Nov 2, 2009
Julian Casablancas’s Phrazes for the Young
The Strokes became one of the brightest lights in this decade’s early garage rock revival with a mixture of Cars-like pop and Velvet Underground-tinged cool and lo-fi sound. Everything the band did on Is This It, Room on Fire, and First Impressions of Earth had a clear antecedent — the albums succeed on the strength of the songwriting rather than an evolutionary step forward. Phrazes for the Young, the first solo effort from Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas, has its influences, but its sound is unlike anything else in his previous work. These are still rock songs, just with myriad layers of synths, clicks, and clacks to flesh out an album full of surprises. The lyrics are in line with what you’ve heard from The Strokes: urban disaffection, booze, and relationships. Yet the kitchen-sink sound turns every track into a triumphant anthem — the act of expression becomes a positive in itself. I love it all, but “11th Dimension,” “River of Brakelights,” “Left & Right in the Dark,” and “Tourist” are the highlights. – Eric Freeman