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Julian Casablancas
“Phrazes for the Young”
Release Date: November 3, 2009
Record Label: RCA
Rating: B+
As The Strokes’ band members have all gone onto their own side projects, Julian Casablancas, the band’s lead singer, has been the only one to differentiate from the band’s sound with his album “Phrazes for the Young”.
Albert Hammond Jr. and Nikolai Fraiture, members of The Strokes, did not go outside their comfort zones with their solo albums and stuck to the classic garage rock sound The Strokes became famous for.
Casablancas has shown his range, from songs with catchy electronic synths to his own version of alternative country. The track “4 Chords of the Apocalypse” has a blues feel with a rock spin, which shows off Casablanca’s range as a singer as well.
One reason Casablancas has prevailed in his solo debut is his songwriting abilities. Staying true to the album’s title, Casablanca’s songs are reflections of youth and the struggle to be heard. The song “Ludlow St.” recounts one’s attempt to find an identity in an unforgiving and cruel world.
The great thing about Casablanca’s album is what it represents: an album that serves as a voice for today’s youth, which some consider a lost generation. Casablancas understands the struggles faced today are no different than the challenges of fifty years ago, back when his hero John Lennon was preaching the same messages.
