Julian Casablancas- Phrazes For The Young
8/10
Marrying sunny melodies with despondent lyrics, The Strokes’ lead singer and mastermind Julian Casablancas has shed his gritty punk rock demeanour for more eclectic experimentalism with his debut solo LP. Perhaps it was a determined move to ensure his detractors had a harder job pigeonholing him, harder than they’d have to try with Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.’s sedate pop efforts or drummer Fabrizio Morretti’s joyous reggae-influenced pop jams. At first listen to the few Phrazes tracks leaked early, Casablancas’ output cried Ratatat to me. But the warped multi-tracked synthy guitar lines did more than just amble on aimlessly as Ratatat’s songs often can.
The best songs on Julian Casablancas’ solo debut are the ones in which he sounds just like himself but not much at all like the Strokes, forcing us to reckon with the notion that the two things are not as synonymous as we’d previously thought. This is a bit like playing dress-up, and for the most part, Casablancas has sense enough to only indulge in drag that flatters his features. I’m not sure what exactly you call a song like “4 Chords of the Apocalypse” — Rec room balladry?
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