It all started out so promising, following the first listen to Julian Casablancas' debut solo single "11th Dimension" I was ready to scream from the rooftops proclaiming the proficiency of The Strokes front man and what I anticipated would be great debut solo album.
Casablancas certainly had the right idea going into making Phrazes For The Young. High energy textured synth, paired with programmed drum beats and vocal melodies that would be at home on any of the previous Strokes records. It has to be said that Casablancas sloppy vocal styling certainly has emerged as one of the most recognizable and influential voices for the last decade. Many an imitator has come and gone and many vocalist today continue to imitate his aural swagger, all this said and done, Phrazes just falls a little flat.
The eight track disk does boast some great individual tracks(the Nashville country/crooner feel of "Ludlow Street" is a stand out) but over all it never really seems to engage the listener. There aren't really any new ideas to this release; nothing that progresses Casablancas above what we've all heard from him before.
For any fans of The Strokes this is pleasurable listen, it won't blow your mind but it will hold up as a great soundtrack for the coming summer. Definitely worth the purchase if only for "11th Dimension" alone, arguably the best song to come out of 2009.
