Artist: Julian Casablancas
Album: Phrazes For The Young (2009)
Track: “Left Right in the Dark”

While I was ripe for some Strokes-ish nostalgia, I think contemporary music is also ripe for a little return to the particular brand of attitude that the band so brazenly bestowed upon the world when This Is It dropped. Enter: Julian Casablancas’ debut solo album, Phrazes For The Young.

He often wrote or at least contributed to the writing-process in the band, so it should come as no surprise that you can hear the consciously rhythmic rock throughout the album. It’s a preposterously titled album and some of the influences are a little over-the-top obvious. The delayed guitar-bursts on “Left Right In The Dark” are brazenly ripped-off from the new-wave classic A Flock Of Seagulls’ “I Ran.” I guess it’s all about the story, though. Julian Casablancas was about 4 years-old when that song became a worldwide hit. The lyrics to Casablancas’ song begin, “Running in the parking lot, I was 4 years-old.” Fair enough. It might be that first distinct musical memory. It’s a naive, new wave, and pretty sweet sounding, keys and drum machines and all.

My favorite bit of the album has to be the first verse/chorus on the opener, “Out of the Blue.” To me, it sounds like the start of a rock band career up to the present. Rise, fall, reflection, rock.

“Somewhere along the way my hopefulness turned to sadness.
Somewhere along the way my sadness turned to bitterness.
Somewhere along the way my bitterness turned to anger.
Somewhere along the way my anger turned to vengeance.
And the ones that I make pay are never the ones who deserve it.
And the ones who deserve it never understand it.
Yes I’m going to hell in a purple basket.
At least I’ll be in another world while you’re pissing on my casket.
How could you be so perfect for me?”

Throughout the album, Casablancas treads the line between new wave sounds and the more traditional Strokes-y rock. And then he fucks the line up to great effect. Part of the album’s high quality is surely is brevity. Eight songs and 40-minutes. Enough time to get the point across, all killer (etc.). It’s almost frustrating that since the Strokes’ last effort, this is roughly all we’ve heard from the band’s front-man. Keyword: almost. Its meticulous density of sound and influences, new wave and all, makes it all worthwhile. Quality is better than quantity and Phrazes For The Young is a prime example.

Tracklist:

01. Out of the Blue lyrics
02. Left & Right in the Dark
03. 11th Dimension
04. 4 Chords of the Apocalypse
05. Ludlow St. lyrics
06. River of Brakelights
07. Glass lyrics
08. Tourist