Julian Casablancas – Phrazes for the Young – 2009
Before I even start this I have to wonder: Why? Isn’t Casablancas the leader of The Strokes? Isn’t he the visionary that started that group and, without him, aren’t they just a bunch of guys who would’ve been haunting bowery clubs?
Okay, no matter. Sure, so Julian wants a solo record. Fine.
1. Out of the Blue – This is what the Strokes should sound like by now. They didn’t on First Impression of Earth. But this is what we were hoping they would sound like.
2. Left and Right in the Dark – Strokes meets Disco meets Flock of Seagulls With a killer chorus.
3. 11th Dimension – Disco Strokes. Take the vocals out of it and it’s generic roller rink stuff.
4. Chords of the Apocalypse – Brandon Flowers has been doing this stuff already for years. Ripping off The Killers is a sure sign that JC has run out of ideas.
5. Ludlow St. – Odd, dischordant, overt synthiness, this is Brian Eno meets Gary Numan meets Neutral Milk Hotel
6. River of Brakelights – Take the worst of The Strokes, the laziest of “singing” and “melody” and marry that to what sounds like a found loop of “music” and you end up with this Kraftwerk inspired mess.
7. Glass – The closest the album gets to a melodic ballad. Which, if you loved ballads by The Cars, you will enjoy.
8. Tourist – A song so bored with itself that it just decides to end.
I would have given this album a higher grade if it was a Strokes record. But the sheer arrogance of Casablancas and the thumbing of his nose to the other guys knocks it down a half grade.
Grade: C-
ASide: 11th Dimension
BlindSide: Left and Right in the Dark
DownSide: Ludlow St., Tourist
i'm sorry, but this is sooooo pretentious. this review, not the music. who cares if he went solo? and honestly i think it's a lack of intelligence when people can't just sit back and enjoy the tunes. i know i seem like i'm hating but i'm not trying to, it's just that why grade an album on the music if you knock the grade down for personality? or on assumptions? what if he wanted to do a few tracks that couldn't make it onto a strokes album, the record label didn't want, or the other band members didn't want? it's easy to lump it as the same thing because of the voice, but that's just something he can't unfortunately change. anyways… i'm tired and i'm done ranting. i just wish people would stop being so nasty and just chill out and get off their pretentious high horses. ugh.. men. and i am one. the male race is just so inferior. anyways i'm gonna go smoke a joint and chill the fuck out.
laters.
Pretentious, yes. But it's my space, so I write what I wanna.
Why the anonymous? Why not….oh, nevermind.
Thanks for reading. The thing about Casablancas is, without him, there's no strokes. It's nonsensical to even think otherwise.
He is the vision. It HIS sound, to be honest. His doing a solo record would be like Colin Meloy or Michael Stipe doing one. It's redundant.
Sorry you hated the review. I stand by it. But keep reading. You might agree with something…