The Strokes' frontman Julian Casablancas takes a little break from his full-time gig to release his debut solo album, Phrazes For the Young. The album is a sensational mix of electro-pop rhythms and the indie rock sound that he crafted with The Strokes that has made him one of the most prominent musicians in alternative rock today.
The album starts off with the instantly catchy "Out of the Blue", my favorite song off the album. The song is a fun and eclectic mix of indie rock and electronic with a bombast of keyboards mixed in, giving Julian a wide range of clarity to his distinct and amazing voice. "Left & Right In the Dark" is a more mellow affair with a bevy of different musical arrangements and allows the electric guitars to be featured more prominently on this track. The album's first single, "11th Dimension" is a steady and pleasant song with a catchy keyboard beat that coasts along with ease.
As the album rolls along we hear "4 Chords of the Apocalypse", a very mellow and ethereal song that best highlights Julian's soulful and prominent vocals, which have gotten much stronger and deeper over time. "River of Brakelights" is a melodic yet fast tune that travels along at a breakneck pace at times, but eventually slows down allowing the listener to take notice of the different musical arrangements that are featured on the track.
As the album closes out we hear "Glass", a simple and mystical tune that has a futuristic edge to it with its outer space inspired keyboard effects and other worldly sounds mixed in for effect. "Tourist" features a more distinctive guitar arrangement heard up front and Julian's vocals begin to take center stage, featuring a much more dynamic range heard in his voice. Julian has already cemented himself as a top notch frontman with The Strokes and this little solo opus continues to showcase the wide range of talents that Julian is capable of and bides some time over for fans before The Strokes release their next studio effort later on this year.
Overall, a very unique and interesting solo debut for Mr. Casablancas, and one that strives to achieve a sound that hasn't been heard before, and experiments with a variety of different musical arrangements in the process that has created something wholly unique and powerful.
Album Score: 4/5
Track Listing:
- Out of the Blue
- Left & Right In the Dark
- 11th Dimension
- 4 Chords of the Apocalypse
- Ludlow St.
- River of Brakelights
- Glass
- Tourist
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