Rolling Stone gives Phrazes a mediocre review

it figures. they have such trite music critics. not that I'd trust a publication that put Megan Fox on the cover one issue ago, and devotes 1/3 of its current cover to Bono (how many times has he made the cover this year alone? talentless hack.)

they didn't like Ludlow St, but if I remember properly, they gave Costello's piece of crap album a good review

don't even get me started on their despicable reverence for those Jonas drones and the fact that they couldn't appreciate Led Zeppelin in their own time.

record review: Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young

The album begins with an eerie ten seconds which keeps the listener on edge, unsure of what is to come. Then, “Out of the Blue” explodes with a Strokes-like force that reassures you: all will be well. The song itself meanders along Julian’s existence, as if his whole musical life were flashing before him. But instead of blubbering some ambiguous stream of consciousness, his lyrics are crisp, well formulated and demanding recognition. Long gone are the days of hiding behind cryptic messages. This is Julian’s voice, in every sense of the word.

Phrazes for the Young continues with catchy songs, and Julian uses every instrument to its ultimate potential. He doesn’t have flashy solos or ominous bass lines, he just has the musical equivalent of eloquence gushing from his hands and feet and kisses.

It has a little bit of everything, from a deliciously soulful “4 Chords of the Apocalypse” to the electrifying “River of Brakelights” (a song that will leave you dizzy for sure) and even a country ballad called “Ludlow St” which eulogizes the past and cynically proclaims the inevitable bleakness of the future.

Ironically enough, this album is the ultimate futuristic record: it relies heavily on synths and consistently references better things to come. “Forgive them, even if they are not sorry”, Julian sings. Strokes fans might be reassured that this wise, sober, musically omnipotent higher being will be the much needed glue for the future of the band.

Phrazes for the Young ends with a couple of exquisitely intoxicating songs, concluding with just as much of a whirlwind bang as the opener--just in completely different musical territory.

In the end, we can all rest assured that the world’s greatest songwriter has not lost his Midas touch.

Damn good album.
5/5

buy it on AMAZON, vinyl or cd (I'm getting both)

Julian Casablancas - Out of the Blue [mp3]