and that's where it really stands out. 10/10

8) Tourist - Although I don't love the chorus so much, the verse is awesome. The beat is amazing on this one, it's a great track to close the album out on. Kinda makes me wish there were more than 8 tracks. 9/10"

Take your time...

M. Winterroth | Hoboken, NJ | 11/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...with this album and give it a chance. Upon first listen, it may seem a bit discombobulated and perplexing, but after a few takes, I realized this could be the album I have been waiting for in 2009. It is haunting and epic, but please don't go in thinking this is the next Strokes album without the rest of the band -- this is a great experiment that stands by itself, for itself."

Different Stroke, equally great result.

Paul Allaer | Cincinnati | 11/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After the release of the Strokes' third album "First Impressions of Earth" and the subsequent tour, the band went on an unofficial hiatus which is still lasting to this day. But it provided the various members an opportunity to stretch their musical legs. My favorite comes from Albert Hammond Jr. who has issued two albums, one better than the other: "Yours to Keep" in 2007 and "Como Te Llama" in 2008. Now singer-songwriter Julias Casablancas joins the fray and issues his own solo album amidst high expectations.



"Phrazes For the Young" (8 tracks; 40 min.) is the classic case of a traditional A and B side to the vinyl album of old. The first 4 songs make up Side A and the opener "Out of the Blue" is by far the most commercially sounding track on here, and somewhat reminiscent of the classic Strokes sound of strumming electric guitars. "Left & Right in the Dark" and "11th Dimension" also are quite pleasant to the ear. Side A concludes with a pensive "4 Cords of the Apocalypse". As the next 4 song cycle gets underway, it made me realize that the further you go along in the album, the less and less it sounds like the Strokes, so for anyone expecting a Strokes album in all-but-name, save your money and don't buy this. Side B starts with a strangely mesmerizing "Ludlow St.", bringing a hotchpotch of sounds with brass, Eastern influences and more, but somehow it works great. "River of Brakelights" and "Glass" continues the now-ever stranger journey with yet more enticing musical adventures. By the time we get to the closing track "Tourist", a mid-tempo track with gorgeous musical layering that feels like a catharsis. It is my second favorite track on the album and a great way to close out the album.



Don't make too much about there "only" being 8 tracks on here. They are all around the 5 min. mark, and I never felt that this was a "Strokes-like" short album. In a recent music magazine interview of Casablancas, I read that he has high hopes for mainstream-commercial success for this album, which truly surprised me, I mean, really?. I can see one track, tops, getting some commercial radio airplay, and even that is doubtful, given the sorry state of commercial radio. Not that this reflects poorly on this album, not at all. If you are not looking for a carbon-copy Strokes-like album, I venture you will be very pleasantly surprised. I know I certainly have been.

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