|
Perhaps it's fitting that Julian Casablancas' solo album arrived last out of all of the projects the Strokes pursued during their post-First Impressions of Earth hiatus. Albert Hammond, Jr. and Nikolai Fraiture stayed close to the band's mold with their extracurricular projects, and while Fabrizio Moretti's work with Little Joy might technically sound more different than his main band's music, it doesn't feel as bold as Phrazes for the Young. As the Strokes' singer and main songwriter, it's not surprising that Casablancas pushed himself to break away from the kind of music he makes with the band, but it's how he makes the music different that makes the album interesting. Only eight songs long, Phrazes for the Young begins with tracks that feel like typically catchy Strokes songs put in front of a funhouse mirror; they're stretched, twisted, and elongated into experiments that even First Impressions of Earth's most ambitious moments couldn't contain. "Out of the Blue"'s strummy guitars and new wave sheen are familiar, but its rush of emotional, confessional lyrics ("At least I'll be in another world while you're pissing on my casket") are anything but. "11th Dimension" comes the closest to what the Strokes would sound like near the end of the decade they kicked off with Is This It, full of brash, shiny charm and sleek electro-pop synths that suggest that Casablancas should collaborate with Daft Punk ASAP. Soon enough, however, Phrazes for the Young veers off into territory that should throw listeners expecting a Strokes album in all but name for several loops.
Condition: NEW Sealed
TRACK LISTINGS
1 Out of the Blue 4:43
2 Left & Right in the Dark 4:58
3 11th Dimension 4:05
4 4 Chords of the Apocalypse 5:02
5 Ludlow St. 5:45
6 River of Brakelights 5:13
7 Glass 5:24
8 Tourist 5:02
|