By Kid Bomba
If you happen to be the singer of one of the most critically acclaimed and influential bands in rock music in the past 10 years (The Strokes), or you have recorded what Eddie Vedder referred to as “one of the best vocal albums of all time” (The Stroke’s “First Impressions of Earth”) you probably can not help to think twice about releasing a solo album. The expectations could not be any higher. Maybe that’s why Julian Casablancas took this long to release “Phrases for the Young”. But even if he took another 5 years to put this out, it would have been totally worth the wait.
You don’t realize how much you’ve missed his voice until you hear this album. To make it even better, Julian makes sure that all the fuzz about his vocal skills has a solid foundation far from the leather jackets, fancy haircuts and legions of sixteen-year-old girls who are ready to have many of his kids. (Illegal, I know... but all true!)
Track highlights: It’s impossible not to think of the Strokes when listening to this album. The opening track “4 chords of the Apocalypse” sounds like a gospel song from overdriven-guitar heaven, “Left in the dark” and “Out of the blue” will make you hit Poplife at the Vagabond and dance your ass off.
Julian Casablancas is said to start touring Europe, Japan and all of the U.S. in 2010, which means no sign of a Strokes reunion anytime soon. In the meantime, get your copy of “Phrases for the young” and pretend the world is perfect: The Strokes never left, Obama didn’t lie about ending the war and the disgusting construction on Biscayne blvd is almost done.
Track List:
4 Chords of the Apocalypse
11th Dimension
Glass
Let right in the dark
Out of the blue
River of Bakelights
St
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