Since The Strokes’ last album in 2006, most members from the band have started side projects. Finally, lead singer Julian Casablancas has decided to join them by releasing a solo album, Phrazes for the Young.
Trading in his typically grave sounding tone, Casablancas’ voice takes on a brighter quality throughout the album. Though the lyrics on the opening track “Out of the Blue” might create a dark mood, his voice during the chorus is anything but. Along with Casablancas’ voice, the diverse instruments used on his solo album help to create a different sound than the music he put out with The Strokes.
Phrazes takes the alternative rock sound of The Strokes and combines it with the synths normally found in techno-pop songs. The first single off the album, “11th Dimension”, is the perfect example of the difference in the music Casablancas has performed in the past and what he is putting out as a solo artist. The song brings in the newfound brightness in his voice and catchy keyboards making for a surprisingly cheerful song.
The cheerfulness of the songs are also attributed to Casablancas’ usually bored tone disappearing, giving the songs feelings that might not have been seen on records by The Strokes. The track “4 Chords of the Apocalypse” takes on a blues sound, adding depth to his voice and meaning to the song. When Casablancas croons about how “it’s nice to be important”, one can’t help but wish to feel important along with him.
Despite the record being a mere eight tracks long, it gives Casablancas plenty of time to prove that he can stand on his own and doesn’t need a band to back him up. The album holds no weak parts where one might second guess Casablancas’ ability to be a solo act. Each track is a little bit different than the last, and shows just what Casablancas is capable of.
Though having a strong opening track is probably the key to making a good album, it doesn’t hurt when all the songs in between are just as good with a concluding song that’s possibly better than the opening. The final song, “Tourist,” feels like a wrap up of all the emotions Casablancas has sung about all through the album and all the emotions one who’s gone off on their own might feel. Casablancas sings of how he feels “like a tourist out in the city” during the chorus, and that one line depicts the uncertainty that everyone feels when experiencing new and challenging things.
The elements Casablancas sings of on his album are things that anyone can relate to, adding to the overall magnitude of the album. If anyone is skeptical about how good the album would be, one listen is enough to put their worries to rest. There’s a song on Phrazes for the Young that everyone can enjoy, and only makes the listener anticipate what Casablancas will put out next.
With this album, Casablancas proves he can make music as a solo act that is just as good as the music made in a band.
